Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions players ask most about SherlockAI. If your question is not covered here, reach us through the contact page.
Is SherlockAI free to play?
Yes. Every mode is free, there are no rounds limits, and there is nothing to unlock. The site may show advertising in the future to cover hosting costs.
Do I need an account?
No. You can play every mode without registration, an email address, or any personal information. Your preferences and statistics are stored in your own browser.
How does the game guess my character?
The engine keeps a probability for every candidate in its catalog and updates those probabilities after each of your answers. It then asks the question with the highest expected information gain, which is the clue most likely to split the remaining candidates cleanly. Repeating this process lets it reduce hundreds of possibilities to one guess. The strategy guide explains the idea in plain language.
Is SherlockAI a chatbot or a large language model?
No. Normal gameplay runs on a local probability engine with an authored catalog of characters, careers, and clue questions. The game does not send your answers to a chatbot, and it does not improvise questions on the fly.
Which characters and careers can the game guess?
The character mode includes 600 playable names across real people, superheroes and comics, anime and manga, video games, movies and TV, and literature and mythology. Career mode includes 152 professions. Both lists are published in full on the character catalog and career catalog pages.
What happens when the game guesses wrong?
Reject the guess and the round continues. Rejecting a guess removes that candidate and tells the engine to choose the next most likely one, so a wrong guess still makes progress. If the game runs out of plausible guesses, you can submit the correct name and it will be reviewed for a future catalog update.
Can I suggest a missing character or career?
Yes. When a round ends without a correct guess, the in-game flow lets you submit the answer you had in mind. Suggestions are reviewed before being added, because every catalog entry has to be hand-tagged against the shared trait set. Please do not include personal information in suggestion fields.
Why did the game ask a question that does not apply to my answer?
The engine picks questions that are most informative across all remaining candidates, not questions tailored to one specific name. A clue that seems irrelevant to your target is usually there to separate large groups of other candidates. Answer honestly and move on; the irrelevant-feeling clues are often what makes the final guess possible.
Where is my game data stored?
Preferences, sound and animation settings, and statistics such as wins, losses, and streaks are stored in your browser's local storage on your own device. Clearing your browser's site data removes them completely. Details are in the privacy policy.
Does SherlockAI work on phones and tablets?
Yes. The game is a responsive web app that runs in mobile browsers, and it can be added to your home screen like an app. Core assets can be cached so repeat visits load faster.
Is the game suitable for children?
The catalog focuses on famous characters and everyday professions, and the game collects no personal information. The site is not directed at children under 13, as explained in the privacy policy.
Who maintains the catalog?
The catalog is curated by the site maintainer. Characters, careers, and clue questions go through generation, automated validation, and content review before they ship. You can read more on the about page.