The paperback reprint of Smullyan's most successful book of puzzles--a mind-bending, pleasurable romp through the world of logic. For all ages and all levels of difficulty, these puzzles range from those that can be solved in minutes to those that will beguile for hours.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Smullyan is not your run-of-the-mill puzzlemeister; he polishes up old chestnuts, spins variations on a theme, and peoples his logical world with a delightful cast of characters."
-- Science 82
"Another scintillating collection of brilliant problems and paradoxes by the most entertaining logician and set theorist who ever lived. As in all of Professor Smullyan's fantastic puzzle books, you end up exploring that strange subterranean region below mathematics, where Godelian corridors lead in all directions to beautiful theorems about truth and provability."
-- Martin Gardner
"I believe Ray Smullyan to be the Lewis Carroll of our times. His little books of logic puzzles will be remembered long after most of us are forgotten. Here, he has tackled difficult material, suitable to the modern computing age, and presented it with good humor and a tingling sense of discovery."
-- Peter Denning, Professor of Computer Sciences, Purdue University
"You may experience small frissons of delight as you follow Smullyan into the dizzying heights of Godel's proof and the very nature of proof, truth, and logic in mathematics."
-- Kirkus Reviews
-- Science 82
"Another scintillating collection of brilliant problems and paradoxes by the most entertaining logician and set theorist who ever lived. As in all of Professor Smullyan's fantastic puzzle books, you end up exploring that strange subterranean region below mathematics, where Godelian corridors lead in all directions to beautiful theorems about truth and provability."
-- Martin Gardner
"I believe Ray Smullyan to be the Lewis Carroll of our times. His little books of logic puzzles will be remembered long after most of us are forgotten. Here, he has tackled difficult material, suitable to the modern computing age, and presented it with good humor and a tingling sense of discovery."
-- Peter Denning, Professor of Computer Sciences, Purdue University
"You may experience small frissons of delight as you follow Smullyan into the dizzying heights of Godel's proof and the very nature of proof, truth, and logic in mathematics."
-- Kirkus Reviews
From the Back Cover
"Smullyan is not your run-of-the-mill puzzlemeister; he polishes up old chestnuts, spins variations on a theme, and peoples his logical world with a delightful cast of characters."
-- Science 82
"Another scintillating collection of brilliant problems and paradoxes by the most entertaining logician and set theorist who ever lived. As in all of Professor Smullyan's fantastic puzzle books, you end up exploring that strange subterranean region below mathematics, where Godelian corridors lead in all directions to beautiful theorems about truth and provability."
-- Martin Gardner
"I believe Ray Smullyan to be the Lewis Carroll of our times. His little books of logic puzzles will be remembered long after most of us are forgotten. Here, he has tackled difficult material, suitable to the modern computing age, and presented it with good humor and a tingling sense of discovery."
-- Peter Denning, Professor of Computer Sciences, Purdue University
"You may experience small frissons of delight as you follow Smullyan into the dizzying heights of Godel's proof and the very nature of proof, truth, and logic in mathematics."
-- Kirkus Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The author starts out this book of logic puzzles with fairly easy stuff and moves the reader along so gradually that you are able to figure out solutions you never thought you could. But it gets REALLY complex toward the end and in fact lost me part of the time. So don't get too frustrated if you can't figure them all out. If you like logic puzzles, you don't want to miss this one.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is one book of logic which is not for the weak-minded. Nineteen chapters of themed puzzles and challenges, the great majority of which have never before been published. I personally have never read a better book of logic puzzles --- even the easy ones require some thought, and the impossible ones are brilliantly explained at the end of each chapter. But if you aren't ready to analyze Smullyan's devious logic, turn your eyes elsewhere.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By L. Gutierrez
Format:Paperback
I read this book 20 years ago when I was a plain physics student. Know with my son (8) I bought again and we both enjoy a good time exercising our brains and, besides, my son develops logic reasoning to solve many problems. This book is excelent to prevent Alzheimer.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By M. Mayne
Format:Paperback
If you're a fan of logic & puzzles, this is definitely worth picking up. It starts simple and works its way up to nearly impossible, so there should be something on everyone's level. The book is kind of a narrative, but its main purpose is to display and explain more and more advanced logic.
I first found this book when I was 15 or so among my Uncle's things when I was visiting. I stayed up half the night working through the puzzles, but after about halfway through the book, I was completely lost. Years later, after studying symbolic logic in college, I go back and the book gives me new pleasure, though I still can't get through 'all' of it - not quite ;P Its somewhat of a Logic Quest, really.
If you enjoy a challenge, definitely pick this one up.
I first found this book when I was 15 or so among my Uncle's things when I was visiting. I stayed up half the night working through the puzzles, but after about halfway through the book, I was completely lost. Years later, after studying symbolic logic in college, I go back and the book gives me new pleasure, though I still can't get through 'all' of it - not quite ;P Its somewhat of a Logic Quest, really.
If you enjoy a challenge, definitely pick this one up.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Muthukumar U
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a fine book with independent chapters that can be dipped into when you want some good intellectual company. The first few puzzles got me hooked. Smullyan is very good at giving a new twist to old puzzles.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By K. H. ZAINAL
Format:Paperback
Great book of puzzles. Perfect for the whole family. It begins with simple yet confusing conundrums and progresses onto complex and more confusing ones! Great way to exercise those little gray cells.
A Kid's Review
Format:Paperback
this book of logic puzzles is a highly intriguing story, will the prisoners get eaten... or married?
this book is great for a classroom full of kids, each one has a different talent for solving these difficult puzzles, even if you some 8 yr olds and some paper and some time, I highly reccomend this book to any one with knack for puzzles
this book is great for a classroom full of kids, each one has a different talent for solving these difficult puzzles, even if you some 8 yr olds and some paper and some time, I highly reccomend this book to any one with knack for puzzles
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Dr. Raymond Smullyan once again spins a yarn, in which professional logic and tantalizing puzzles blend seemlessly into his tasteful story-line, taking us from King X and his logical/macabre sense of humour, to the insane assylums of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather, then onward to Transylvanyia and the Mysterious Islands, finally to stand along-side Craig as he faces his most challenging puzzle yet in the Mystery of the Monte Carlo Lock (which I am still solving). A must-read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best set of logic puzzles around!
This book is a beauty. A must have if you're into mind-boggling stuff
Published on January 21, 1999
1.0 out of 5 stars
A disappointing book
I was very disappointed after browsing through a few chapters. For example the 2nd chapter, "Ladies or tigers? Read more
Published on December 22, 1998
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