Think Outside the Box: The Fox, Chicken, and Grain Riddle

Our profession, like many others, often requires out-of-the-box thinking to solve a problem – in our case, a machine issue. So, each month we’re giving you the opportunity to test your ability to think outside the box.

Ready?

 

THE FOX, CHICKEN, AND GRAIN RIDDLE

The Riddle:

A farmer needs to take a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain across a river. The only way across the river is by a small boat, which can only hold the farmer and one of the three items. Left unsupervised, the chicken will eat the grain, and the fox will eat the chicken. However, the fox won’t try to eat the grain, and neither the fox nor the chicken will wander off. How does the farmer get everything across?
(The answer is below so don’t scroll too far too fast!)

 

 

 

Think hard…

 

The Answer:

To accomplish this, the farmer must make seven trips total:

1. Take the chicken and drop it off across the river.
2. Come back with an empty boat.
3. Next take the grain across the river.
4. Bring the chicken back.
5. Take the fox across the river.
6. Come back with an empty boat.
7. Take the chicken across the river.