In 1973 a group of political activists managed to escape one of the most secure prisons in USA and then planned to move to Canada. They soon reached at the bank of Detroit River that separates USA from Canada. The sun sank as Marcus, Vincent, and Leo arrived at the riverbank with Sarah, Emma, and Maya—their respective girlfriends. The group had just completed a long journey, and freedom waited on the other side of the Detroit River. Each girl was wearing a diamond necklace worth 1 million dollar, that each couple planned to sell after reaching Canada and then starting new lives. A dangerous river and a single unstable boat stood between them and safety.
Marcus tested the boat’s capacity. “It can hold two people at most. Any more will cause it to sink.”
Vincent’s eyes shone with selfish desire. “Here’s the situation—if any of you girls end up alone with me or Leo while your boyfriend’s gone, well… let’s just say our work doesn’t always value loyalty. Particularly your diamond necklaces make you irresistible. Don’t be surprised if you girls end up getting abducted.”
Leo agreed . “The same applies to me. We’re now fugitives, not good guys.”
The girlfriends looked at each other with concern. Sarah held Marcus’s arm. “So how can we all cross without someone getting… kidnapped?”
The problem was obvious: no woman could stay alone with a man who wasn’t her partner, on either side of the river or on the boat. With just one boat that fits two, the crossing would need careful planning.
Your Mission: You need to use a boat that can carry maximum 2 persons at a time to transport this team of fugitives across the river, in a way that no girl is separated from her boyfriend anytime whenever she gets in contact with any other guy.
——– View the answer ——–
The Solution:
- Two women cross (Sarah and Emma)
- One woman returns (Sarah returns. Emma stays)
- Two women cross (Sarah and Maya cross)
- One woman returns (Emma returns. Sarah and Maya stay)
- Two men cross (Marcus and Leo cross)
- One man and one woman return (Marcus and Sarah return. Maya and Leo stay)
- Two men cross (Marcus and Vincent cross)
- One woman returns (Maya returns. Marcus, Vincent and Leo stay)
- Two women cross (Sarah and Emma cross)
- One woman returns (Emma returns. Sarah, Marcus, Vincent and Leo stay)
- Two women cross (Maya and Emma cross- final)
