Puzzle Answers

I was gonna post these last night, but I had a terrible headache. Since I’m not gaming today, due to a test tomorrow, I thought I might as well post the answers now, to fill in the day at least partially.

Puzzle 1

Help Stachenscarfen move the wolf, sheep, and cabbage from one side of the river to the other while obeying the following rules.

  • In addition to its captain, the raft can only one animal or item at once.
  • When Stachenscarfen isn’t near, the wolf will eat the sheep, and you’ll have to start over.
  • The sheep will eat the cabbage when Stachenscarfen isn’t around. If you let the sheep have its way, you’ll have to start over.
  • You can shuttle the raft back and forth as many times as you like, but the shortest solution takes seven moves.

 Solution

  1. Move sheep to the other side
  2. Move back alone
  3. Move cabbage to the other side
  4. Take sheep back with you
  5. Move wolf to the other side
  6. Go back alone
  7. Move sheep to the other side

This is a simple puzzle to which I’m sure many know the answer, so I feel really silly even posting it. Still, that was the only one I could remember from that day that didn’t require pictures.

Puzzle 2

Two corporations have put out “Help Wanted” ads. Aside from the information that follows, the two companies’ offers are exactly the same. From a purely financial standpoint, which one should you work for? Company A will pay you $100,000 a year and give you a $20,000 raise yearly.Company B will pay you $50,000 every six months and give you $5,000 raise every six months.

 Answer

While it does seem like the first job pay better, if you really do the math, it turns out that every year, the second job pays 5000 more.

  1. year: A – 100 000, B – 50 000 + 55 000
  2. year: A – 120 000, B – 60 000 + 65 000
  3. year: A – 140 000, B – 70 000 + 75 000, etc.

Obviously, the second job is a slightly better choice.