Most popular Russian puzzle book ever published. Marvelously varied puzzles ranging from simple "catch" riddles to difficult problems. Lavishly illustrated with clear diagrams and amusing sketches. Edited for English-readers, while retaining warmth and charm of original. Inexpensive edition of first English translation. Introduction by Martin Gardner. 425 line illustrations. Solutions.
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
This book has been a classic in the former Soviet Union since it was first published in 1956, and it remains just as entertaining today. A master at making math fun for his high school students, Boris Kordemsky loaded this clever collection with a wide variety of math and logic related games and puzzles dealing with magic squares, tricky weights and measures, properties of numbers, mathematical tricks, and more. Number and math game fans are bound to find several new amusements here. Even many of the well-known classics from generations past take on new life with the fresh twists Kordemsky provides.
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian
Original Language: Russian
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
90 of 96 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"The Moscow Puzzles" is unique among problem-solving and brainteaser books because of the wide range of types of problems that it addresses. As a lecturer at Cal Tech's Executive Training Center, I teach "Creating Breakthrough Products" to technical executives. This book has been very helpful for those participating, because the problems it contains represent various types of psychological barriers that prevent problem-solvers and designers from achieving high-level solutions. I refer to examples from this book during the Cal Tech training session; we employ the revolutionary Russian problem-solving tool whose acronym is "TRIZ."
Other fine attributes of this book are its sense of humor and its practicality. The author has chosen everyday events and situations for his problem "plots," and in doing so, maintains the interest level of the average reader.
Readers of this book will learn to overcome personal barriers to creativity (the chief personal barrier is called "psychological inertia"), and will increase their creativity quotients by an order of magnitude, or more.
I strongly recommend this book for use in all classes from grades 4 through college senior. For the rest of us who simply like ("love") to work on challenging problems, this is the book for you. Good luck!
44 of 45 people found the following review helpful
By hdbooth
Format:Paperback
I was thrilled and surprised to see that this book is still in print. I loved puzzles as a child and spent many hours for fun working the problems in this book (which may have paved the way for my PhD in Computer Science). I fished out my old copy recently to show my 11 year old daughter how I spent my spare hours as a child - *not* playing computer games of dubious educational value. I am sure that working the problems in this book helped increase my problem solving skills - in a different and more general way than I was learning in school.
Of all the puzzle books and puzzles I ever owned, this is the only one I saved. The book has a wide variety of types of puzzles (not all involve numbers). While some are easy, most were challenging. The descriptions were charming, with Russian names of children and towns and quaint puzzle descriptions involving wells, or steam engines or household objects. All in all, a delightful, very educational puzzle collection.
Of all the puzzle books and puzzles I ever owned, this is the only one I saved. The book has a wide variety of types of puzzles (not all involve numbers). While some are easy, most were challenging. The descriptions were charming, with Russian names of children and towns and quaint puzzle descriptions involving wells, or steam engines or household objects. All in all, a delightful, very educational puzzle collection.
44 of 47 people found the following review helpful
By Peter Soucy
Format:Paperback
Nice collection of problems which demand some creativity as well as varying degrees of mathematical prowess. Also populated with interesting anedotes regarding mathematicians throughout history.
Although no mathematics beyond the high school level is required, the challenge lies in the ingenious application of even the most rudimentary math and logic necessary to successfully tackle these exercises. The problems range from rather simple to difficult. Some amount to raw logic riddles requiring little or no math while others offer the opportunity to fine tune one's skills in geometry and algebra. In addition to offering a rich variety of problems which will satisfy the needs of puzzlists at many levels, the editors have made a good point of dividing the problems into categories emphasizing different sets of skills including geometry, algebra, arithmetic operations, spatial visualization and logic. Such a delineation makes it easy evaluate strengths and weaknesses so you can focus on areas of improvement.
Given the long history of this publication, several problems will be familiar to some seasoned puzzle enthusiasts but most will still provide a fresh challenge.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great gift for a math geek!
My friend loved it! The best of the best for those math nerds out there. The puzzles are really varied for different thinkers.
Published 1 day ago by Lauren Marvasti
5.0 out of 5 stars
Donated to my Daughter's Math Teacher
Our daughter came home with a flyer asking parents if they would like to support a learning game they were playing in math class. Read more
Published 25 days ago by T. L. Cummings
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top Class production
The puzzles vary from being very easy to very tough. The cool thing about this book is that the puzzles are almost unique. You won't find them in another puzzle book.
Published 1 month ago by Michail Chourdakis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap and fun
Mensa recommended this book and I enjoyed it. It was cheap and entertaining. I recommend this if you are looking for some brain games.
Published 1 month ago by med student
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must-have for any nerd's library to be complete
Anyone who enjoys math and logic puzzles is basically required to own this classic. The problems and puzzles are timeless, and the extraneous details in the word problems are so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Butsurigaku
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lot of Fun!
This is a very worthwhile book to own. It's very cheap to buy, and the puzzles within are a lot of fun to think about and try to solve. Very happy with my purchase.
Published 2 months ago by Tommy Dore
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun book for a teen.
I had expected clever word and math puzzles and I was a little disappointed to find the book devoted a lot of space to visual puzzles. Many of the puzzles are very amusing.
Published 3 months ago by Keith Bumb
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful.
An unsurpassed classic. It contains a lot of evergreen problems of different difficulties.
A source of inspiration for every teacher who wants to train his pupils in... Read more
A source of inspiration for every teacher who wants to train his pupils in... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Antonio Teolis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and challenging!
It is a great book for all! It has easy and hard puzzles/problems that you, the geek, and your normal family can enjoy! Highly recommended! Very well written.
Published 4 months ago by Ernesto Hernandez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book
Just great book. Not only good puzzles, the narrative is also pretty interesting.
Some of the analysis and explanation of background knowledge is helpful.
Some of the analysis and explanation of background knowledge is helpful.
Published 5 months ago by David Baldacci
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