Puzzles 101: A PuzzleMasters Challenge [Paperback]

Nobuyuki Yoshigahara (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 20, 2003 | ISBN-10: 156881206X | ISBN-13: 978-1568812069

This latest collection of puzzles from the internationally acclaimed puzzlemaster Nob Yoshigahara covers a wide variety of puzzles from physical to visual, conceptual to mathematical. Solutions are provided in a separate section, which will help novices get on the right track, and will give seasoned aficionados a chance to check their work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

NOB Yoshigahara has authored more than 80 puzzle-related books. He graduated from the Tokyo Institute of Technology with a specialty in applied chemistry. Following a career as a high-polymer engineer he became a chemistry teacher in a senior high school. Now retired, NOB spends his time designing, solving, and writing about puzzles.

In 2003 he received the Loyd Award from the Association of GAme and Puzzle Collectors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: A K Peters/CRC Press (December 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156881206X
• ISBN-13: 978-1568812069
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,726,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good collection of addictive puzzlets, April 25, 2004

By 

pete "pete" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puzzles 101: A PuzzleMasters Challenge (Paperback)

Nob is a revered Japanese puzzlist so the publisher (AK Peters) ought to be commended for giving us the first English translation of his many excellent puzzle books - this was long overdue.

As far as content is concerned, this book has mostly penny&matches and cut-up&reassemble type puzzles - so in a sense,it is a variation on an already known theme.

However, most of the puzzles have a fresh twist which makes them thoroughly engaging -- but quite a few are blood-letting head scratchers!

The book is well illustrated and has a nice introduction by Nob.

Let's hope for more of Nob's puzzle books from AK Peters!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can see why the author is so highly regarded as a puzzle maker, April 23, 2006

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Puzzles 101: A PuzzleMasters Challenge (Paperback)

Nob Yoshigahara is an internationally known puzzle master and from the 101 puzzles in this book, it is easy to see why he is so highly regarded. Most of the staple genres appear somewhere in the book. Some of those forms are:

*) What is the next number in the sequence?

*) Given a figure made from objects, move a small number to create a different figure.

*) Given a figure, cut it into pieces and rearrange them into another figure.

*) Place numbers into positions in a figure so that arithmetic combinations match a specific pattern.

*) Rearrange numbers so that a pattern forms.

Solutions to all of the puzzles are in a separate section after the puzzles and this will reduce your aggravation, although you should try very hard before you peek at the solution.

I found approximately 20 of the puzzles to be solvable within a minute or two. If you approach them the right way, the solution is obvious. I was able to solve another 20 after several minutes, generally after thinking for a while, putting it away and then coming back to it. Of the remaining sixty, there are about 20 that I don't think I would have ever solved, although the solution in the back of the book was easy to follow. Many of these were dissection problems, which I always seem to have trouble with.

For some of the problems, I don't see how you could solve them without making the appropriate manipulatives, and the author hints when that is the case. Fortunately, they are all quite simple, a few coins or pieces of paper generally suffice. If you like to stimulate your brain cells by solving puzzles, then this book is one you must examine.