Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Friday Puzzler 2 -- crossing a rivier
Alex Y
That last one was too easy for Larry, so let's try another.
Two boys wish to cross a river full of piranha. The only way to get to the other side is by boat, but that boat can only take one boy at a time. The boat cannot return on its own, there are no ropes or similar tricks, yet both boys manage to cross using the boat.
How?
Re: Friday Puzzler 2 -- crossing a rivier
Jim Rutten
I have two solutions both of which have problems:
1st, the first boy paddles the boat while the second boy, dressed in chain mail hangs on to the side. See, that is my bad solution.
My 2nd solution goes by the fact that you never said the boys were together just that they wanted to cross the river ;-) so in my 2nd solution the boys exist on both sides of the river. Boy 1 paddles to side 2 and boy 2 then paddles to side 1. Hmmm. Just crazy enough it might pass muster.
Correct!
Alex Y
Nice job, Jim! Your second solution is correct. No one ever said the boys were together, just that both wanted to cross the river.