Puzzles for Pleasure

I bought this a couple of months ago and one has to be impressed by the wealth of fresh ideas : the digital deletion problems, the Word Bandit idea, the imaginative way some problems combine lateral and logical thinking. Not only that, but one also gets succinct expression and humor, an ideal combination for drawing one into a puzzle. Not all the puzzles are meritorious, for example, "Elixir of Life" and "The Broken Pentomino" are plain unfair and unworthy of inclusion. I also felt that the recreational math section lacked diagrams and photographs for illustration. That said, one is left with the impression that Mr Clarke is an innovator in the world of puzzles and this is indeed a rare quality.

This is not a book for passing the time on the train! Some of these problems are real tough nuts to crack. This guy must have one hell of an IQ 'cos I got a first in maths and some beat me. It's not that the maths needed is difficult, it isn't (grammar school algebra at most). It's just that the way of looking at them requires a particularly visual mind. I'm thinking mainly about the Advanced Puzzles some of which were beyond me (until I looked at the solution!). One criticism : In The Same Boat (last puzzle) doesn't actually work.

A creative and challenging book of mind benders by that genius of puzzle creators Barry R. Clarke. If you enjoy thinking, this book is definitely for you; if you don't, what the hell, buy it anyway! In the Advanced section, you won't find a more brain stretching set of teasers. And the illustrations are something else!