River Crossing Puzzles

She-goat, Wolf and Cabbage

A farmer returns from the market, where he bought a she-goat, a cabbage and a wolf (what a crazy market :-). On the way home he must cross a river. His boat is small and won’t fit more than one of his purchases. He cannot leave the she-goat alone with the cabbage (because the she-goat would eat it), nor he can leave the she-goat alone with the wolf (because the she-goat would be eaten).
How can the farmer get everything on the other side?

Cannibals and Missionaries

Three missionaries and three cannibals want to get to the other side of a river. There is a small boat, which can fit only two. To prevent a tragedy, there can never be more cannibals than missionaries together.

Family

Parents with two children - a son and a daughter - came to a wide river. There was no bridge there. The only way to get to the other side was to ask a fisherman if he could lend them his boat. However, the boat could carry only one adult or two children. How does the family get to the other side and return the boat to the fisherman?

Humans and Monkeys

Three humans, one big monkey and two small monkeys are to cross a river:

• Only humans and the big monkey can row the boat.
• At all times, the number of humans on either side of the river must be greater or equal to the number of monkeys on that side. (Or else the humans will be eaten by the monkeys!)
• The boat only has room for 2 (monkeys or humans).
• Monkeys can jump out of the boat when it's banked.

Darkness Phobia

One family wants to get through a tunnel. Dad can make it in 1 minute, mama in 2 minutes, son in 4 and daughter in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, not more than two persons can go through the narrow tunnel at one time, moving at the speed of the slower one.
Can they all make it to the other side if they have a torch that lasts only 12 minutes and they are afraid of the dark?

River Crossing Game

You must transfer all the people across the river in this flash game respecting the following rules:

1. The ferry can carry no more than 2 people.
2. Only the Adults (mom, dad and policeman) can operate the ferry.
3. Dad can not be in the presence of the girls w/out Mom
4. Mom can not be in the presence of the boys w/out Dad
5. The thief can not be alone with any of the family w/out the policeman.

Click the circle to begin.
Click each person to get on and off the ferry.
Click the red handle to send the ferry to the other side.

Frog Leap Game

Swap the frogs. 3 from the left have to jump on the 3 stones on the right and vice versa.

Each frog can jump just on the adjacent stone or jump over another frog if there is an empty stone behind it.
Click "REINICIAR" to begin.

Flowers

How many flowers do I have if all of them are roses except two, all of them are tulips except two, and all of them are daisies except two?

Subtraction

How many times can you subtract the number 2 from the number 32?

Round vs. Square

Why is it better for manhole covers to be round rather than square?

The Barbershop Puzzle

A traveler arrives in a small town and decides he wants to get a haircut. There are only two barbershops in town - one on East Street and one on West Street. The East Street barbershop is a mess, and the barber has the worst haircut the traveler has ever seen. The West Street barbershop is neat and clean, its barber's hair looks as good as a movie star's.
Which barbershop does the traveler go to for his haircut, and why?

Murder in the Desert

This is a story about three people (A, B a C) crossing a desert. A hated C and decided to kill him - he poisoned the water in his sack (only C had water). B also wanted to kill C (not knowing that the water of C had been already poisoned) and so B made a hole into the sack of C and the water spilt out. A few days later C died of thirst.
Who was the murderer - A or B?

The Elder Twin

One day Kerry celebrated her birthday. Two days later her older twin brother, Terry, celebrated his birthday. How come?
This puzzle was submitted to Games Magazine's 'How Come' competition in 1992 by Judy Dean. It won.