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

On the dull night when the blonde was dozing, she heard an odd clamour and she saw that there was a bizarre man with a gun simply outside her home. So she raced to the telephone to call the police, however, she can't dial 911. Why?

Asked by Neha on 09 Oct 2024


Solve the riddle below:

If a Chicken says, 'All chickens are liars" is the chicken telling the truth?

Chicken Says Truth

Asked by Neha on 22 Jun 2026

Which point will the car reach to go out?

Car Ring Ride

Asked by Neha on 05 Nov 2024


A prisoner is told: "If you tell a lie, we will hang you and if you tell the truth, we will shoot you." What did the prisoner say to save himself?

Asked by Neha on 18 Oct 2021

You Throw The Outside, Cook The Inside
Eat The Outside, Throw The Inside.

What Is It?

Asked by Neha on 27 Jun 2023

Queen Elizabeth organised a royal party.

To Avoid uninvited guest royal family set a password.
Jack (an uninvited person) plan to enter the party. He stand nearby the door.

First guest comes, the security person said 'twelve' and guest replied with six.
Second guest comes , the security person said 'six' and guest replied with 'three'.

Jack thought is enough and he walked to the entry point. The security person said 'eight' , Jack replied smilingly 'four'.
He was immediately thrown out of the party. why ?

Asked by Neha on 09 Aug 2021


Twice ten are six of us,

Six are but three of us,

Nine are but four of us;

What can we possibly be?

Would you know more of us?

Twelve are but six of us,

Five are but four, do you see?

What are we?

Asked by Neha on 26 Dec 2020

Which word is least like the others? Third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth?

Asked by Neha on 28 Aug 2025

I inserted a coin in a bottle and closed its mouth with the help of a cork. Now, I was able to take the coin out from the bottle without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle. Can you tell me how I did it?

Asked by Neha on 30 Jan 2024


You board a train. The train will have to enter a tunnel soon. You are claustrophobic. Which place is the best for you to sit?

Asked by Neha on 17 Nov 2024

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Gambling

In Canada, a mathematical puzzle must be solved in order to win the lottery to classify it as a “game of skill” not gambling.