Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/256 - Catching the Prisoners

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $256$

Catching the Prisoners

Make a rough diagram on a sheet of paper, and use counters to indicate the two warders (marked as $W$) and the two prisoners (marked as $P$).

At the beginning the counters must be placed in the squares shown.

The first player moves each of the warders to an adjacent cell, in any direction.

Then the second player moves each prisoner to an adjoining cell;

and so on until each warder captures his prisoner.

If one warder makes a capture, both he and his captive are out of the game, and the other player continues alone.

You may come to the conclusion that it is a hopeless chase, but it can really be done if you use a little cunning.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Moving Counter Problems: $256$. -- Catching the Prisoners
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Geometrical Problems: Moving Counter Puzzles: $380$. Catching the Prisoners