1134: Logic Boat - Revision history

BobcatInABox: /* Explanation */

2025-09-22T19:41:54Z

‎Explanation

BobcatInABox: /* Explanation */

2025-09-22T19:41:38Z

‎Explanation

FaviFake at 14:15, 10 May 2025

2025-05-10T14:15:38Z

FaviFake at 14:15, 10 May 2025

2025-05-10T14:15:22Z

FaviFake: /* Explanation */

2025-05-10T14:14:08Z

‎Explanation

162.158.33.197: /* Explanation */

2024-09-17T07:42:20Z

‎Explanation

141.101.99.189: /* Explanation */

2024-08-11T14:45:53Z

‎Explanation

141.101.99.189: /* Explanation */

2024-08-11T14:45:17Z

‎Explanation

172.70.91.54: /* Explanation */ ...possibly more.

2022-10-31T13:18:42Z

‎Explanation: ...possibly more.

172.70.206.93: /* Explanation */ maybe wants the goat for food

2022-10-31T03:54:07Z

‎Explanation: maybe wants the goat for food

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 W - Wolf
 A - Cabbage
-G - Goat)
+G - Goat).
 Since the conditions for this problem are symmetric, an alternate solution would be to transport the wolf on Trip 3 and the cabbage on Trip 5. By leaving the wolf behind, four steps are saved (the comic's "step 4" is just a comment) and the troublesome wolf, a wild and dangerous animal not usually kept by humans, is eliminated from the picture.

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 |}
-The traditional solution would be:
+The traditional solution is shown on the left
 (C -  Cueball
 W - Wolf
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 The river crossing puzzle was the main focus of [[2348: Boat Puzzle]]. It was also referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]] and [[2684: Road Space Comparison]].
 <div style="clear: both"></div>
 ==Transcript==
 :[A person shows up at a boat docked at the edge of a river. The person has brought along a head of cabbage, a goat, and a wolf.]

@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 The river crossing puzzle was the main focus of [[2348: Boat Puzzle]]. It was also referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]] and [[2684: Road Space Comparison]].
+<div style="clear: both"></div>
 ==Transcript==
 :[A person shows up at a boat docked at the edge of a river. The person has brought along a head of cabbage, a goat, and a wolf.]

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ==Explanation==
 The comic is a play on the classic {{w|wolf, goat and cabbage problem}} belonging to the {{w|river crossing puzzle}}s, and first known from {{w|Propositiones ad Acuendos Juvenes}}, with the same setting as here. The three possessions change between various retellings but it typically involves a {{w|Carnivore|carnivorous animal}} (wolf, lion etc.), a {{w|herbivore}} (goat, sheep, chicken, goose etc.), and some plant based food (cabbage, grain, beans etc.). The objective {{tvtropes|FoxChickenGrainPuzzle|is to ferry all three possessions to the other side of a river safely in a small boat}}, with the limitation of only being able to transport one possession per crossing. The crossing order must take into account that the carnivore would eat the herbivore if left alone together, and the herbivore would eat the food.
 {| class="wikitable sortable floatleft"
 |-
@@ Line 60: / Line 53: @@
 |}
-(Note that, since the conditions for this problem are symmetric, an alternate solution would be to transport the wolf on Trip 3 and the cabbage on Trip 5.)
+The traditional solution would be:
-By leaving the wolf behind, four steps are saved — the comic's "step 4" is just a comment — and the troublesome wolf, a wild and dangerous animal not usually kept by humans, is eliminated from the picture.
+Since the conditions for this problem are symmetric, an alternate solution would be to transport the wolf on Trip 3 and the cabbage on Trip 5. By leaving the wolf behind, four steps are saved (the comic's "step 4" is just a comment) and the troublesome wolf, a wild and dangerous animal not usually kept by humans, is eliminated from the picture.
 This could be seen a jab on the common assumption that logic puzzles only have one correct solution. Thus one often keeps the other person thinking and guessing until they arrive at the pre-defined solution, no matter how many other creative good solutions they come up with. Also note that the "problem" given doesn't even state an objective, just three prerequisites.
@@ Line 70: / Line 67: @@
 The title text says that cabbages are also unnecessary, but goats are fine. The reasons for these opinions are less obvious than the one about the wolf, but still understandable. Many people, presumably including the narrator, do not like the taste of cabbage. Many are also fond of goats, finding them cute. The same opinion about goats is in [[1282: Monty Hall]].  (Goat milk and goat meat are also edible.)
-The river crossing puzzle was the main focus of [[2348: Boat Puzzle]]. It was referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]] and [[2684: Road Space Comparison]].
+The river crossing puzzle was the main focus of [[2348: Boat Puzzle]]. It was also referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]] and [[2684: Road Space Comparison]].
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 G - Goat)
-{| class="wikitable"
+{| class="wikitable sortable floatleft"
 |-
 ! Origin

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 The traditional solution would be:
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 17: / Line 21: @@
 ! Destination
 |-
-| Cueball, Wolf, Goat, Cabbage
+| C, W, A, G
+|
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 1: Take goat across
 |-
-| Wolf, Cabbage
+| W, A
-| Cueball, Goat
+| C, G
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 2: Return alone
 |-
-| Cueball, Wolf, Cabbage
+| C, W, A
-| Goat
+| G
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 3: Take cabbage across
 |-
-| Wolf
+| W
-| Cueball, Goat, Cabbage
+| C, G, A
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 4: Return with goat
 |-
-| Cueball, Wolf, Goat
+| C, W, G
-| Cabbage
+| A
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 5: Take wolf across
 |-
-| Goat
+| G
-| Cueball, Wolf, Cabbage
+| C, W, A
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 6: Return alone
 |-
-| Cueball, Goat
+| C, G
-| Wolf, Cabbage
+| W, A
 |-
 | colspan="2" align="center" style="background: #ffdead;" | Trip 7: Take goat across
 |-
+|
-| Cueball, Wolf, Goat, Cabbage
+| C, W, G, A
 |}

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 Alternatively, this could be a jab at the fact that the conditions of some puzzles are very strange. Both the fourth step and title text are evidence of this - questioning why you would have a wolf or a cabbage respectively. Yet, even though it is unlikely that you would ever find yourself in the situation and odd rules as stated by the puzzle in real life,{{Citation needed}} the puzzle demands that you solve it and reach the criteria it asks.
-The title text says that cabbages are also unnecessary, but goats are fine. The reasons for these opinions are less obvious than the one about the wolf, but still understandable. Many people, presumably including the narrator, do not like the taste of cabbage. Many are also fond of goats, finding them cute. The same opinion about goats is in [[1282: Monty Hall]].
+The title text says that cabbages are also unnecessary, but goats are fine. The reasons for these opinions are less obvious than the one about the wolf, but still understandable. Many people, presumably including the narrator, do not like the taste of cabbage. Many are also fond of goats, finding them cute. The same opinion about goats is in [[1282: Monty Hall]].  (Goat milk and goat meat are also edible.)
 The river crossing puzzle was the main focus of [[2348: Boat Puzzle]]. It was referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]].