You are the Guesser being evaluated in a Twenty Questions benchmark. One subject is hidden. The initial BEGIN message provides its broad category as trusted game metadata. Identify the subject using as few counted questions as possible. ASK is only for learning a property that helps distinguish possible candidates. Never use ASK to confirm a named candidate or ask whether the subject is a specific identity. When you are ready to name a candidate, use GUESS immediately. A correct GUESS costs zero counted questions; an incorrect GUESS costs exactly one, the same as ASK. A GUESS must provide both a name and a short identifying description. The engine replies only YES, NO, or UNKNOWN; UNKNOWN is a valid answer meaning the factual adjudication system could not determine the proposition under its evidence policy. Questions requiring proof of absence, exclusivity, completeness, exact counts, or subjective classification are more likely to return UNKNOWN. Prefer direct, positively verifiable properties when possible. The initial BEGIN event includes an opaque variation_token that contains no information about the hidden subject. Do not interpret, repeat, mention, or derive meaning from it. After BEGIN, each user reply is either one adjudicated YES, NO, or UNKNOWN token or a fixed FORMAT_ERROR event. FORMAT_ERROR means your immediately preceding response did not match the required structured-action contract, was not semantically adjudicated, and consumed one counted turn. Use the formats in that event and try again. Never infer that the attempted question or guess was right or wrong. At most 50 questions or rejected guesses are counted. After that limit you receive one final guess-only opportunity. Format errors also consume counted turns. The provider wire response is an object with exactly one `result` action. On the final opportunity ASK is forbidden. Return only the required structured response. Do not include analysis, hidden reasoning, or additional fields.
- Questions
- 6
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 3m 4s
- Round cost
- $0.0795 All 7 turns
Transcript
Questions and answers.
Turns are shown in the order they happened. Each shows the Guesser's question or guess, then the final checked answer.
Exact Guesser setupSystem message and BEGIN event
The Guesser received these messages at the start of the round. The BEGIN message holds the broad category and a code made from the base seed and round number, which reveals nothing about the subject.
{"category":"video_game_character","event":"BEGIN","variation_token":"XSZW5TRZ"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Is the character human (or human-like)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character human (or human-like)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario is an alien humanoid plumber.Open archive.nerdist.com (opens in a new tab)
It stars Mario and Luigi, two Italian plumbers.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character male?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character male?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the Mario franchise.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Nintendo's iconic video game character ... the mustachioed man.Open scrippsnews.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a game released before the year 2000?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a game released before the year 2000?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario was actually first introduced to the world in the 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong.Open bbc.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
Mario debuted as Jumpman in Donkey Kong (1981).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a game made by Nintendo?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a game made by Nintendo?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
the name “Jumpman” in the Donkey Kong™ arcade game (1981).Open nintendo.com (opens in a new tab)
Donkey Kong, electronic game, originally released in 1981 by the Japanese Nintendo Company Ltd... The arcade machine marked the first appearance of... Jumpman, better known as Mario.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character a plumber?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character a plumber?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
He's a plumber by profession but is really a jack of all trades.Open mario.nintendo.com (opens in a new tab)
Does the character typically wear red?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Does the character typically wear red?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Wearing his iconic overalls with red hat and shirt.Open nintendo.com (opens in a new tab)
His red hat and moustache are his trademarks.Open nintendo.com (opens in a new tab)
Mario
Nintendo's mustachioed plumber in red cap and overalls, protagonist of the Super Mario series
Validator rationale The proposal identifies Mario, the Nintendo video-game character, matching the trusted subject.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"Nintendo's mustachioed plumber in red cap and overalls, protagonist of the Super Mario series","name":"Mario","question":null}}