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

The richest man in the city Mr Rechard is kidnapped. James Bond is appointed to the case. At the crime scene, a note is found written by Mr Richard. The note read:

"First of January, Fourth of October, Fifth of March, Third of June."

James Bond knew that somehow, the killer's name was hidden in the note. The following were the suspects:

Jack Richard, the son and the heir of property.
John Jacobson, the employee of Richard.
June Richard, the wife of Richard.

James Bond took only a few moments to deduce the killer's name. Can you tell who was the killer?

Asked by Neha on 03 Jul 2024


One day, all the courtiers from Akbar's court were gathered in the assembly hall when one of them told the Emperor that all his valuables had been stolen by a thief the previous night.
This shocked the Emperor to his core as the place where that courter stayed was the most secured in the kingdom. The Emperor thought that it is not at all possible for an outsider to enter into the courtier's house and steal the valuables. Only another courtier could commit this crime. He quickly called Birbal to identify the thief.
Birbal thought for a while and successfully solved the mystery by identifying the thief in just one statement.
What did Birbal say?

Asked by Neha on 17 May 2021

The Judge knows that Alamgir was killed by his girlfriend Jasline, but the judge is unsure whether to punish her. Why?

Asked by Neha on 18 May 2025


John has eleven friends. He has a bowl containing eleven apples. Now He wants to divide the eleven apples among his friends, in such a way that an apple should remain in his bowl.
How can He do it?

Asked by Neha on 05 Mar 2025

I am eight letters long - "12345678"
My 1234 is an atmospheric condition.
My 34567 supports a plant.
My 4567 is too appropriate.
My 45 is a friendly thank-you.
My 678 is a man's name.

What word am I?

Asked by Neha on 02 Dec 2024

Solve below popular number sequence
314 159 265 358 979 323 846 ?

Asked by Neha on 09 Nov 2025


If you were to put a coin into an empty bottle and then insert a cork into the neck, how could you remove the coin without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?

Asked by Neha on 08 Oct 2025

The current time can be represented by below textual rebus.

0
=========
B.Sc
LLB

Can you tell us the current time?

Asked by Neha on 24 Feb 2021

A man looks at a painting in a museum and says, “Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who is in the painting?

Asked by Neha on 12 Mar 2025


You knock a Table over in the library, and suddenly 20 eyes are looking at you.

Asked by Neha on 21 Sep 2021

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Word ladder puzzle

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