Fox, Goose, Grain

11/23/2010

Let us examine two logic puzzles.  The first is a classic puzzle known as Fox, Goose, Grain.
SCENARIO: A farmer is traveling with a fox, a goose, and a sack of grain.  He approaches a river which he must cross.

CONDITIONS:
  1. If the goose is left alone with the grain, the grain will be eaten.
  2. If the fox is left alone with the goose, the goose will be eaten.
  3. The boat has room for the farmer and one other item, nothing more.
PUZZLE:  How does the farmer transport himself and all of his belongings across the river without anything being eaten?
SOLUTION:  Can be found at the link above.  (HINT - the farmer can also be by himself in the boat)


Once you've got it worked out, here's a tougher one.
SCENARIO:  Danny's wife works nights, meaning that he must bathe the couple's three darling children by himself.

CONDITIONS:
  1. The tub is big enough for two darling children, no more.
  2. For the duration of bath time, Danny is essentially stuck in the bathroom, as CPS looks suspiciously on bathtub drownings.
  3. If Blake is left alone with either of the other two darling children, he will torment them into tears.
  4. If Ava is left alone in the tub, she will play "Mermaid," which is a game where she puts her face in the water and kicks both of her legs together as though they are one great fin, splashing water everywhere.
  5. If Jack is put in his room (right next door to the bathroom) with the baby gate in front of the door, he will scream loudly and without cease until you yearn for deafness.
  6. If Jack is left to roam free, he will grab any loose item he can find and stash it in his little hidey-hole in the linen closet.  Please see the picture below, which is all the items I pulled out of there this morning.
    Not pictured - Ava's shoes, which I searched for this morning for over 30 minutes




PUZZLE:  How does Danny bathe all three darling children without going deaf, getting soaked, drying tears, or frantically searching for items of clothing that the darling children can't leave the house without?
SOLUTION:  Dude, I don't know...

5 comments:

Andrea G. said...

Bathe Ava and Jack together, making Blake responsible for something in the meantime. Put Jack in the excersaucer (or such) in the hallway as Blake is bathed.

Alternative solution: Let the kids go as long as possible without baths. :D

I'm remembering 7th grade logic puzzles! :}

Danny said...

That's what I used to do, but Jack is a hefty, hefty boy and has already outgrown the exersaucer. It was a sad day when we got rid of it, because that's how I could grab a few minutes to do odds and ends.

Will Meekin said...

Jack takes two baths (which to him is just one long bath). The first with Blake, who is then excused. The second with Eva.

Or teach Blake to shower himself?

Or you start working 24hrs a day. No chores! Problem solved.

Wm.

Danny said...

Holy cow, I think Will solved it... I tried this tonight and it worked! The key thing that was missing before is that Ava couldn't put on her own pajamas, but she's able to now, which makes this work.

Ali said...

i really don't have any solution for your problem - i'm too busy laughing at "...as CPS looks suspiciously on bathtub drownings."

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