For those good at solving puzzles...

[Lynette]

Un4's numbers post reminded me of a puzzle...

A group of 4 soldiers are fleeing a battle during the night and arrive at a small wooden bridge that they must quickly cross in order to get to safety.  The soldiers have varying degrees of battle wounds which effect how quickly they can cross the bridge.  Soldier #1 can cross in 1 minute, #2 in 2 minutes, #3 in 5 minutes, and #4 in 10 minutes (he is badly wounded).  The bridge is pretty tight and can only support 2 soldiers at a time.  It is also missing some boards, requiring the use of the flashlight the entire time so no one falls.  Their lone flashlight has 17 minutes of battery power remaining.

How do all 4 soldiers get across?

[fiere redfern]

My solution (complete with Anscii fun!):

1  |____________________|
2  |                                |  Elapsed Time: 0 min.
3  |____________________|
4  |                                |

Soldiers 1 and 2 start across first, they make it to the other side in 2 minutes (the fastest soldier 2 can travel). Soldier 1 walks back to the otherside, flashlight in hand.

1  |____________________|
   |                                | 2 Elapsed Time: 3 min.
3  |____________________|
4  |                                |

Soldier 1 then ferries Solider 3 across the bridge, taking 5 minutes to reach the other side, and 1 minute to cross back over to soldier 4.

1  |____________________|
  |                                | 2 Elapsed Time: 9 min.
  |____________________| 3
4  |                                |

Soldier 1, being the burly sort and able-bodied (he is the strongest of the four, after all), then swings Soldier 4 over his back in a Fireman's carry and has Soldier 4 hold the flashlight in front of him, illuminating the pathway. Soldier 1 then takes 5 minutes to traverse the bridge because of the extra weight, leaving all 4 safely on the other side of the bridge with 3 minutes of battery power left in the lone flashlight.

 |____________________| 1
 |                                | 2 Elapsed Time: 14 min.
 |____________________| 3
 |                                | 4

...that's either going to be the right answer or prove that I am a smart mouth who is too lazy to think up a more creative solution.  

So what's the verdict?

[JohnnieRat]

The four soldiers make a final protective line and call in for artillery fire on the enemy position, providing possibly enough time (say 17 minutes) for re-enforcements to arrive and overwhelm the enemy. Once the threat is neutralized they can call in for medevac and blow up bridge.

Q: Why's the sky blue?
A: Because God loves the Infantry.

-And on the 8th day, God created the Infantry...and Hell stood at attention

[Kothnok]

Similar to Fi's solution...

Soldier 1 carries the flashlight and Soldier 4 across.  Total: 1 min
Soldier 1 returns and carries Soldier 3 w/flashlight.   Total: 3 min (1 to come back, 1 to cross with 3)
Soldier 1 then returns for soldier 2 again w/flashlight. Total: 5 min (1 to come back, 1 to cross with 2)

if carrying is not allowed, then just have soldier 4 go first with the flashlight.
he takes 10 min to cross, but meanwhile the other three cross one at a time. (this way only 2 are ever on the bridge)
total time is 10 min (since the other 3 can cross in 7 min total, 1 at a time).

[Grendeel]

If carrying isnt permitted and i assume it isnt, then i think something is missing from the puzzle.  Im also assuming no one can be moving on the bridge without a flashlight with them.

Best i can come up with is

soldier 1 escorts  2 across the bridge and returns with flashlight    3 min
soldier 1 takes soldier 4 half way across and returns with the flashlight .... 5 min to get soldier 4 half way and .5 min for 1 to return..5.5min total
soldier  3 takes flashlight and meets soldier 4 half way   2.5 min.......soldiers 3 and 4 go across  which takes 5 min ... 7.5 min  total
soldier  2 takes flashlight and goes back and gets soldier 1 ..return trip   4 min total.

Best i can come up with is  20 min to get them all across

edit -

actually even quicker and more simplistic

1 escorts  2, 3 and 4(one at a time) across the bridge....... 17 min plus  2 mins for ones travel time coming back ..... 19 min

edit x2 -

soldier 1 takes solider 2 across and returns with flashlight............. 3 min
soldiers 3 and 4 take flashlight and cross...................................10 min
soldier 2 takes flashlight and goes back.....................................2 min
soldiers 1 and 2  go across.....................................................2 min

should sleep before i think about puzzles