More puzzles for Marianne?

Question

1. The Jealous Husbands:

Three (heterosexual) married couples are on an island, and wish to get to the mainland in a boat that can only carry two people at a time.  This must be arranged under the following constraint:  at NO TIME can any wife be at the same location with a man or men not her husband (irrespective of any other wives who may be there too), unless her husband is also there to chaperone her.  How do they get across without a scandal?

2. The Missionaries and the Cannibals:

Same situation as above, except now 3 missionaries and 3 cannibals must get to the mainland without the missionaries being outnumbered by the cannibals at any place at any time, or else the cannibals will make a meal of the outnumbered missionaries.  How do they get across safely?

Answer 1

What, a whole day and no answers yet?

Marianne, come quickly!   They need your help urgently! 

Comments

Too bad, the first text was too long, then I tried with symbols - too long, I shortened and did all with colours, but these colours and the whole presentation could not be pasted; every entry was too long and was not accepted (you know, the 8000 signs), finally, after two hours, I tried with letters;  I still hope that it is clear enough.

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Again, your suggestion with the worm would leave the alternative  with two couples tracted by a rope and swimming and one in the boat, rowing - lol.

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The real problem was the transfer of the solutions; there must have been an incompatibility with the symbols and the lines, then the change into letters, which caused a mess, and also the colours went lost, and then, I could neither correct nor cancel the answers with the messed up displays.

Working off-line takes between 5 - 10 minutes per solution (I tried 3 eventualities), but trying to enter (paste and adapt) one presentation on-line takes an hour tinkering around - I am really no IT expert - lol.

Answer 2

Sorry, Tink, I was busy and I am still late with everything.

The symbols were, finally, quicker and less confusing: three couples 1) red 2) green 3) blue (any couple can start; and the return trip can also be done by the wifes)

Oops - my explanation is too long, even with the symbols ...

I'll try a shortened version:

Aa Bb Cc

Aa Bb            Cc (crossing)

               C returns,                   c remains

Aa, C             Bb (crossing)

                B returns,                   b remains  -  b + c

C B                 Aa (crossing)

                 A returns,                  a remains  -  a + b + c

C                      AB (crossing)   

                  B returns,                  A remains - Aa + b + c

                          CB (crossing)    Aa Bb Cc

Comments

Hi, Marianne,

I'm sorry you spent so much time on the puzzle, and unfortunately your solution is not correct.  The constraint says no wife may be with another man, regardless of what other wives may also be there, if the first wife's husband is not also there.  So, for example, when Bb cross over to the mainland, husband C will be outraged, jealously suspecting that B will have a ménage à trois with b and c before B returns to the island.

Hint: two women cross first.

I can't reply directly to your comments above, so I'll reply here.  The puzzle doesn't say anything about a rope being available, but even if it were (or if the people in the water just held on), if the maximum capacity is exactly two people, then the extra stress of pulling the people in the water would sink the boat.   Unlike the leaf in the worm problem, there is no extra capacity.   :-D

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Oh, I see; that complicates everything, so, every husband must always be with his wife on the shore, or the women alone (1, 2 or 3).

So, I would try:

Still not right, and I could neither rectify nor cancel this answer.

Corrected - see last trial.

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Oops, I messed up with the pasting of the solution, and I can't correct or cancel this reply. I don't know why the chronology doesn't work here.

I am having troubles again with this page. Trying to correct or resetting the correct order did not work.

If this failure could be cancelled, it would be fine.

Answer 3

A a    B b   C c   

A a    B b          C c (crossing)

A a    B b          C returns               c remains

A  a   B b           a b (crossing)  

A  C B               b returns               a  c   remain

A  C                   B b (crossing)

A  C                   a c return             A B b   remain

a   c                    C (crossing)      

a   c                    B b return            A C   remain

B  b                    a c (crossing)

B  b                    a returns              C  c  A    remain

a  c                     B b (crossing)

a  c                     b returns              C  A  B   remain

a                         c b (crossing)

a                         c returns              C  A  B b   remain

                           a c (crossing)

                                                      A a   B b   C c    

Comments

Cancel; two different results got mixed up.

Answer 4

O.K.

Here's the corrected version: 5 crossings, 4 returns.

 A a  B b  C c

A C  B b              a  c                            crossing

A C  B b           a returns     c

A C  B                  b a          c                 crossing

A C  B              b returns     a  c

A C                      B b          a   c               crossing

A  C                 B returns        b  a  c

C                           A B        b  a  c               crossing

C                      c returns       A a  B b

                         c  C             A a  B b               crossing

                                             A a  B b  C b

Comments

Sorry, but your solution still doesn't work.

You started out fine, but in your 5th step (the 3rd crossing), when Bb cross to the mainland, husbands A and C (still on the island) will be consternated, and suspect that husband B will have his way with wives a and c before he returns to the island.  In fact, they would probably refuse to let B cross to the mainland in step 5 at all (pssst...that's a hint). 

P.S.  I tried to upvote your comments, but the program won't let me.

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Ok, the upvote button is working again. 

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I had problems with everything, entering answers, pasting, rectifying, deleting and upvoting. By the way, the site was being adapted. And yes, I am slowed down with all the other activities and a bad cold.

From the other riddles I know, it was supposed that the crossing consisted of picking up, crossing and dropping off, with the one having to return remaining in the boat.

But I will look into another solution later on, as I have to deal with floods of messages and several sites.

Actually, my presence is very "irregular" on the different sites.

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No, in this problem, there is no rule that says a person who is supposed to go back has to stay in the boat between crossing and returning.  And it is indeed more realistic that way.  After his tiring trip across the water, husband B might very well want to rest, and take advantage of the opportunity to dally with wives a and c  Or maybe they would join him in the boat before he returns.  

I hope your cold is better soon!  Gute Besserung!

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Lol - I am still not through with the other sites, and FB takes a "heavy toll" on time.

And today, I needed a break - this afternoon was sunny, and I was out, taking a good break.

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Good.   I think if one spends too much time on the internet, it is not healthy, physically or psychologically.

The real world is much better. than the virtual one 

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You are perfectly right, I need more time off, and I am also recovering from flu.

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I wish you a speedy full recovery.  Take good care of yourself. 

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Thank you, I am doing my best.