Top Puzzle 5: The Sinking Ship Escape | Puzzles for Interview - Interview Preparation PDF Download

Problem Statement

You are a passenger on a sinking ship, and there are only two lifeboats available. The first lifeboat can hold up to 6 people, and the second lifeboat can hold up to 8 people. There are 10 people on the ship, including yourself. You must decide who gets to go on which lifeboat. The problem is that there are two people on the ship who hate each other so much that they refuse to be on the same lifeboat together. If they end up on the same lifeboat, they will both jump out and drown.
How do you ensure that everyone makes it safely to shore?

Solution

To solve this puzzle, you should try to create a plan that ensures everyone's safety and also takes into account the two people who hate each other. Here's a possible solution:
1. Assign the first lifeboat to the eight people who don't have any issues with each other. This way, the first lifeboat will be filled with six passengers and two crew members.
2. Put the two people who hate each other in the second lifeboat, along with two other passengers who are not involved in any conflicts. This way, the second lifeboat will be filled with four passengers and four crew members.
3. Once both lifeboats are in the water, you can use ropes to tie them together so that they can stay close. This way, if anything goes wrong with either boat, everyone will be close enough to help each other.
4. Once the boats reach the shore, you can untie them and everyone can disembark safely.

Conclusion

By following the above solution, you can ensure that everyone makes it safely to shore, even while dealing with the two people who hate each other. This puzzle highlights the importance of careful planning and considering all the factors involved in a difficult situation. It also shows that sometimes, you may need to make compromises to ensure everyone's safety.