Another head scratcher. 10pts?

Question

There are 4 women who want to cross a bridge. They all begin on the same side. You have 17 minutes to get all of them across to the other side. It is night. There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each woman walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower woman's pace.Woman 1: 1 minute to cross

Woman 2: 2 minutes to cross
Woman 3: 5 minutes to cross
Woman 4: 10 minutes to cross

For example if Woman 1 and Woman 4 walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Woman 4 then returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes have passed and you have failed the mission. What is the order required to get all women across in 17 minutes? Now, what's the other way?
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I'll vote for best answer. :P

Answer 1

Women 1 and 2 go. 3 minutes.
Woman 1 walks back 1 minute.
Women 1 & 3 goes. 6 minutes.
Woman 1 walks back 1 minute.
Woman 1 gets lost half way and walks back. 1 minute.

Woman 4 is a fatty who gets eaten by wolves.
The end.

See? They save 5 minutes.

Answer 2

Each of the 4 chip in $3-$4 & send #1 to the nearest store (& Hustle!) there she is to purchase 3 more flashlights (& batteries, dammit). On the way out, she will need to snag a shopping cart...hustle back to the group. Now each of the four have a flashlight, so that part of the problem is solved. The shopping trip took 10+ minutes, so time is getting tight. Of course #1 & #2 don't want to be bogged down by their dead weight, slacker partners, so they are already across & getting on with life. #3 starts the trip across, but even she can't believe the sluggishness of #4. #3 goes back and grabs the shopping cart & dumps #4's sorry butt into it and wheels her to the other side, arriving with just seconds to spare!

"wow, thanks, I never would have thought of that" says #4 - "what should we do now?"
#3 says - "sorry sister, there is no "we"...I'm outta here, these last 15 + minutes have been pure hell. I just want to go home and have a drink...but say, who do you suppose dreamed up such a stupid predicament to put us 4 women into?"

#4 says "Oh, sorry, it was my idea...you see I'm going to go home and post this question on an internet forum to see if anyone can correctly guess what happened!"


The "other way" was that #4's plan was discovered about 3/4 of the way through the exercise, and in a fit of rage, #1 tossed #4 off the bridge. The three women then steadfastly insist that it was just the three of them to start with! Sadly it appears that this way didn't occur, since the hypothetical situation wound up getting posted...another head scratcher indeed!

Answer 3

3 and 2 cross together. 2 returns. 2 and 1 cross together. 1 returns. 4 is too slow, so gets on 1's back and 1 carries 4 across. all are across the bridge.

other way: Tell 3 and 4 to hurry the **** up and have one walk all across at diff. times.

haha.. sorry i didnt want to think this one through.

Answer 4

Woman 4 and 2, 2 walks back 4 the light
1, and 3 cross 1 goes back and comes with 2.

Answer 5

1+2 across =2
1 back =1
5+10 across =10
2 back =2
1+2 across =2

Answer 6

1 & 2 go then 1 come back total 3
5 & 10 go then 2 come back total 12
1 & 2 go total 2

total 17 minutes

Answer 7

women 1 and 4 go across in 10 min..then woman 1 goes back....no wait...idk...its not possible

Answer 8

Redd was the closest but she's still wrong. I can't figure this one out. I'm waiting for the answer.

Answer 9

omg, im way to lazy and tired to even care

Answer 10

Is this your homework... you better answer this for yourself....