Is the answer something stupid like they don't leave the room once they're in there.... Never mind. That has nothing to do with the light bulb.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

When you find out the answer, you'll probably let out the biggest "oooooooooooooooooooo ooooh" of your life.

I'm thinking of so many possible ways but then everything just fails because it's random >.>

I've done the "If it's your first time leave it off, if it's your second time turn it on. Then if you come back and it's still on, assert." But he could easily be chosen again for the 3rd time right after the 2nd.

I've also thought of turning it ON/OFF if it's the first time you visit, but that fails in the end.

I've tried 99 people turn/leave it on and 1 person turn it off, but that fails.

Originally Posted by jhan523

I'm thinking of so many possible ways but then everything just fails because it's random >.>

I've done the "If it's your first time leave it off, if it's your second time turn it on. Then if you come back and it's still on, assert." But he could easily be chosen again for the 3rd time right after the 2nd.

I've also thought of turning it ON/OFF if it's the first time you visit, but that fails in the end.

I've tried 99 people turn/leave it on and 1 person turn it off, but that fails.

Your ideas are all really good, and they are almost correct. You're just missing a step or two.

Hmmm...

The first prisoner leaves the light switch off. So, for the rest of the game, the first prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is. When another prisoner enters the room, he will turn the switch on. Along with the first prisoner, the second prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is.
The third prisoner turns the light off everything it’s on. So when he enters, he will realize that two prisoners have been in the room. They will then decide to work with each other. So…

If a prisoner enters the room for the first time, they will turn on the light. If not, they will do nothing. Therefore, the second time a prisoner enters, they will do nothing. So when the third prisoner sees the light on, he will know that a prisoner has entered the room, and switch the lights off. However, if two prisoners enter the room before the third prisoner and neither of the prisoners has entered the room before, the first prisoner will turn on the light while the second prisoner does nothing.

Basically, a new prisoner will turn on the light if the light was off to start with. This will allow them to count to 100.

I hope that makes sense lol

Originally Posted by jhan523

I'm thinking of so many possible ways but then everything just fails because it's random >.>

I've done the "If it's your first time leave it off, if it's your second time turn it on. Then if you come back and it's still on, assert." But he could easily be chosen again for the 3rd time right after the 2nd.

I've also thought of turning it ON/OFF if it's the first time you visit, but that fails in the end.

I've tried 99 people turn/leave it on and 1 person turn it off, but that fails.

maybe there should be a leader, a person that would control the order. his way of turning the light on and off would differ from the 'ordinary" prisoner.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

Your ideas are all really good, and they are almost correct. You're just missing a step or two.

First person turns it on, then if it's your first time you keep it on. The first person comes in again and turns it off. Then if it's your first time you turn it on.

Wait no... that fails too... Everything I've said deals with probability and nothing is for certain. I just have to think of something that can be certain... a little more time is required.

How do you count to 100 if no one prisoner is there to see it all?

Or maybe I'm just not getting your idea D:

Originally Posted by Joseph

Hmmm...

The first prisoner leaves the light switch off. So, for the rest of the game, the first prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is. When another prisoner enters the room, he will turn the switch on. Along with the first prisoner, the second prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is.
The third prisoner turns the light off everything it’s on. So when he enters, he will realize that two prisoners have been in the room. They will then decide to work with each other. So…

If a prisoner enters the room for the first time, they will turn on the light. If not, they will do nothing. Therefore, the second time a prisoner enters, they will do nothing. So when the third prisoner sees the light on, he will know that a prisoner has entered the room, and switch the lights off. However, if two prisoners enter the room before the third prisoner and neither of the prisoners has entered the room before, the first prisoner will turn on the light while the second prisoner does nothing.

Basically, a new prisoner will turn on the light if the light was off to start with. This will allow them to count to 100.

I hope that makes sense lol

It's 2:52 AM, so I might have read it wrong, but I think you got it right

I don't understand Joseph's idea either.

The problem with this riddle is that you need to be CERTAIN. There has to be a method that will guarantee certainty. The reason for this is because the guards and theoretically cycle through 99 prisoners and there would be that 1 prisoner that hasn't been to the room yet.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

It's 2:52 AM, so I might have read it wrong, but I think you got it right

Wah?!

Lmao, GJ! I'm going to try and figure out what you just explained, though. Haha :s I still don't get it.

Originally Posted by ytpos

How do you count to 100 if no one prisoner is there to see it all?

Or maybe I'm just not getting your idea D:

Joseph got it, so I'll explain it a bit clearer:

My idea is a *very slight* variation of Joseph's solution, just changing the beginning to make it easier to understand.

So:

During the meeting before hand, the prisoners elect one person to be the leader; Let's call this person Greg.

Now, everyday the warden calls a prisoner in. If it is the prisoner's first time, they turn the light on. If the light is already on, they just leave it that way, but don't count it as their first time (basically pretending that they never were in the room).

Eventually, Greg will be called to go into the room. Unless Greg was the first person called, the light will be on. Greg will switch the light off and in his head keep track that a new prisoner had entered the room.

This continues until every single prisoner has entered the room and had a chance to flick the lightbulb on. Eventually, Greg will have turned off the light 99 times, meaning that all 99 prisoners and himself have been in the room.

Originally Posted by Joseph

Hmmm...

The first prisoner leaves the light switch off. So, for the rest of the game, the first prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is. When another prisoner enters the room, he will turn the switch on. Along with the first prisoner, the second prisoner will leave the light switch the way it is.
The third prisoner turns the light off everything it’s on. So when he enters, he will realize that two prisoners have been in the room. They will then decide to work with each other. So…

If a prisoner enters the room for the first time, they will turn on the light. If not, they will do nothing. Therefore, the second time a prisoner enters, they will do nothing. So when the third prisoner sees the light on, he will know that a prisoner has entered the room, and switch the lights off. However, if two prisoners enter the room before the third prisoner and neither of the prisoners has entered the room before, the first prisoner will turn on the light while the second prisoner does nothing.

Basically, a new prisoner will turn on the light if the light was off to start with. This will allow them to count to 100.

I hope that makes sense lol

OMG! I understand! That is not simple Greg. Definitively not an "ooooooooooooooo" moment >.>

:O I get it! Except, holy crap that would take a long time. They might as well just wait out their sentences.

Edit: Wait, is it like every time Greg counts, he's only counting for the person directly before him? So it's only your first time if you find the light off, meaning that Greg came in the day before you?