Consider $n$ students with numbers $1, 2, \ldots, n$ standing in the order $1, 2, \ldots, n.$ Upon a command, any of the students either remains on his place or switches his place with another student. (Actually, if student $A$ switches his place with student $B,$ then $B$ cannot switch his place with any other student $C$ any more until the next command comes.) Is it possible to arrange the students in the order $n,1, 2, \ldots, n-1$ after two commands ?
Problem
Source: IMO LongList 1959-1966 Problem 51
Tags: combinatorics, invariant, permutation, IMO Shortlist, IMO Longlist