Somewhere on the high seas smuggler Stan is attempting, without much luck, to outspeed coast guard Charlie, whose boat can go faster than Stan's. Charlie is one mile east of Stan when a heavy fog descends. It's so heavy that nobody can see or hear anything further than a few feet. Immediately after the fog descends, Stan changes course and attempts to escape at constant speed under a new, fixed course. Meanwhile, Charlie has lost track of Stan. But Charlie happens to know Stan's speed, that it is constant, and that Stan is sticking to some fixed heading, unknown to Charlie.

How does Charlie catch Stan?

Charlie may change course and speed at will. He knows his own speed and course at all times. There is no wind, Charlie does not have radio or radar, there is enough space for maneuvering, etc.

(In reply to re(3): new twist by Bob Smith)

It is now. 

Charlie has to move quite a bit faster than Stan, and it seems improbable that Stan would choose to travel so slowly (unless he's afraid of moving faster in the fog) but the logarithmic spiral appears to be a good strategy.

Spock:  Captain, the Klingons are revolting!
Captain Kirk:  That's your opinion, Spock.

Posted by Mindy Rodriguez on 2005-11-07 22:04:19