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
- 14
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 4m 28s
- Round cost
- $0.2825 All 15 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":"person","event":"BEGIN","variation_token":"AMZAISLM"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Is this person currently alive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person currently alive?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
The official Stephen King website lists current news and upcoming works, including a new short story by Stephen King in The Atlantic.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person a citizen of the United States?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person a citizen of the United States?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a prolific American novelist.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person female?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person female?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for a career in the entertainment industry, such as acting, music, or filmmaking?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for a career in the entertainment industry, such as acting, music, or filmmaking?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a prolific American novelist known for blending horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the macabre.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
He became a prolific writer of enormously popular books and ... one of the world’s best-selling writers.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Has this person ever held elected public office in the United States?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person ever held elected public office in the United States?"}}Is this person primarily known as an athlete or sports figure?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known as an athlete or sports figure?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King is an American author, widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Is this person widely known as a business executive, entrepreneur, or investor?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person widely known as a business executive, entrepreneur, or investor?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King ... is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
The official Stephen King website identifies him under "The Author" and provides his author biography.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Has this person ever served in the United States federal government, including the executive, judicial, or military branches?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person ever served in the United States federal government, including the executive, judicial, or military branches?"}}Is this person primarily known as a scientist, academic, or researcher?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known as a scientist, academic, or researcher?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a prolific American novelist known for blending horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the macabre.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King is a prolific American author known for his significant contributions to the horror genre.Open ebsco.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known as a writer, author, or journalist?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known as a writer, author, or journalist?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Author — The AuthorOpen stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Best-selling author Stephen King rose to fame in the 1970s with his debut novel Carrie and has since become known as the “King of Horror.”Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for writing fiction?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for writing fiction?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King is an American author... he is widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Was this person born before 1960?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born before 1960?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King was born September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine, U.S.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for writing works in the horror, fantasy, or science fiction genres?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for writing works in the horror, fantasy, or science fiction genres?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Now known worldwide for his horror creations in best-selling books and popular film adaptations.Open bloomsbury.com (opens in a new tab)
Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for works in the horror genre?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for works in the horror genre?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Dubbed the “King of Horror,” he is widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Best-selling author Stephen King ... has since become known as the “King of Horror.”Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King
American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy novels
Validator rationale The proposed identity names Stephen King and matches the trusted subject's description as the American author of horror and supernatural fiction.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy novels","name":"Stephen King","question":null}}