Mathematical Mind-Benders

Peter Winkler, Dartmouth College, USA

The puzzles, in general, are witty, entertaining, and, as promised, had surprising conclusions. The very bright undergraduates whom I asked to review the book really liked it; they had not seen these puzzles before and found the book a great collection of mathematical challenges, as I did.—Joyce Fisher, Mathematics Teacher, August 2008… the thwarted puzzler need never feel annoyed. Even when the reader has had success, Winkler's solutions will often elucidate unexpected perspectives and ideas. … Summing Up: Recommended. All levels.—CHOICE, May 2008This book is a collection of wonderful puzzles … It is not necessary to know advanced mathematics to appreciate this very good work and to solve the puzzles.—Mathematical Reviews, April 2008Winkler has a keen eye for a good mindbender: the solution should be pleasing, neither too easy nor too difficult to find, and invoke some generally useful mathematical idea. This collection offers both stimulation and enlightenment…—The London Mathematical Society, February 2008… I've been enjoying [the book] very much. So far my favorite puzzles are 'Rolling Pencil' and 'Winning at Wimbledon,' which I missed myself (slapping forehead), and which have fooled everyone else I've tried them on as well.—Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster, NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, September 2007wonderful book presents, from diverse sources and with wit and humor, many interesting and challenging problems, both mathematical and otherwise. Like its predecessor, it is a must for the shelves of a problem connoisseur.—Andy Liu, June 2007

• Preface; Warm-Ups; Stretching the Imagination; Numerical Conundrums; The Adventures of Ant Alice; A Wordy Digression: The Game of HIPE; Two Dimensions and Three; Lines and Graphs; Games and Strategies; New Visits to Old Friends; Severe Challenges; Unsolved and Just-Solved; Afterword