Skip to content

jev-asks-until-sure

Twenty-questions game where Jev's confidence decides when to stop: it commits, hedges or refuses to guess.

Demoprototype

Overview

jev-asks-until-sure is a twenty-questions style game that guesses your persona, which part of Japan you grew up in, and roughly your age. The twist is that confidence is the game mechanic: the number of questions is not fixed. Above 55% confidence it commits; between 28% and 45% it hedges out loud; below 28% it refuses, and if it still cannot tell after twelve questions it says it does not know instead of guessing.

Each turn is one request measured at 230-440 ms, so candidate bars update instantly. A reasoning log narrates each turn and keeps code decisions separate from Jev decisions, for example Jev picking which of several prepared questions to ask and how candidates are eliminated. Every turn is re-evaluated from scratch, so confidence can visibly drop when new answers contradict earlier guesses. The presentation is an 8-bit JRPG with 110 pixel figures for candidates. It is playable at jev.mintan.org, with Japanese and English documentation and build notes.

What the decision model decides

TypeQuestionAnswers
ChoiceWhich of these prepared questions is most informative to ask next?—
ChoiceWhich persona, prefecture or region best fits the answers so far?(inferred)—

How it works

  1. Code draws a question slot and candidate questions
  2. Jev picks the question to ask
  3. User answers; candidates are re-evaluated
  4. Commit, hedge or keep asking based on confidence thresholds
  5. Refuse after twelve questions if still unsure

Strengths

  • Makes calibrated confidence visible and meaningful
  • Fast turns (230-440 ms) with no loading state
  • Separates code and model decisions in the log

Caveats

  • A game demo, not a general tool
  • Japan-specific content

Getting started

Play at https://jev.mintan.org.

At a glance

Type
Demo
Status
prototype
Language
TypeScript
Runtime
browser
Has code
yes

Use cases and integrations

How curated lists describe it

  • Twenty questions where confidence sets the stopping rule: Jev commits, hedges, or refuses to guess, and the UI narrates every judgment. Live: [jev.mintan.org](https://jev.mintan.org).

    AnotiaWang/awesome-decision-models

Frequently asked questions

What decides when the game stops?

Jev's confidence: above 55% it commits, mid-range it hedges, below 28% it refuses.

Can confidence go down?

Yes, every turn is re-evaluated, so contradicting answers lower it.

Where can I play?

At jev.mintan.org.

Related projects

  • Instrumented 2048 web lab where every move is a Jev Choice over four directions, with probabilities, latency and cost shown live.

    ProjectbetaTypeScript
  • Bilingual turtle-soup (lateral-thinking) puzzle site where Jev acts as host, judging player questions and grading solutions.

    AppbetaTypeScript
  • Browser Minesweeper demo where Jev answers 'is this cell a mine?' for every frontier cell in one request, with an exact solver as fallback.

    ProjectprototypeJavaScript
  • Pandu: tiny local policy networks (2.9K-5K parameters) with calibrated uncertainty that fall back to a teacher when unsure.

    ProjectresearchPython
  • Pokémon Red on PyBoy where code owns route and arithmetic, Jev picks only at branches, and battle faint predictions are Brier-scored.

    DemoprototypePython
  • Harness where Jev or Laya pick DOOM tactics and targets from legal options while a deterministic controller presses buttons.

    ModelresearchPython