  We introduce the problem of query-based selection of the optimal candidate in
rank-ordered lists generated by the Mallows model. In this setting, one is
presented with a list of candidates drawn according to a Gaussian-like
distribution for permutations and the goal is to identify the highest ranked
candidate through a sequential interview process that does not allow rejected
candidates to be revisited. The new modeling assumption consists in being able
to query a Genie at the time a selection is to be made. The query provides an
answer indicating if the candidate in question is the highest-ranked or not. If
the Genie confirms the query, the selection process terminates. Otherwise, the
sequential examinations continue until a new potentially optimal candidate is
identified. Our results include optimal interview strategies for a bounded
number of queries that can be exactly determined through numerical evaluations
as well as the expected number of interviews until the optimal candidate is
identified or the interview process completed. Although the problem exhibits
similarities with the Dowry problem with multiple choices of Gilbert and
Mosteller, the proposed Genie-based model substantially differs from it as it
allows for early stopping and addresses nonuniform candidate interview
distributions.
