Prisoner to be freed

The warden meets with 23 new prisoners when they arrive. He tells them, "You may meet today and plan a strategy. But after today, you will be in isolated cells and will have no communication with one another.

"In the prison is a switch room, which contains two light switches labeled 1 and 2, each of which can be in either up or the down position. I am not telling you their present positions. The switches are not connected to anything.

"After today, from time to time whenever I feel so inclined, I will select one prisoner at random and escort him to the switch room. This prisoner will select one of the two switches and reverse its position. He must flip one switch when he visits the switch room, and may only flip one of the switches. Then he'll be led back to his cell.

"No one else will be allowed to alter the switches until I lead the next prisoner into the switch room. I'm going to choose prisoners at random. I may choose the same guy three times in a row, or I may jump around and come back. I will not touch the switches, if I wanted you dead you would already be dead.

"Given enough time, everyone will eventually visit the switch room the same number of times as everyone else. At any time, anyone may declare to me, 'We have all visited the switch room.'

"If it is true, then you will all be set free. If it is false, and somebody has not yet visited the switch room, you will all die horribly. You will be carefully monitored, and any attempt to break any of these rules will result in instant death to all of you"

What is the strategy they come up with so that they can be free?




Similar Riddles

You are stuck on an island where you have nothing. You find four pieces of paper somewhere on the island. What will be your strategy to escape from the island safely?

PS: No other resource is available to you on the island, neither can you build anything.

Asked by Neha on 11 Oct 2025


The two towns are exactly 100 km apart. John leaves City A driving at 30 km/hr and Jacob leaves City B half an hour later driving at 60 km/hr. Who will be closer to City A when they meet?

Asked by Neha on 11 Nov 2024

By removing one matchstick and adding one matchstick, can you convert the word "ZOO" to an animal name?

Zoo Matchsticks Riddle

Asked by Neha on 27 May 2023


Find out the missing number in the picture attached:

Find the Missing Number

Asked by Neha on 10 Jun 2023

Solve the mathematical equation in the picture below.

Math Equation Picture

Asked by Neha on 16 May 2023

You find yourself in a strange place guarded by two guards.One of the guard always say truth while other always lies.You don't know the identity of the two.You can ask only one question to go out from there. What should you ask?

Two Door Two Guard

Asked by Neha on 06 Mar 2021


A man dies of old age on his 25 birthday. How is this possible?

Asked by Neha on 17 May 2022

I live in a bowl. I can swim. I have a tail. I also have fins and big eyes. What am I?

Asked by Neha on 01 Nov 2025

Four children having five rocks each were playing a game in which they had to throw the rock at a particular solid area in the water. Child 1- Succeeded in throwing three rocks at a solid area but one of the rocks sunk. Child 3 - His aim was so bad that all rocks got sunk. Child 4- He was awesome and none of the rocks got sunk. Child 2 - Was the winner but was struck by a rock in the head and died. Who killed Child 2?

Asked by Neha on 21 Oct 2024


I have thought of a number that is made up by using all the ten digits just once. Here are a few clues for you to guess my number:

First digits is divisible by 1.
First two digits are divisible by 2.
First three digits are divisible by 3.
First four digits are divisible by 4.
First five digits are divisible by 5.
First six digits are divisible by 6.
First seven digits are divisible by 7.
First eight digits are divisible by 8.
First nine digits are divisible by 9.
The number is divisible by 10.

Can you find out the number ?

Asked by Neha on 12 Mar 2023

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Word ladder puzzle

The word ladder puzzle was invented by Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.