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

Jenifer and Jesica are having a conversation.

Jenifer: I am definitely not over 30.
Jesica: I am 28 and you are surely 5 years older to me at least.
Jenifer: No, you are at least 29.

You are told that both of them are lying throughout in the conversation. Can you find their respective ages?

Asked by Neha on 18 Jul 2021


In the Mexico City area, there are two Houses H1 and H2. Both H1 and H2 have two children each.
In House H1, The boy plays for Mexico Youth academy and the other child plays baseball.
In House H2, The boy Plays soccer for his school in Mexico and they recently have a newborn.

Can you prove that the probability of House-H1 having a girl child is more than that of House-H2?

Asked by Neha on 06 Jun 2024

Guess the hidden movie name?

Guess Movie Rebus

Asked by Neha on 12 Mar 2026


A game is being played where eight players can last for thirty-five minutes. Six substitutes alternate with each player in this game. Thus, all players are on the pitch for the same amount of time including the substitutes.

For how long is each player on the pitch?

Asked by Neha on 29 Aug 2023

Fate has decided that you will only be pleased to meet me when you need me

Maybe that is why, when I am working, I start working

However annoying I may be to the regulars, the little ones are always inspired

I will always be waiting if you try to reach me

How many of you can guess my name, let me see

Asked by Neha on 05 Mar 2026

You are confined in a room and given two metal rods. Out of these two rods, one is magnet and the other is the iron rod. They look starkly similar. You don't have any other metal object in the room.

How will you decide which one of those is magnet?

Asked by Neha on 25 Apr 2021


If in a car race, the man who came two places in front of the last man finished one ahead of the man who came fifth, how many contestants were there?

Asked by Neha on 03 Feb 2023

Find the last number in the series below:

voN luJ yaM raM ---

Asked by Neha on 05 Jun 2023

A man is walking down a road with a basket of eggs. As he
is walking he meets someone who buys one-half of his eggs
plus one-half of an egg.
He walks a little further and meets another person who buys
one-half of his eggs plus one-half of an egg.
After proceeding further he meets another person who buys
one-half of his eggs plus one half an egg. At this point, he
has sold all of his eggs, and he never broke an egg.
How many eggs did the man have to start with?

Asked by Neha on 06 Dec 2023


James Bond is caught up in a mysterious scenario where the evil villain has him blindfolded. He somehow breaks through the handcuffs but is unable to get the blindfold off. Upon searching, he comes across a bow and 3 arrows. He can hear the villain speak, and thus tries to take a shot at him. He launches the first arrow, it misses the villain. He then launches the second arrow and it misses by a greater margin.

What is the probability that this third shot our James bond takes will be worse than the second shot?

Asked by Neha on 21 Jun 2023

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Rubik’s Cube

The inventor of the Rubik’s Cube didn’t realize he’d built a puzzle until he scrambled it the first time and tried to restore it.