Answer to the Problem of the Week
for the week of February 06, 2006

The Crossing Problem

Solve the problem presented in the second panel of the comic strip above. Explain how to get all three animals across the river safely!



 

Solution to the Problem:

First, take the fox over and drop him off.
Then row back and get one of the chickens.
Take the chicken over and drop it off and pick up the fox.
Take the fox back, drop him off, and pick up the other chicken.
Take the chicken over.
Row back and pick up the fox.




Here are some more challenging crossing problems (with answers) that have
appeared as previous Problems of the Week:
U2 Crossing Problem
Three Jealous Men and Their Wives
The Wolf, the Goat, and the Head of Cabbage
The Boat Problem with the Family of Four



Correctly solved by:

1. Tom Robb Winchester, Virginia
2. Mike Singer Winchester, Virginia
3. Anil Nataraj And Sagar Patel Columbus, Georgia
4. Walt Arrison Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Shaan Arora Columbus, Georgia
6. David & Judy Dixon Bennettsville, South Carolina
7. John Funk Ventura, California
8. Chris Rogers Lord Fairfax Community College
Middletown, Virginia
9. Richard Mocarski Chapel Hill, North Carolina
10. Maggie Morrison Winchester, Virginia
11. Danny Bintrim Harrisonburg, Virginia
12. Bill Funk San Antonio, Texas
13. Garrett Hix Columbus, Georgia
14. Yassee Pirooz Harrisonburg, Virginia
15. Britney White Columbus, Georgia
16. Erin Fennacy Fresno, California
17. Suzie Chhouk Long Beach, California
18. Angelo Leone Middletown, Connecticut
19. Mrinal Singh Happy Valley, Shillong, India
20. Daniel Wilberger James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
21. James Alarie University of Michigan -- Flint
Flint, Michigan
22. Dana Moats Ft. Eustis, Virginia
23. Emily Powell Winchester, Virginia
24. Heather Brown Winchester, Virginia
25. Tristan Collins Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
26. Slayton Gilmore Columbus, Georgia
27. Roni Egley Mountain View, Wyoming
28. Eric Harding Fort Collins, Colorado
29. Bryan Welchman ----------
30. Julianne Harris Winchester, Virginia
31. Jamie Marie Carder Mountain View, Wyoming
32. Scott Meeks and Seth Bindl Mountain View, Wyoming
33. Samantha Schultz Mountain View, Wyoming
34. Rachel Pridgen Columbus, Georgia
35. Praveen Nandamuru Columbus, Georgia
36. Liz Blackwell Harrisonburg, Virginia
37. Carter Galbraith Columbus, Georgia
38. Matt Arnsbrak Winchester, Virginia
39. Billy Sutherland Winchester, Virginia
40. Kelley Kolar Winchester, Virginia
41. Nicholas Caligaris Columbus, Georgia
42. Raymond Lindsey Dandridge, Tennessee
43. Amber Micheli Mountain View, Wyoming
44. Jerome Pierce Columbus, Georgia
45. Russell Beaty Columbus, Georgia
46. Jeffrey Gaither University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
47. Keith Mealy Cincinnati, Ohio
48. Georgia Shelton ----------
49. Stephen O'Hara Winchester, Virginia
50. Elizabeth Carlson Winchester, Virginia
51. Andrew Montoya Winchester, Virginia
52. Lura Moomaw Winchester, Virginia
53. Abby Kowalski Winchester, Virginia
54. Bert Lamb ----------
55. Lauren Coles Chelmsford, Massachussetts
56. Brandon Green ----------
57. Paden Atkins Mountain View, Wyoming
58. R.L. Colangelo Mountain View, Wyoming
59. Justin Fernicola Columbus, Georgia
60. Kushal Palkhiwala ----------
61. Laura Gronauer ----------
62. Karla Murillo Winchester, Virginia
63. Stephanie Baldwin Winchester, Virginia
64. Cody Vance Winchester, Virginia
65. Ben Swartz Winchester, Virginia
66. Andrew Barnes Winchester, Virginia
67. Hamza Rashid Harrisonburg, Virginia
68. Arsalan Heydarian Harrisonburg, Virginia
69. Kristi Armentrout ----------
70. Bharvi Desai Columbus, Georgia
71. Laura Minnis Harrisonburg, Virginia
72. Kshitij (Chris) Mehrotra Elgin, Illinois
73. Zaza Carlzon Tullängsskolan, Sweden
74. Anna Lindqvist Tullängsskolan, Sweden
75. Patrick Roddy Turnersville, New Jersey
76. Sharina Smith Newport News, Virginia
77. Jack Kang North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
78. Tori Toczylowski ----------
79. Marc Russello ----------
80. Bobby Arthur Winchester, Virginia
81. Javier Johnson ----------
82. Ashley Faucher Winchester, Virginia