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

Can anyone tell me a word in the English dictionary which has a silent 'z'?

Asked by Neha on 13 Jan 2024


I make two people out of one. What am I?

Asked by Neha on 29 Mar 2022

They are the five precious gems of an everyday sort and all can be found on a Tennis Court. Who are they?

Asked by Neha on 21 Apr 2024


One night, a woman receives a call from the police. They tell her that her husband was murdered and that she should come to the crime scene as soon as possible. The woman drops the phone, shocked, and drives 20 minutes to the crime scene. As soon as she reaches the crime scene, the police arrest her and she is convicted of murder. How do the police know she committed the crime?

Asked by Neha on 01 Jul 2025

Known by all without exception, Forever here, for your protection, Sometimes strong, sometimes weak, Right after the night I come - hot and chic. And while millions of miles away, I always get to you, I find my way. No life around could do without me, Can you guess what I might be?

Asked by Neha on 05 Apr 2022

You walk into a creepy house by yourself. There is no electricity, plumbing, or ventilation. Inside you notice 3 doors with numbers on them. Once you open the doors you will die a particular way. Door No.1 You’ll be eaten by a lion who is hungry. Door No.2 You’ll be stabbed to death. Door No.3 There is an electric chair waiting for you. Which door do you pick?

Asked by Neha on 02 Sep 2025


While handling a project, the landscaper is asked by the owner of the mansion that he wants four trees in front of his mansion that are exactly equidistant from each other.

How will he do it?

Asked by Neha on 20 Nov 2023

A man desired to get into his work building, however he had forgotten his code.
However, he did recollect five pieces of information
* Fifth number + Third number = 14
* The fourth number is one more than the second number.
* The first number is one less than twice the second number.
* The second number and the third number equals 10.
* The sum of all five numbers is 30.

What is the code ?

Asked by Neha on 14 May 2021

A large container is kept in open under the rain. Every passing hour, the water collected inside the container becomes double what it was.

In ten hours, the container is filled completely. Can you calculate how long would it have taken to be filled in half?

Asked by Neha on 05 Apr 2024


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

Asked by Neha on 13 Feb 2022

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence has crushed all human records in the puzzle game “2048,” achieving a high score of 839,732 and beating the game in only 973 moves without using any undo.