# Time to play with the Akinator again...Can you stump it? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 3, 2012, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749 "2012-11-03T09:40:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/81 "2012-11-06T01:14:38Z")
Correct guesses for me: Mario Lemieux The Kool Aid man The Queen of England Bender (from Futurama) Akinator (only 8 guesses for that one 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/82 "2012-11-06T01:24:31Z")
**JRagon** , it does actually expect “don’t know” or “probably” answers for some people. At the end of the game, if he guesses right, you can click on “game report” to see what answer he expected for each question, and there are often a few of those in there. For example, he gets Vaarsuvius pretty quickly, because gender is usually one of the first questions and “don’t know” is a rare answer for that one, and once when I tried Nobby Nobs, the last question before the guess was “Is your character human”, for which it expected “probably”. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/83 "2012-11-06T02:32:50Z")
Didn’t get Judith Durham (guesses were ONJ, Chrissy Amphlett, Lisa Gerrard and Suzi Quatro). Didn’t get Rupert of the Rhine (guesses were Wellington, Cardigan, Marlborough and William of Orange). Didn’t get Logan Sackett (guesses were Finnick Odair, Pecos Bill and LaBoeuf), though three other Sacketts were in its list. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/84 "2012-11-06T03:04:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > **JRagon** , it does actually expect “don’t know” or “probably” answers for some people. At the end of the game, if he guesses right, you can click on “game report” to see what answer he expected for each question, and there are often a few of those in there. For example, he gets Vaarsuvius pretty quickly, because gender is usually one of the first questions and “don’t know” is a rare answer for that one, and once when I tried Nobby Nobs, the last question before the guess was “Is your character human”, for which it expected “probably”. Then it might be a tree with a branch for each answer. Either way, I’m sticking with the notion that it’s either a simple tree, or at best a tree with a non-deterministic path (i.e. it picks 2 or 3 branches to follow and slowly discards them). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/85 "2012-11-06T03:07:13Z")
Didn’t get Tor Johnson (actor in _Plan 9 From Outer Space_ and other Ed Wood movies) ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/86 "2012-11-06T08:13:52Z")
It took one wrong guess, but it got _Whacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man_ from Family Guy. ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/87 "2012-11-06T08:17:04Z")
It seems to be cheating a bit though, it keeps asking if my character is swedish, I’m guessing it gets that I’m in sweden from my IP… ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/88 "2012-11-06T21:02:06Z")
Just stumped Akinator, who incorrectly guessed the _Where’s Waldo_ guy; “Mr. Monopoly”, whose name is “officially” Rich Uncle Pennybags; and the Joker from a deck of cards. I was thinking of Sylvester P. Smythe, who was in the database and correctly identified as “_Cracked_ janitor mascot”. Earlier, Akinator correctly guessed Barbara Cooper of “One Day at a Time” after 18 questions. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/89 "2012-11-06T22:44:25Z")
Stumped it with Polyhymnia O’Keefe, then stumped it again with Polyhymnia herself. Oddly enough the only list choice was the one I’d just submitted - he had already guessed Athene, Demeter, and Persephone. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/90 "2012-11-06T22:57:18Z")
He got Chen Stormstout from WoW in only a few guesses. Took him 3 tries to get Dr. Kelly Brackett from _Emergency!_ I stumped him on Captain Lee Crane from _Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea._ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/91 "2012-11-06T23:12:06Z")
It got my namesake in 23 questions. Well, it came up with Dr. Mrs. The Monarch, close enough. I stumped it with Reubens Barrichello (F1 and Indycar driver) and Bob Chase (Fort Wayne Komets broadcaster for 60+years). ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/92 "2012-11-06T23:36:14Z")
I managed to stump it (on its first guess) today with both Roy Hobbs (from The Natural) and Oddjob (from _Goldfinger_), but it got both in another 5 or 6 questions. But somehow it got Jimmer Fredette of the Sacramento Kings. I was impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/93 "2012-11-07T01:50:31Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It got Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, but I stumped him with Jonah from the bible. It got Jonah for me in 20 questions. I did pick him as “real” instead of fictional, so perhaps that throws it? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/94 "2012-11-07T01:54:21Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I stumped him with Charles Lindbergh, which is surprising. It got him in 26 questions for me. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/95 "2012-11-07T02:27:20Z")
I beat it on Bob Elliott (of Bob and Ray, father of Chris Elliott). It wasn’t even close with most questions, and kept repeating certain questions or asking questions that would contradict earlier ones (gender, age questions in particular). ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/96 "2012-11-07T02:58:12Z")
I stumped it on Maurice Pogue, lead character from the largely forgotten Dana Carvey movie, Clean Slate. It had to ask extra questions to get to Diana Barry from Anne of Green Gables (its first guess was Anne Shirley). It also missed Iggle Piggle from In The Night Garden though it guessed Makka Pakka (even though I told it my character was blue). It picked Katherine Howard (wife of King Henry VIII) without hesitation. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/97 "2012-11-07T13:55:40Z")
It got Oliver Hazard Perry on five questions. I about dropped my iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/98 "2012-11-07T22:32:05Z")
Stumped Akinator with the Snuggle bear, who was in the database. Incorrect guesses were Elmo, “your teddy bear”, Furby, and Bearemy of Build-A-Bear Workshop. Got Bob Sacamano (unseen friend of Kramer on _Seinfeld_) after 25 questions, with no incorrect guesses. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/99 "2012-11-08T02:16:05Z")
I’m still playing with this… It got Harry Caray in about 50 questions after first guessing Perry Como. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749/100 "2012-11-08T02:24:41Z")
Looking at the log is illuminating-I tried Herbie the Love Bug, and, while he got it 25 guesses, the log revealed that Akinator thought that “Was your character in a TV series” was a “no”, while in fact there was a (short-lived) Herbie TV series. If the database is faulty and you correctly answer the opposite of what is asked, then he might not ever get back on track to guess your choice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-play-with-the-akinator-again-can-you-stump-it/639749.md?page=6)