Puzzles for Pleasure [Paperback]

Barry R. Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 1994

Millions of people throughout the world are fascinated by puzzles, conundrums, and brain teasers. These amusing twisters from Barry Clarke are based on his extensive experience writing for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times and New Scientist. The author has gathered together a variety of posers including several examples of a brand new type of puzzle, The Word Bandit. Hints and full solutions are included for all puzzles. Wittily written and illustrated with delightful cartoons by the author, there is something for everyone here: puzzles for children, for the family, for members of Mensa, but above all puzzles for pleasure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a lot of problem-solving puzzles in it [that are] hard yet fun..." Andrew Wood, American Scientist

"Challenging yet extremely accessible..." The Reading Lamp

"Written in a light humorous style, and delightfully illustrated by this multi-talented author, the puzzle assortment includes logic problems, word conundrums, algebraic teasers, visio-spatial puzzles, lateral mind benders and other brain twisters." Cryptologia

"...The author, who has a degree in quantum mechanics and has worked as a comedy writer for the BBC, creates novel and funny situations for each of his problems. Approximately half of these puzzles appeared as brain twisters in the Daily Telegraph newspaper in London." David J. Hildreth, The Mathematics Teacher

Book Description

Based on his extensive experience writing for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times and New Scientist, the author has gathered together a variety of puzzles, conundrums and brain teasers, including several examples of a brand new type of puzzle, The Word Bandit. Hints and full solutions are included for all puzzles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (May 2, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521466342
• ISBN-13: 978-0521466349
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puzzles for Pleasure, September 6, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Puzzles for Pleasure (Paperback)

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!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Imaginative Work, November 22, 2001

By 

Dr Graham Keith (LA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puzzles for Pleasure (Paperback)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for strong intellects!, October 26, 2000

By 

sam holloway (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puzzles for Pleasure (Paperback)

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.