THE EDUCATED FROGS.
(
Moving Counter Problem)
Our six educated frogs have learnt a new and pretty feat. When placed on
glass tumblers, as shown in the illustration, they change sides so that
the three black ones are to the left and the white frogs to the right,
with the unoccupied tumbler at the opposite end--No. 7. They can jump to
the next tumbler (if unoccupied), or over one, or two, frogs to an
unoccupied tumbler. The jumps can be made in either direction, and a
frog may jump over his own or the opposite colour, or both colours. Four
successive specimen jumps will make everything quite plain: 4 to 1, 5 to
4, 3 to 5, 6 to 3. Can you show how they do it in ten jumps?
Answer:
The following leaps solve the puzzle in ten moves: 2 to 1, 5 to 2, 3 to
5, 6 to 3, 7 to 6, 4 to 7, 1 to 4, 3 to 1, 6 to 3, 7 to 6.