Customer Reviews

The Big Book of Brain Games: 1,000 PlayThinks of Art, Mathematics & Science

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A superbly designed book of puzzles. You will find all types of "brain games" with different degrees of difficulty clearly marked. An index at the end of the book allows you to choose a "brain game" according to its type and degree of difficulty. Solutions to all brain games are at the end of the book.
Very colourful and inviting for all ages. Just leave it on your coffee table and all the family will stop to browse it and try their hands (or brains rather) at any of these attractively presented puzzles.

This was purchased for two kids, 9 and 13, to take on a trip for use in the car or the expected rainy afternoons. Fun to do and a challenge for their grandparents, too.

I have two curious boys and they have lots of energy everyday. It is really hard to get them both sit down together for a period of time. But this book did it. Lots of interesting puzzles and it fits everyone's specialty. We had and still having lots of fun to work on the book together.

This book is great! Very fun...the only parts we don't enjoy are the parts you are supposed to cut. We don't want to cut up our book so we most likely won't do those activities. Our favorites are the activities that don't require anything but our mind or that we can read to each other. Very fun to do with another person to pass the time.

I bought this as a Christmas present for my 3 kids, who I homeschool. They have all been enjoying the puzzles, which are very challenging for both kids and adults! The graphics are very colorful and appealing to kids. This is a great book to leave out on the coffee table - I highly recommend it!

This book is fun and colorful, full of brain-boggling games that are fit for all ages (there are games with difference levels of difficulty). These games deal with math, science, physics, and other random games that are just recreational and thought provoking.

co 2006, First Printing
Saw the graphics and layout of this book and had to get it. I use it for idle moments as a healthy way to exercise my mind. I don't regret buying the book, but have done about 40 or so puzzles and have found what I believe to be a few errors. Even with the errors it is still a good source for amusement.

I will list the errors I found and update if I find more (maybe). You can double check me (I would - if I wasn't already me):

Playthink 648: The key for the cipher is incomplete. At least in my edition, you cannot solve the simple substitution.

Playthink 649: Solution states probability of at least one man getting hat back is .632. I calculated 1-(#ways none take right hat/#ways hats can be taken) = 1-(5!/6!) = 1-(120/720) = 1-.1667 = .8333
UPDATE: The Hatcheck Problem is a classic combinatorial question dealing with 'derangement'. I now know my answer using factorials is wrong, and the book does not show how it derived it's answer. This has definitely stirred my interest in learning about this problem. I believe it involves a limit, and maybe the number 'e'? When I get a grasp on it I will post it here.

Playthink 656: No mention is made of Ivan until solution

Once again I still think it is a great book to keep lying on the coffee table. Mistakes just show you shouldn't blindly believe any book (unless you know the writer, editor, and printer to be perfect beings).

Most of the 'games' in this book have been around before. Not a whole lot of new material. That really isn't the issue though. I was hoping this would be good for a very smart 13 year old but most of the material is not suitable. I'd say it's geared more toward 18 and up.

This is a whole lot better than watching refuns of shows on tv. This book is really entertaining! Really fun the only parts we don't enjoy are the ones that come to easy but their is a nice variety of difficulty to suit all audiences. We don't want to slice up our book so we most likely won't do those activities. Our favorites are the ones that don't require anything but our mind or that we can read to each other. Very fun to do with another person to pass the time.

I bought this for Christmas for my soon-to-be 12 year old because she saw it in a kid's catalog. She's a very smart kid, but it is too hard for her. This book should be rated for older age groups.