River Crossing with one Torch

Four people need to cross a rickety bridge at night. Unfortunately, they have only one torch and the bridge is too dangerous to cross without one. The bridge is only strong enough to support two people at a time. Not all people take the same time to cross the bridge. Times for each person: 1 min, 2 mins, 7 mins and 10 mins. What is the shortest time needed for all four of them to cross the bridge?

River Crossing with one Torch




Similar Riddles

A farmer went to a market and bought a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and rented a boat. But crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases: the wolf, the goat, or the cabbage. If left unattended together, the wolf would eat the goat, or the goat would eat the cabbage. The farmer’s challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, leaving each purchase intact. How did he do it?

Asked by Neha on 21 May 2025


I welcome the day with a show of light, I stealthily came here in the night. I bathe the earthy stuff at dawn, But by noon, alas! I'm gone.

Asked by Neha on 21 Aug 2025

I make a loud sound when I’m changing. When I do change, I get bigger but weigh less. What am I?

Asked by Neha on 25 Aug 2025


All of the flowers I have are orchids except two. All of the flowers I have are hibiscuses except two. All of the flowers I have are roses except two.

Can you tell me how many flowers I have?

Asked by Neha on 28 Feb 2025

How many triangles can you find in this given picture?

Count the Triangles

Asked by Neha on 27 Feb 2023

What does an Island and the letter T have in common?

Asked by Neha on 18 Feb 2023


You visit a home for specially-abled children on the occasion of Christmas where you meet with 50 children. You have a box of chocolates containing 50 chocolates exactly.

What if you were asked to one chocolate to each child in a manner that one chocolate still remains in the box? Is it possible?

Asked by Neha on 28 Apr 2023

There’s a one-story house in which everything is yellow. Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow furniture. What colour are the stairs?

Asked by Neha on 12 Feb 2022

You have a 12 liters jug full of water. You have two empty 8 liters and 5 liters jug. How can you divide the water into two equal parts using these jugs?

Asked by Neha on 21 Dec 2020


You walk into an old horror house. It has no power or plumbing. Once inside, you see three doors. Each door has a number on it. Behind each door is a way for you to die. Behind door number one, you die by getting eaten by a lion. Behind door number two, you die by getting murdered. Behind door number three, you die by an electric chair. You can’t turn back, so you have to go through a door. Which door do you go through?

Asked by Neha on 10 Jun 2025

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Rubik’s Cube

The inventor of the Rubik’s Cube didn’t realize he’d built a puzzle until he scrambled it the first time and tried to restore it.