Crossing a bridge at night with just one flashlight seems like a speed problem. Maybe it's not entirely.

The bridge and the lantern

Reasoner
Timeless ingenuity

Riddle statement

Four people must cross a bridge at night. They only have one flashlight, and no one can cross without it. A maximum of two people can cross at a time. Each person takes a different time to cross:

  • 1 minute
  • 2 minutes
  • 5 minutes
  • 10 minutes

When two cross together, they take as long as the slowest one takes.

What is the shortest total time in which all four can cross?