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
- 41
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 23m 43s
- Round cost
- $2.1160 All 42 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":"EAQCORIU"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Q1
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person alive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person alive?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Born: September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S. (age 78)Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Latest News: Exclusive First Look at OTHER WORLDS Art ... Posted: July 13th, 2026Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q2
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person primarily known for work in entertainment, such as music, acting, or television?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for work in entertainment, such as music, acting, or television?"}}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)
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)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q3
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person primarily known for politics or government service?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for politics or government service?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
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)
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)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q4
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person primarily known as an athlete?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known as an athlete?"}}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)
Author — The AuthorOpen stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q5
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for founding or leading a business?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for founding or leading a business?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
King has long played another role closer to his home in Maine: local media magnate. For more than four decades, King has owned small independent radio stations in Bangor, Maine.Open nytimes.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q6
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person founded or led a company that develops computer software, hardware, or internet services?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person founded or led a company that develops computer software, hardware, or internet services?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q7
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person a United States citizen?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person a United States citizen?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q8
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person been listed by Forbes as a billionaire?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person been listed by Forbes as a billionaire?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q9
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person a man?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person a man?"}}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)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q10
1 · Guesser asks
Was this person born before 1970?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born before 1970?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q11
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person written a published book?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person written a published book?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world's most successful writers.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q12
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for giving advice about personal finance or achieving success?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for giving advice about personal finance or achieving success?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King's “Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully” presents his advice for pursuing a successful and financially rewarding career writing fiction.Open aerogrammestudio.com (opens in a new tab)
“10 Success Tips from Stephen King” attributes advice about achieving success to King.Open writersinthestormblog.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q13
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for work in science or engineering?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for work in science or engineering?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is an American author known for horror fiction and novels.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King’s professional biography describes him as a writer and former high-school English teacher, with his recognition based on novels, short stories, and literary awards.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q14
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for running a business that sells food, beverages, clothing, or other physical consumer products?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for running a business that sells food, beverages, clothing, or other physical consumer products?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q15
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for work as a journalist, publisher, or media executive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for work as a journalist, publisher, or media executive?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Career: owner, Philtrum Press (publishing house), and WZON-AM (rock 'n' roll radio station), Bangor, Maine.Open encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
King's foray into radio began in 1983 with the purchase of a radio station that was rebranded WZON.Open spectrumlocalnews.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q16
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person regularly hosted a television or radio program?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person regularly hosted a television or radio program?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q17
1 · Guesser asks
Did this person found or co-found a magazine, newspaper, or news website?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this person found or co-found a magazine, newspaper, or news website?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q18
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person worked as a newspaper journalist?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person worked as a newspaper journalist?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
My first paying job as a writer was the sports beat for a small town weekly.Open x.com (opens in a new tab)
He was a sports reporter for Lisbon's Weekly Enterprise.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q19
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person won a Pulitzer Prize?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person won a Pulitzer Prize?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King’s official author page provides his biography and awards information; it does not identify him as a Pulitzer Prize winner.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
The Pulitzer Prizes’ official archive lists its prize winners and finalists; Stephen King is not listed as a winner.Open pulitzer.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q20
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person best known for political reporting or political commentary?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person best known for political reporting or political commentary?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is presented in his official biography as an author whose professional career centers on writing fiction.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
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)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q21
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person's journalism focused on business, economics, or finance?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person's journalism focused on business, economics, or finance?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
As a student at University of Maine, Stephen King wrote a weekly column titled “The Garbage Truck” for The Maine Campus, focusing on his political reflections.Open themainemag.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King was a Maine Campus columnist when he was an undergraduate.Open umaine.edu (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q22
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for sports journalism?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for sports journalism?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
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)
Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror fiction.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q23
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person led a company that publishes books?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person led a company that publishes books?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King, publisher; Philtrum Press ... allows King to dabble occasionally in the publishing business. Philtrum Press has published very limited editions in the past.Open upi.com (opens in a new tab)
Philtrum Press is a small publishing house run by Stephen King; its publication types are books.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q24
1 · Guesser asks
Was this person born before 1950?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born before 1950?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q25
1 · Guesser asks
Was this person born outside the United States?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born outside the United States?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q26
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person also known as a novelist or poet?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person also known as a novelist or poet?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King ... is an American novelist and short-story writer.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q27
1 · Guesser asks
Is this person known for publishing poetry?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person known for publishing poetry?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King has authored several published poems throughout his career.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
“The Bone Church” narrative poem was first published in the November 2009 issue of Playboy.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q28
1 · Guesser asks
Was this person born before 1940?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born before 1940?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King (born September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q29
1 · Guesser asks
Did this person found or co-found the book publishing company he led?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this person found or co-found the book publishing company he led?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Founder: Stephen King. Philtrum Press is a small publishing house run by Stephen King.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q30
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in California?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in California?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine. Philtrum Press is a small publishing house run by Stephen King.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q31
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in New York State?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in New York State?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Owner, Philtrum Press (publishing house) ... Bangor, Maine.Open encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q32
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in the Midwestern United States?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in the Midwestern United States?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Philtrum Press lists Stephen King as founder and its headquarters location as Bangor, Maine.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
The U.S. Census Bureau’s New England division includes Maine; the Midwest divisions are listed separately.Open cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q33
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in New England?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in New England?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Novelist Stephen King ... is cranking up his own small press ... Philtrum Press.Open upi.com (opens in a new tab)
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q34
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in Massachusetts?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in Massachusetts?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
BANGOR, Maine -- Novelist Stephen King ... is cranking up his own small press.Open upi.com (opens in a new tab)
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q35
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in Vermont?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in Vermont?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
BANGOR, Maine -- ... Stephen King ... is cranking up his own small press ... Philtrum PressOpen upi.com (opens in a new tab)
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, MaineOpen en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q36
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in New Hampshire?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in New Hampshire?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine. Philtrum Press is a small publishing house run by Stephen King.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q37
1 · Guesser asks
Is the publishing company he founded based in Maine?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the publishing company he founded based in Maine?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Founder: Stephen King; Headquarters location: Bangor, Maine. Philtrum Press is a small publishing house run by Stephen King, operating out of King's front business offices in Bangor, Maine.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q38
1 · Guesser asks
Was this person born between 1940 and 1944, inclusive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born between 1940 and 1944, inclusive?"}}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.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q39
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person published books of his own poetry?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person published books of his own poetry?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
The Dark Man: An Illustrated Poem by Stephen King; Cemetery Dance Trade Hardcovers Coming 7/30/13.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q40
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person served as an editor of the Portland Press Herald or the Maine Sunday Telegram?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person served as an editor of the Portland Press Herald or the Maine Sunday Telegram?"}} 2 · Answer check returns Unknown
Q41
1 · Guesser asks
Has this person worked as a photographer or visual artist, as well as a writer?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has this person worked as a photographer or visual artist, as well as a writer?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
The official biography identifies Stephen Edwin King as an author and describes his writing career and directorial work; it does not identify him as a photographer or visual artist.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
“Far from the terror and gore of the famed horror novelist, Hong Kong’s own Stephen King captures hauntingly beautiful fine art and landscape” photography—distinguishing the photographer from the horror novelist.Open tatlerasia.com (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
G
1 · Guesser guessesNot counted
Stephen King
American novelist born in 1947, known for horror fiction and founder of the Maine-based publisher Philtrum Press.
Validator rationale The proposed identity matches Stephen King, the American novelist born in 1947 and known for horror fiction; the Philtrum Press detail is also consistent.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"American novelist born in 1947, known for horror fiction and founder of the Maine-based publisher Philtrum Press.","name":"Stephen King","question":null}} 2 · Validator returns Yes