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The Colossal Book of Short Puzzles and Problems | 
 enlarge | Author: Martin Gardner
Creator: Dana Richards
Publisher: W. W. Norton
Category: Book
List Price: $35.00
Buy New: $21.35
You Save: $13.65 (39%)
New (29) Used (11) from $19.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 29279
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 704
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 7 x 1.5
ISBN: 0393061140
Dewey Decimal Number: 793.8
EAN: 9780393061147
ASIN: 0393061140
Publication Date: November 28, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new item. Over 4 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Few left in stock - order soon. Code: N20080926032147T
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Product Description
Finally collected in one volume, Martin Gardner's immensely popular short puzzles—along with a few new ones from the master.
For more than twenty-five years, Martin Gardner was Scientific American's renowned provocateur of popular math. His yearly gatherings of short and inventive problems were easily his most anticipated math columns. Loyal readers would savor the wit and elegance of his explorations in physics, probability, topology, and chess, among others. Grouped by subject and arrayed from easiest to hardest, the puzzles gathered here, which complement the lengthier, more involved problems in The Colossal Book of Mathematics, have been selected by Gardner for their illuminating—and often bewildering—solutions. Filled with over 300 illustrations, this new volume even contains nine new mathematical gems that Gardner, now ninety, has been gathering for the last decade. No amateur or expert math lover should be without this indispensable volume—a capstone to Gardner's seventy-year career. 308 illustrations.
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| Customer Reviews:
A big enjoyment October 2, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a superb collection of puzzles of all kinds. Anyone experienced or not in the puzzle field should own this book.
Martin Gardner is a guarantee for this book's efficiency, and highly educational and entertaining content. 5/5
The home trainer for the brain March 5, 2007
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Great collection of thought puzzles, some well known, some highly original.
What I like most is that every problem, from the simplest up to the really difficult, has a twist to it: You may think you immediately see the answer, but there is always something you didn't think of. For example Problem 1.1 (to be seen in the Excerpt when you click on the image of the book): How many dates in a year can be confusing if you don't know whether they are in European notation (28/2/2007) or US (2/28/2007)? Your first thought is "That's easy, just 12x12", until you think a second time.
If you want to train your brain, solve a few of Martin Gardner's puzzles every day. Or just do it to have fun.
I predict this book will be a Mathematical Recreations classic. March 14, 2006
26 out of 26 found this review helpful
Martin Gardner is the name that always comes to mind when one thinks of Mathematical Recreations. Anyone who ever read Scientific American magazine will remember his column in every issue. He wrote the column for 25 years;and made puzzle lovers of millions of readers. His fans ran the gamut from those with a very elementary background in mathematics to those with a high degree of knowledge. What he did was to make mathematics something to enjoy and use as a recreational pursuit. Over the years, he wrote about 70 books,many that have been popular for a long time.
In this book, he has chosen 340 puzzles from his columns of over 25 years. He has selected simple problems as well as medium and difficult. Each problem is supplied with an answer or solution . Often, answers in puzzle books are sketchy;but here we not only get an answer but also a good idea and explanation on arriving at the solution.
The most interesting thing about this book is that it is geared to all levels of puzzle solvers (OMNIHEURISTS). I am sure that someone who has worked only a few puzzles,and who hasn't,will find many quite easy and in a short time will progress to those with more challenge; due particularly to the answer explanations.At the same time ,those with a lot of experience will find plenty to amuse themselves.
Along with a pick of some of the best of the columns over the years,Gardner has included 12 of the best brainteasers to have come his way since he stopped writing the column in 1986.
Also, we are given a list of all the other books that Martin Gardner wrote over the years. Along with that, there is a list of selected titles for those interested in more in the world of Recreational Mathematics.
If you like Mathematical Recreations or puzzles of any kind ;take a look at this book and you'll surely want to own it.
Gardner's collection of puzzles over the years (from Scientific American) January 3, 2006
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
What a great collection of puzzles. Anyone who likes puzzles SHOULD own this.
I initially bought this for myself. But my brother-in-law loved it so much (when it arrived) that I gave it to him as a present. Just ordered it for myself again!
THE gift December 13, 2005
16 out of 26 found this review helpful
The Colossal Book of Short Puzzles and Problems is going to be THE gift to send to your puzzle-loving friends and family. Gardener is a master and a national treasure. Every math teacher should own this book as a resource, and every puzzle-lover should have it for hours of fun.
Deborah Bennett, author of Randomness and Logic Made Easy
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