You are the Guesser in a Twenty Questions benchmark. Identify the hidden subject using as few counted turns as possible. BEGIN provides only its broad category. The variation_token has no clues; do not interpret, mention, or repeat it. The category in BEGIN has a broad meaning: - person: a real human, living or historical. - fictional_character: an invented character from a story, book, comic, film, television, game, or another fictional work. - mythological_figure: a figure from mythology or traditional legend. - video_game_character: a character known from video games. - thing: a broad category covering natural and human-made entities, living or nonliving, whole entities or parts of them. Possibilities include everyday objects, tools, machines, materials, food, animals, plants, body parts, natural structures, geographical features, celestial bodies, natural phenomena, and concepts. These possibilities are not exhaustive. The target may be a general kind or one particular instance. Use questions to narrow the supplied category. These definitions are not a list of targets. Use ASK for a factual question that distinguishes candidates. Never use ASK to confirm a specific identity. Use GUESS with a name and short identifying description to name a candidate. ASK has five possible replies: - YES or NO: the evidence establishes that answer to the exact question. - RATHER_YES or RATHER_NO: evidence leans that way, but is not strong enough for a firm answer. Treat this as a clue; keep candidates fitting the opposite answer possible. - UNKNOWN: no reliable direction. It supports neither answer. Ask clear questions about verifiable properties. "Can", "sometimes", "usually", "always", and "mainly" ask different things. Do not assume that one property proves another or rules out alternatives. Qualified replies express uncertainty about your question, not how often a property applies. Before narrowing heavily, check your key assumption with a different property. After rejected guesses, reconsider earlier assumptions as well as candidates. Answers can be mistaken; check another property when stuck. Do not ignore an answer merely because it conflicts with a preferred candidate. Each ASK, rejected GUESS, or format error before the limit costs one turn. A correct GUESS costs none. After 40 counted turns, make one final GUESS; ASK is then forbidden. Identity validation uses only YES, NO, or UNKNOWN. UNKNOWN on GUESS ends the game without success. FORMAT_ERROR means your output broke the contract, was not checked for correctness, and cost one turn. Retry using its displayed formats if a turn remains. Return only the required JSON object with exactly one result action. No explanations, reasoning, or extra fields.
- Questions
- 22
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 6m 49s
- Round cost
- $0.0970 All 23 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":"fictional_character","event":"BEGIN","variation_token":"BKXG3AZI"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
2 of 22 answers in this round reuse an earlier, fully checked answer with its original evidence. No new search or check ran for those turns.
Q1
1 · Guesser asks
Is this character originally from a film or television work?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this character originally from a film or television work?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield, American newspaper comic strip featuring a fat, lazy cat... Cartoonist Jim Davis created Garfield in 1978... The strip quickly achieved widespread popularity, spinning off a series of animated television specials... A long-running animated television series, Garfield and Friends, debuted in 1988. Live-action movies... include Garfield: The Movie (2004)...
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q2
1 · Guesser asks
Is this character originally from a video game?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this character originally from a video game?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield is an American comic strip and media franchise created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as Jon in 1976 (later changed to Garfield in 1977), then in nationwide syndication from 1978.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal is a 1987 video game ... based on the comic strip.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Davis ... came up with the idea to feature a cat as a sidekick ... After realizing the cat always had the punchline, he showed the strip to Ryan, who encouraged him to make the comic strip about the cat. Davis changed the name to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q3
1 · Guesser asks
Is this character originally from a novel or other literary work?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this character originally from a novel or other literary work?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Jim Davis's first Garfield comic strip, June 19, 1978 ... Jim Davis's first Garfield comic strip debuted on June 19, 1978 in 41 newspapers.
Open history.howstuffworks.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
The Garfield strip was born on June 19, 1978, syndicated in forty-one U.S. newspapers.
Open penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q4
1 · Guesser asks
Is this character originally from a comic book or graphic novel?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this character originally from a comic book or graphic novel?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield, American newspaper comic strip featuring a fat, lazy cat... Cartoonist Jim Davis... created Garfield in 1978.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
The first panel of the first Garfield strip, from 19 June 1978... Garfield made his debut in just 41 newspapers, all in the US.
Open theguardian.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q5
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a stage play or theatrical work?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a stage play or theatrical work?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Jim Davis's first Garfield comic strip debuted on June 19, 1978 in 41 newspapers.
Open history.howstuffworks.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
In the summer of 2015, Davis debuted Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude. The show ran for two months at Adventure Theatre / Musical Theater Center in Glen Echo, Maryland.
Open mentalfloss.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Back on 19 June 1978, though, Garfield made his debut in just 41 newspapers, all in the US.
Open theguardian.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q6
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a web-based work (such as a webcomic, web series, or internet original)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a web-based work (such as a webcomic, web series, or internet original)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
The first Jon strip ... ran in the Pendleton Times on January 8, 1976. It was redrawn as the first Garfield strip published on June 19, 1978 ... United Feature Syndicate debuted the first strip nationwide in 41 newspapers.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
The original comic strip where Garfield originated had appeared in local newspapers. In 1976, [Jim Davis] came out with a new comic strip titled “Jon,” where the characters of Jon Arbuckle and Garfield were introduced. On June 19, 1978, “Garfield” was published for the first time on national syndication.
Open esquiremag.ph (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q7
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in an animated work (such as an animated film or cartoon series)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in an animated work (such as an animated film or cartoon series)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Garfield is an American comic strip and media franchise created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as Jon in 1976 (later changed to Garfield in 1977), then in nationwide syndication from 1978.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
The original comic strip where Garfield originated had appeared in local newspapers. In 1976, Davis came out with a new comic strip titled Jon, where the characters of Jon Arbuckle and Garfield were introduced. The Garfield and Friends animated TV series originally aired in the US from 1988 to 1994.Open esquiremag.ph (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns No
Q8
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a tabletop role-playing game or a collectible card game?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a tabletop role-playing game or a collectible card game?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield is a fictional cat and the protagonist of the comic strip of the same name, created by Jim Davis. First appearance: January 8, 1976 in Jon.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield is an American comic strip and media franchise created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as Jon in 1976 (later changed to Garfield in 1977), then in nationwide syndication from 1978.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q9
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in folklore, a fairy tale, a legend, or oral tradition?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in folklore, a fairy tale, a legend, or oral tradition?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
The character article identifies Garfield as a fictional cat and the protagonist of the comic strip, created by Jim Davis; it lists his first appearance as January 8, 1976, in Jon.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Britannica reports that Jim Davis came up with the idea to feature a cat as a sidekick to Jon Arbuckle, then changed the comic strip's name to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q10
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a song, poem, or other musical/lyrical work?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a song, poem, or other musical/lyrical work?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
The comic strip and media franchise were created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as Jon in 1976 (later changed to Garfield in 1977), it chronicles the life of the title character.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Davis came up with the idea to feature a cat as a sidekick to Jon Arbuckle. His original plan was for Jon to be the star of the comic strip and to call it Jon. After realizing the cat always had the punchline, he showed the strip to Ryan, who encouraged him to make the comic strip about the cat. Davis changed the name of the comic strip to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q11
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate as a toy or merchandise product line (such as a doll, action figure, or plush)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate as a toy or merchandise product line (such as a doll, action figure, or plush)?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Cartoonist Jim Davis ... created Garfield in 1978 ... The strip quickly achieved widespread popularity ... Davis eventually established his own licensing company to manage the tremendous array of Garfield merchandise.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
The strip’s titular character ... Garfield ... spawned merchandise, television shows, and movies. ... Davis changed the name of the comic strip to Garfield. Merchandising and licensing agreements led to Garfield-themed toys and clothing.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
It was redrawn as the first Garfield strip published on June 19, 1978 ... The title character, Garfield, was inspired by the cats Davis grew up with. Originally created with the intentions to 'come up with a good, marketable character' ...
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q12
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a radio drama or audio-only production?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a radio drama or audio-only production?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Davis changed the name of the strip to Garfield. Garfield debuted on June 19, 1978, in 41 newspapers across the United States.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
In 1978 he launched Garfield for United Features and created one of the most popular animals in the comic world. Garfield (1978- ) is a comic strip which looks at the life of the title character.
Open americanhistory.si.edu (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q13
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate as a mascot in advertising or a commercial campaign?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate as a mascot in advertising or a commercial campaign?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Jim Davis ... noticed there were a lot of successful comic strips about dogs, but none about cats. Combining his wry wit and art skills, Davis created Garfield ... The strip debuted in 1978.
Open syndication.andrewsmcmeel.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
A central cat character ... seemed like a good marketing strategy. That was when he came up with the idea to feature a cat as a sidekick ... Davis changed the name of the comic strip to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Jim Davis's first Garfield comic strip ... debuted on June 19, 1978 in 41 newspapers.
Open history.howstuffworks.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q14
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a board game, card game, or other parlor game (excluding RPGs and collectible card games)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a board game, card game, or other parlor game (excluding RPGs and collectible card games)?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Davis changed the name of the comic strip to Garfield ... Garfield debuted on June 19, 1978, in 41 newspapers across the United States.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Back on 19 June 1978, though, Garfield made his debut in just 41 newspapers, all in the US.
Open theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
As one of the world's most syndicated comic strips, Garfield has spawned a 'profusion' of merchandise including clothing, toys, games, books ...
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q15
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a puppet show, marionette performance, or similar physical puppet production?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a puppet show, marionette performance, or similar physical puppet production?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield is an American comic strip and media franchise created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as Jon in 1976 (later changed to Garfield in 1977)... The first Jon strip ... ran ... on January 8, 1976.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Davis ... came up with the idea to feature a cat as a sidekick to ... Jon Arbuckle. ... After realizing the cat always had the punchline ... Davis changed the name of the strip to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q16
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a theme park attraction or amusement park ride?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a theme park attraction or amusement park ride?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
The first panel of the first Garfield strip, from 19 June 1978... Garfield made his debut in just 41 newspapers.
Open theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
In 1978 he launched Garfield for United Features... Garfield has been represented in books, films, television specials, video games, amusement park attractions, and merchandise.
Open americanhistory.si.edu (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q17
1 · Guesser asks
Did this character originate in a newspaper comic strip (as opposed to a comic book)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did this character originate in a newspaper comic strip (as opposed to a comic book)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
In March 1978, United Feature Syndicate accepted the strip for national distribution ... United Feature Syndicate debuted the first strip nationwide in 41 newspapers, starting on June 19, 1978.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield arrived on the scene on June 19th, 1978, and was the star of the self-titled comic strip by Jim Davis. Garfield originally appeared in just 41 newspapers.
Open watchmojo.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q18
1 · Guesser asks
Is this character the title character of the newspaper comic strip?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this character the title character of the newspaper comic strip?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
The strip's title character is Garfield, an obese orange tabby cat.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Source summary (model-reported)
Davis changed the name of the comic strip to Garfield.
Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q19
1 · Guesser asks
Is the character human?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character human?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield is a fictional American cat and the protagonist of the comic strip of the same name, created by Jim Davis. Garfield is portrayed as a lazy, fat, cynical and self-absorbed orange tabby cat.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q20
1 · Guesser asks
Is the character a cat?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character a cat?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Garfield is a fictional American cat and the protagonist of the comic strip of the same name, created by Jim Davis. Garfield is portrayed as a lazy, fat, cynical and self-absorbed orange tabby cat.Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
2 · Answer check returns Yes
Q21
1 · Guesser asks
Was the newspaper comic strip created before 1950?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was the newspaper comic strip created before 1950?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
The first Jon strip ran in the Pendleton Times on January 8, 1976. It was redrawn as the first Garfield strip published on June 19, 1978. The strip was originally published locally as Jon in 1976 and later changed to Garfield.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
Garfield's first appearance was January 8, 1976, in Jon. The character is the protagonist of the comic strip of the same name, created by Jim Davis.
Open en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns No
Q22
1 · Guesser asks
Is the strip's creator still alive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the strip's creator still alive?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Source summary (model-reported)
GoComics published “Jim Davis Reveals the Secret to Garfield's Timeless Popularity” on Aug. 28, 2025. The page describes it as an exclusive interview in which Garfield creator Jim Davis reflects on the comic's evolution and what it is like writing for the character.
Open gocomics.com (opens in a new tab)Source summary (model-reported)
The Indiana Historical Society identifies Jim Davis as the creator of Garfield and states that he created the character and strip after deciding to focus on a cat character.
Open indianahistory.org (opens in a new tab) 2 · Answer check returns Yes
G
1 · Guesser guessesNot counted
Garfield
The lazy orange tabby cat, title character of Jim Davis's newspaper comic strip Garfield, first published in 1978.
Validator rationale The proposal identifies Garfield, the fictional orange cat character created by Jim Davis, and does not confuse him with the comic strip, franchise, real cat, or a physical toy.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"The lazy orange tabby cat, title character of Jim Davis's newspaper comic strip Garfield, first published in 1978.","name":"Garfield","question":null}} 2 · Validator returns Yes