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

A journalist was investigating a sacred cult in the jungles of Africa when he was caught by one of the person. He was confined in a cave till the leader arrived. The leader told him that he need to tell him a statement. If he thinks the statement is true, then the journalist head will be chopped off. If he thinks that the statement is false, his head will be smashed with a hammer.

What statement did the journalist make to survive?

Survive in Jungle

Asked by Neha on 19 Mar 2021


Which is heavier: a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?

Asked by Neha on 28 Feb 2022

Find three numbers such that When we multiply three numbers, we will get the prime numbers. The difference between the second and the first number is equal to the third and second.

Asked by Neha on 20 Apr 2025


How is the moon similar to a dollar?

Asked by Neha on 26 Sep 2023

What will be the best approach to finding all the prime numbers less than 75 that leave an odd reminder when we divide them with 5?

Asked by Neha on 12 Jul 2021

First, think of the colour of clouds. Next think the colour of snow. Last, think of the colour of the moon. Now, what do cows drink?

Asked by Neha on 28 Apr 2022


On rolling two dices (six-sided normal dice) together, what is the probability that the first one comes up with a 2 and the second one comes up with a 5?

Asked by Neha on 08 Oct 2023

Which is the smallest number that you can write using all the vowels exactly once?

Asked by Neha on 11 May 2024

What is the below Rebus indicate?

Read the Indication

Asked by Neha on 19 Sep 2023


Different lights make me strange by changing me into different sizes. What am I?

Asked by Neha on 09 Sep 2025

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Word ladder puzzle

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