The Wolf, Goat, and Cabbage
This problem can be found in
eighth-century writings.
A man has to take a wolf, a goat, and some
cabbage across a river. His rowboat has enough room for the man plus either the
wolf or the goat or the cabbage. If he takes the cabbage with him, the wolf
will eat the goat. If he takes the wolf, the goat will eat the cabbage. Only
when the man is present are the goat and the cabbage safe from their enemies.
All the same, the man carries wolf, goat, and cabbage across the river. How?
Puzzle provided by Kordemsky: The Moscow
Puzzles (Dover)