The table below illustrates how this is done (f=father, m=mother, d=daughter, s=son, p=police officer, and t=thief).
| Action | Left Bank | Right Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Start | f,s,s,m,d,d,p,t | |
| Police officer and thief cross river | f,s,s,m,d,d | p,t |
| Police officer returns | f,s,s,m,d,d,p | t |
| Officer and son cross river | f,s,m,d,d | p,s,t |
| Police officer and thief returns | f,s,m,d,d,p,t | s |
| Father and son cross river | m,d,d,p,t | f,s,s |
| Father returns | f,m,d,d,p,t | s,s |
| Father and mother cross river | d,d,p,t | f,s,s,m |
| Mother returns | m,d,d,p,t | f,s,s |
| Police officer and thief cross river | m,d,d | f,s,s,p,t |
| Father returns | f,m,d,d | s,s,p,t |
| Father and mother cross river | d,d | f,s,s,m,p,t |
| Mother returns | m,d,d | f,s,s,p,t |
| Mother and daughter cross river | d | f,s,s,m,d,p,t |
| Police officer and thief return | d,p,t | f,s,s,m,d |
| Officer and daughter cross river | t | f,s,s,m,d,d,p |
| Police officer returns | p,t | f,s,s,m,d,d |
| Officer and thief cross river | f,s,s,m,d,d,p,t |