Japanese Brain Teaser

[osanmike]

This was passed through my office. It is easy once you figure it out, but can be very frustrating to some. It took one guy in our office over an hour. On the other hand, my 8 year old figured it out in about 10 min. The rules and instuctions are below, because they are in Japanese on the web site.

Good luck

http://freeweb.siol.net/danej/riverIQGame.swf



The rules are:

Click on link then click on blue circle. Use the rules below.

This is going to do your head in, but it can be done. I've worked it
out.

For those of you who are not going to even understand the rules (you
know
who you are) get someone to explain them to you.


Apparently this is an IQ test given to job applicants in Japan:
"Everybody
has to cross the river".

The following rules apply:

Only 2 persons on the raft at a time

The father can not stay with any of the daughters without their mother's
presence

The mother can not stay with any of the sons without their father's
presence

The thief (striped shirt) can not stay with any family member if the
Policeman is not there

Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the
raft

To start click on the big blue circle on the right.

To move the people click on them. To move the raft click on the pole on
the
opposite side of the river.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[BCurry1]

Took me about 8 mintues, but it can be done!

[P95Carry]

Oh dear - I feel a brain ache comin on - have to try this later when quiet and relaxed!!

Appears you about aced that Ben

Might have been this one or a similar deal - where best way to rationalize things was to ascribe algebraic variables to each person and build an equation or two.

[4my son]

I'll have to try that one later, We did a simular one in school with a Fox, chicken, and some other animals. Same rules sounds like. It was a toughy, I agree with Chris, have to find some good concentration / quite time.

[BCurry1]

Here is how I did it:

WARNING: DO NOT READ BELOW IF YOU WANT TO TRY THE PUZZLE ON YOUR OWN!




Police and Thief Across
Police Back
Police and Boy 1 Across
Police and Thief Back
Father and Boy 2 Across
Father Back
Mother and Father Across
Mother Back
Police and Thief Across
Father Back
Mother and Father Across
Mother Back
Mother and Daughter 1 Across
Police and Thief Back
Police and Daughter 2 Across
Police Back
Police and Thief Across

[Anubis]

Nice one! I heard one quite similar involving a party of 3 missionaries and 3 cannibals. There is one boat available to cross the river which only holds 3. Get all of them across following this rule: on either bank or in the boat, cannibals must never outnumber missionaries because if that occurred, the cannibals would eat.

[Sheldon J]

Nice one! I heard one quite similar involving a party of 3 missionaries and 3 cannibals. There is one boat available to cross the river which only holds 3. Get all of them across following this rule: on either bank or in the boat, cannibals must never outnumber missionaries because if that occurred, the cannibals would eat.

And the farmer, fox, chicken, cow, etc...