1,000 Playthinks: Puzzles, Paradoxes, Illusions & Games

I teach gifted children, and I am always looking for something I can pull out quickly for the one or two students who finish their work early. This is a fantastic resource. In fact, I've had to put it up on a high shelf. Otherwise, my students run into the room and grab it. The puzzles really require thinking and concentration. The variety of puzzles provides something for any type of intelligence (math, verbal, etc.) and any age group. This would also be a good coffee table book for a waiting room, employee lounge, or your own living room. Hours of building new brain cells -- that's a good thing!

The puzzles/questions in the book are challenging but several times the author is too vague in his description and leaves the reader wondering what exactly the author is asking. Thus, the reader is left with several ways to interpret the puzzle/question. However, it is fun and I would still recommend it to help with critical thinking skills and nurturing creative thinking/ideas.

I'm re-entering this because the review I submitted on March 8,2002 does not appear with my reviews under (see more about me).

I purchased this book a short time ago and am slowly getting into it. It is sure to become one of the great puzzle books. I have been interested in puzzles for many years and have a collection of over 350 "puzzle books" I have no hesitation in ranking this book right up there with "Cyclopedia of Puzzles" by Sam Loyd, "The Moscow Puzzles" by Boris Kordemsky" and "536 Puzzles & Curious Problems" by H.E.Dudeney. Each in it's own way; Loyd's was an innovation and a classic in it's time,Dudeney's and Kordemsky's were very traditional with great variety. Moscovich gives us a whole new approach in types of puzzles and a huge leap in the incorporation of art and graphics into the world of puzzles. The greatest puzzle of all to me is how this book could be produced and sold in the price range of a novel with no artwork,color or illustrations. On behalf of puzzle enthusiasts everywhere I would like to commend the author and publishers. Anyone who likes puzzles will love this book.

I teach in the gifted math program and one of my students brought this book in. The students were captivated by its thought provoking challenges. The challenges come in all levels so that it captures the interest of all range of students/adults. The solutions are in the back with great explainations. This book would be great for ages 8 through adult!