I agree with your statement A. But if a number shows this property(say N), will 2N also show this property?

@prog_sahil, Count again. That number doubles when you shift the last digit to the beginning, and you stole it from a youtube video.

Can you please link the video?

@prog_SAHIL, just google ”which number doubles when reversed” like I did after posting my answer. The top result is the solution to another puzzle whose result you posted in your (now-deleted) comment.

But this puzzle is a lot different from that one.

Yes, it is. Somehow, that answer also has 18 digits, and somehow, you thought it solved this puzzle. There are very few scenarios where those coincidences are likely. Also, I happened to find the uncredited source of your recent river-crossing problem, identical even up to the protagonist's name. These comments are probably not the right place to sort this out.

This is not the source that the puzzle was taken from. It was made by our puzzling group in our school for the school magazine.

@prog_SAHIL All the more opporunity for it to be plagiarised, no? (If it was taken from a group of people)

I don't know if the group knew that it was copied or not. But here is what we all published in the magazine.

Correct me, if I'm wrong, but to me it seems that as for the Ron problem, you thought up a great question, and googled the answer, not noticing that it was actually the answer to a whole another question. As for the river-crossing, there can be very little doubt that the puzzle was lifted from Andy Liu's book S.M.A.R.T circle overview.

books.google.fi/…

Now both of those are great puzzles, and for the Ron case, there are even no copyright issues. The other one might pose a problem.

I will research and credit the original author in the problem. no worries. As for the Ron problem. It is my own. I just mixed up two completely different puzzles.

As far as I can tell, puzzlers are a pleasant lot; it's quite likely he'll mostly be flattered by the plagiarism.

The reason I had no hint it was plagiarized was because Ali baba is a famous Indian cartoon character. I never doubted that group could have stolen that from a reputed puzzler or anyone else and the puzzle was very basic to be doubted for plagiarism.

Here's the original author's contact information: math.ualberta.ca/Liu_A.html

Well spotted, @Bass! @prog_SAHIL, please do edit the river-crossing question to explain what credit is due to whom. Thanks!

@prog_SAHIL, I just emailed Professor Liu, and told him you would contact him.

That's stepping out of line, @Bass

How do you figure that, @AmagicalFishy? Since Professor Liu seems to be the only person who has had their rights violated, i find it extremely important that he be aware of it.

If you think it's a problem, then you need contact Professor Liu and deal with it. Clearly prog_SAHIL either doesn't think what he's done is plagiarism, or isn't admitting to it. Either way, you have no right to e-mail the party whose rights you think were violated with a claim that someone else (who not only hasn't consented, but doesn't even acknowledge your accusation) will contact them.

Well, of course my exact words were (copy paste here) "I have asked the poster to contact you directly."

Oh. My apologies, then—when you said "I just e-mailed Professor Liu, and told him you would contact him," I took this literally. While I still think your actions are a bit rash (what if prog_SAHIL is telling the truth?), I revoke my criticism.

I find it extremely unlikely that the group would have separately invented an identical river-crossing puzzle, and then used the exact same fictional character to enact it. (I also asked Prof Liu if he could retroactively grant us the right to use the puzzle, since it is an excellent one)

If I acted on all of the things I personally found unlikely, I'd be a very busy, and very rash person. :p

I contacted Mr. Liu and apologized. Also requested him to review if he has any problems with his puzzle being posted.

Good on you @prog_SAHIL

@prog_SAHIL Good job! Is there, by chance, some particular reason you want to keep the wrong answer accepted in the river crossing problem? :-) It's of course your call.

@Bass The solution was edited from 33 crossings (correct answer) to 37 crossing. I had no way of knowing.

Thanks for fixing it

And now for the final conclusion!

Professor Liu has answered

Excellent!

I edited the notice in the puzzle to reflect this.