Brain Teasers

Three missionaries and three cannibals need to cross a river. There is only one boat and that can carry two. Only one cannibal and one missionary can row the boat. The missionaries are afraid of being outnumbered by the cannibals. (including the people who are on the same shore in the boat)
(the last means that there can't be two cannibals and one missionary on one side of the river, or three cannibals and two or one missionary)

How should the six people use the boat so that they could all cross the river?

I think this is how it should be done. on missionary goes across the river with one cannibal. than the missionary goes back alone in the boat and takes another cannibal and takes him across the river, then he goes back again and takes one missionary across the river, when he arrives there he leaves the missionary and takes one cannibal with him. he takes where he first was and leaves him there so he can take the third missionary to the other side. so now there are two missionaries and one cannibal in one side and two other cannibals in the other, and the third missionary goes and takes them one by one and brings them across the river. in this way missionaries are never outnumbered by the cannibals...

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Originally Posted by Kaltrina

I think this is how it should be done. on missionary goes across the river with one cannibal. than the missionary goes back alone in the boat and takes another cannibal and takes him across the river, then he goes back again and takes one missionary across the river, when he arrives there he leaves the missionary and takes one cannibal with him. he takes where he first was and leaves him there so he can take the third missionary to the other side. so now there are two missionaries and one cannibal in one side and two other cannibals in the other, and the third missionary goes and takes them one by one and brings them across the river. in this way missionaries are never outnumbered by the cannibals...

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that's not right. That missionary would die because there'd be 2 cannibals and outnumber him. Here's what I think. Two cannibals cross the river

2 cannibals-1 cannibal and 3 missionaries

1 goes back
1 cannibal-2 cannibals and 3 missionaries

takes the other cannibal across the river
3 cannibals-3 missionaries

goes back
2 cannibals-1 cannibal 3 missionaries

leaves the boat, and 2 missionaries cross the river
2 cannibals 2 missionaries-1 cannibal 1 missionary

then 1 cannibal and 1 missionary return
1 cannibal 1 missionary-2 cannibals 2 missionaries

then 2 missionaries cross again
1 cannibal 3 missionaries-2 cannibals

then the cannibal goes back to retrieve 1 cannibal
3 missionaries-3 cannibals
2 cannibals 3 missionaries-1 cannibal

finally 1 cannibal goes back and gets the final cannibal to the other side of the river
3 Missionaries, 3 Cannibals

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Originally Posted by Taliesin

Three missionaries and three cannibals need to cross a river. There is only one boat and that can carry two. Only one cannibal and one missionary can row the boat. The missionaries are afraid of being outnumbered by the cannibals (including the people who are on the same shore in the boat. the last means that there can't be two cannibals and one missionary on one side of the river, or three cannibals and two or one missionary.) How should the six people use the boat so that they could all cross the river?

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First, the three cannibals should eat the three missionaries and wait 24 hours for bowel movements. Then it will only take two trips to get the cannibals to the other side of the river.

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

D-man, I've given your puzzle some serious thought: One thing everyone fears is the unknown. No one will willingly take it (if you even CAN take it), but people do long for it, and some say they get a glimpse of it, others scoff and say that's impossible

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So, was I wrong or right?http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/fr...smiley-013.gif

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

So, was I wrong or right?http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/fr...smiley-013.gif

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Oh woops, forgot, sorry 'bout that. Errmm... no

You seem to like my little Shadow Mystery-Puzzles, set in the 30's and 40's in New York City. Here's a new one to contemplate.

The Shadow’s Secret Mission by Jonathan Bladehttp://www.smileyville.net/babygoat/irvine.gif

The butler lead The Shadow into Rupert Goldthwaite’s huge library. The walls were lined with books and with evidence of Goldthwaite’s hobbies—big game hunting and taxidermy. Indeed, it was as a big game hunter that The Shadow, as Lamont Cranston, knew Rupert Goldthwaite.

Goldthwaite seemed to favor mounting the act of the hunter. There was a cobra coiled with a mongoose leaping through the coils, a barn owl stretching to snatch a mouse, a weasel in the act of stalking a deer mouse, and a fox with a rabbit in its mouth. Also mounted were a great set of caribou antlers, a moose head, a boar's’ head, and two bearskin rugs were on the floor.

Cranston was shocked at the change in his old friend. The keen eyes of the Shadow told him Goldthwaite was dying.

“Yes. I have but a few days left. Your eyes do not deceive you. Nor do mine.” Goldthwaite smiled slowly. “You see, I know your secret—Shadow.”

“Indeed.” The Shadow never flinched. “May I ask how?”

Goldthwaite pointed to the mounted boar’s head. “When I collected that guy, you, or rather, Cranston, was with me and received a nasty gore to the right arm. You show no scar, although one would have to know it was there to see it anyway.”

“I see. What do you want?”

“I have a rather unique problem. I am dying. My business shall go to my three sons, Donald, Edward, and Stephen. But a company can have but one head. The others will, of course, be VP’s. I set up a test with my lawyer, Vic Braxton. Unfortunately, he died two days ago. In accordance with his wishes, I had his body cremated, and did not announce his death. You must impersonate Braxton and give the test to my sons. Will you?”

“I will.”

“Good. The test is this. Each must be shown this paper.” Goldthwaite held up a paper with “Y Y” typed on it. “Each then may chose one item from my trophy collection. You will know who is right I’m sure.”

Cranston glanced around. He smiled. “Of course.”

On the night appointed, the three young men met with “Braxton”.

WHAT DID THE WINNER CHOOSE?

Just a guess...

The Barn Owl--the "Y Y" represent talons.

I guess its the barn owl. I have finally thought up 2 riddles similar to my bat one in the fact that they are short. My past couple of riddles afterwards were long and unlike my bat one. These 2 are similar:

1) One time, when this world of life was black and white, the only color was I.

2) I am considered human, but also a ray of life.

Should be, perhaps, easier though. Lets see if you guys get it. I think I'll just give away the answer to my last two, the first one:

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Originally Posted by DigitalCrash

Things you probably have.(You probably have bought used things)
With a dash, you speak.(U-sed, or you said)
Sound, it has nothing to do.(the word use doesn't really have anything to do with sound)
can be bad or can be good.(It can be good or bad, low price, old object)
What is it?

the word "used" (I know, this one was a sucky riddle)

People fear me,(people fear it)
never take me,(never took it)
occasionally long for me,(miss it and want it back)
sometimes see me,(sometimes realize they have missed an opportunity)
sometimes don't.(sometimes don't)
What am I?

A Missed Opportunity

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so, yeah, anyhow... getting back to my new 2 riddles:

1) One time, when this world of life was black and white, the only color was I.

2) I am considered human, but also a ray of life.

Actually, D-Man and Archer, you are right, but for the wrong reason. The "Y Y" doesn't represent talons, it's far simpler than that. What do we have. A paper with "YY" on it. If we read the paper right, we would say "two y's" (too wise). Ergo, an owl! An owl's feet are not shaped like other birds. Most have three toes forward and one back. Owls have two forward, two back, which would make the talon clue invalid. You can check me on that, but birds are a kind of hobby. By the way, did you ever see a humming bird walk? Check THAT reson out! :lol: :lol:
But anyway, you did solve the mystery correctly, clues nonwithstanding. Nanners: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

1) One time, when this world of life was black and white, the only color was I.

That would be black. White is the absence of pigment. Black is a combination of all colors. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

1) One time, when this world of life was black and white, the only color was I.

That would be black. White is the absence of pigment. Black is a combination of all colors. :cool:

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Gee, I totally forgot about that fact. I remember seeing it and hearing it, too. Even though you can count the talons clue valid through this logic:

Y Y->Talons->most birds have talons->answer is a bird->Owl

Anyhow, it's not Black... as black and white are also the absence of color.

Speaking of hummingbirds, I love birds as well... j'adore le/la [insert french word for "bird" that I haven't learned yet here]. Thus I made a drawing:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/...ummingbird.jpg

and of course I made my avatar

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Originally Posted by DigitalCrash

Gee, I totally forgot about that fact. I remember seeing it and hearing it, too. Even you can count the talons clue valid through this logic:

Y Y->Talons->most birds have talons->answer is a bird->Owl

Anyhow, it's not Black... as black and white are also the absence of color.

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True. That logic works as well, put that way. I bow to you, sir.

Now to that color. I was right the first time but I changed it. It's grey, which you get when white and black overlap as in old black and white pictures. All colors are shades of grey. :lol:

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Originally Posted by Pendragon

True. That logic works as well, put that way. I bow to you, sir.

Now to that color. I was right the first time but I changed it. It's grey, which you get when white and black overlap as in old black and white pictures. All colors are shades of grey. :lol:

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Lol, hmm, guess that one isn't as good as I thought(colors do in fact work). Well anyhow, it's not grey, as a matter a fact, it's not even a color at all. Wait, Most birds have talons? what am I saying?! all birds have talons x) :lol:... EDIT:wait no... ducks don't... lol... nvm... >.>

Take it from the ultimate Rubber Ducky--not all birds have talons.