IQ Test

Can you get these people from one side of the river to the other?

It's in Chinese, so here are the English instructions;

Everybody has to cross the river:

1. Only 2 persons on the raft at a time
2. The father can not stay with any of the daughters without their mother's presence
3. The mother can not stay with any of the sons without their father's presence
4. The thief (striped shirt) can not stay with any family member if the Policeman is not there
5. Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the raft
6. To start click on the big blue circle on the right.
7. To move the people click on them.
8. To move the raft click on the pole on the opposite side of the river.

http://freeweb.siol.net/danej/riverIQGame.swf

ENJOY!!!

(It took me about 15 minutes...)

GREENBACK'S SOLUTION:

first move:

father + daughter = bad

father + son = bad

father + policeman = bad

father + mother = bad (once back with the boat)

father + thief = bad

mother + daughter  = bad

mother + son = bad

mother + policeman = bad

mother + thief = bad

THUS, the first move must include the policeman (obviously with the thief)!

the policeman comes back alone....

second move:

it must include the policeman again! (with only kids since there will have only 1 parent with 4 kids!!!)

so,

policeman + daughter

(the policeman obviously returns with the thief! ) 

third move:

only the mother can go!

so, mother + daughter

mother comes back alone...

fourth move:

only the mother can go....with the father

father comes back alone...

fifth move:

since the father cannot go with nobody, then only the policeman can go with only the thief

the mother comes back alone...

sixth move:

mother + father

the father comes back alone...

seventh move:

father + son

the policeman + thief come back...

eight move:

the policeman + son

policeman comes back alone...

final move:

policeman + thief

DO I RULE, GENTLEMEN?