Puzzle 10

[Bungleau]

Sorry, HiveTyrant, but I like multiple threads better. It helps the old ones die off more easily, just as #1 has...

So here's one. I was originally told this was a test given during the interview process at Microsoft, but I don't know that I believe that. In any case, I've tweaked it slightly to my own preferences.

The members of KISS (Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace - classic lineup) are scheduled to give a concert in 17 minutes. It's dark (as it ought to be at concert time), and the concert stage is across a deep gully. There's a single narrow bridge across the gully, and it's pretty flimsy; it won't hold more than two of them. It's fairly long, too, and did I mention it's dark? They've only got one flashlight, and they need it to cross the bridge. The flashlight's batteries are pretty low, though, and the light doesn't go much more than 10 feet -- certainly not all the way across, let alone halfway.

They have to go on stage in 17 minutes, all four of them, or else the promoter has put in some tremendously severe performance penalties. Not only won't they get paid, they'll have to pay the promoter's costs.

Problem is, it takes Gene 1 minute to cross, Paul 2 minutes, Peter 5, and Ace 10. And they have to have the flashlight to make it across. And there are no other options -- they have to cross this bridge, they have to use this flashlight, and there's no outside help available.

How can all four of them cross the bridge and be at the concert in 17 minutes?

*edit* I should mention that there is more than one answer, but the principle is the same. */edit*

[ 12-23-2004, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: Bungleau ]

[Stormymystic]

:/ I should know this, and almost have it figured out I think.....

[Bungleau]

Armageddon272 has it correct. Way to go [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

I'll be waiting for your answer, Stormy. Nice hair, BTW... I remember when I woke up looking like that

Don't worry... it gets better [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sir Goulum]

Sent you my answer.... mark easy. Please?

[Bungleau]

Sir Goulum gets full credit for really thinking outside the box! I'll share his answer tomorrow... it fully puts everything else to shame [img]smile.gif[/img]

And Seraph also got it right. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Hivetyrant]

Lol, no problem.
Hmmm, I think I have this one, but im going to go over it first [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Davros]

Another correct - 6 out of 9, but I love to hear out of the box answers so I will check back tomorrow to hear about Sir G [img]smile.gif[/img] .

[Sir Goulum]

Woohoo! Creativity rules!

[Bungleau]

Well, it's tomorrow where I am, so here is the answer. It's camouflaged so as not to spoil for any still interested in playing, so highlight it to see the "official answer".


Send Gene and Paul over first. 2 minutes.

Send Gene back. 1 minute, total 3.

Ace and Peter go over. 10 minutes, total 13.

Paul goes back. 2 minutes, total 15.

Gene and Paul go over. 2 minutes, total 17.


Now, Sir Goulum's extraordinary out-of-the-box thinking...

Gene does all the trips, and carries the other members over! That's a minute over and a minute back, for a grand total of seven minutes (since there's no return trip the last time). Even if you double his rate for the extra effort, he still takes only 14 minutes.

Way to go, SirG! That is truly original thinking [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[RoSs_bg2_rox]

Sir G, that is a cool answer, never thought of that one. Well, self marked I got it right, missed the windows of pming. Although this is just a variation of the classic, just put into context, so not too difficult.