Cannibals and Marvels
I have two "cross the river" puzzles for you, which I've cleverly dressed up so you won't know I just scraped them off the internet.
Once again, I'm on the road, and our front page plan has fallen apart. It was meant to be a "coupon clippers" feature, with 100 hot summer deals, but the Real Deal columnist (Herman Deal, which I just realized is funny) got sent to Danbury for something or other. But you know what that means! It's the Puzzle Page!
Here are two "cross the river" puzzles, which I've cleverly dressed up so you won't know I scraped them off the internet just now. As always, if logic puzzles aren't your thing, I'll see you next week with something that isn't—this.
Puzzle 1. Missionaries and Cannibals
Three missionaries and three cannibals want to cross a river. In a complicated property swap, they've all become joint owners of a small boat, which can fit only two people. The cannibals are just ordinary cannibals, who vote and pay taxes and don't cause much harm (unless they're really hungry). The missionaries are the aggressive kind who pray at you from your driveway, even after you've listened to their personal witness, taken several brochures, and still meant it when you told them to have a nice day. If the missionaries ever outnumber the cannibals, they'll begin proselytizing, which will set off a predictable chain of events.
By what arrangement can they all cross the river, with no one suffering an undeserved conversion?
Puzzle 2. Stranded in Valhalla
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is shooting its next blockbuster, Thor XXIV: Stalemate to Heaven, on location in New Zealand. They were filming on Rabbit Island when the Media Ferryman's Guild went on strike. While the crew departed safely on Don Cheadle's moonshine barge, eight people remain stuck on the island: Taika Waititi, Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Ryan Reynolds, and the Hemsworths' agent, Rocco.
Bad news, all the rescue boats and helicopters in all of New Zealand have been rented for a Michael Bay movie. Good news, there's a yacht docked at the island. Bad news, it's Tom Holland's cruiser Introvert, which is very large, but only accomodates two people, driver included.
The following conditions must be observed:
- Only Taika Waititi, Ryan Reynolds, and Rocco may drive the boat. (Larson and Vellani have "no ferrying" clauses in their contracts. The Hemsworths are both super drunk. Chris Pratt is not allowed to drive anything.)
- Taika Waititi, the director, cannot be in the presence of either Hemsworth without Rocco there. (Rocco has veto power over all artistic instructions.)
- Rocco cannot be in the presence of Iman Vellani or Brie Larson without Taika Waititi there, because Rocco's a jerk.
- Chris Pratt, the prankster, may not be left alone with anyone besides his designated "buddy," Ryan Reynolds.
Can all the stranded people make it to the mainland? If so, how many crossings will it take?
