Review of "Mathematical Puzzles and Other Brain Twisters," by Anthony Filipiak

Review of

Mathematical Puzzles and Other Brain Twisters, by Anthony Filipiak , Bell Publishing Company, New York, New York, 1942. 120 pp., (hardbound) out of print. ISBN 978-1199246394.

Five out of five stars

 This is not the typical book of puzzles based on words or the making of marks on paper.  Nearly all of the puzzles are made of carved wood with peg, string or wire accessories. Therefore, some craft skill is needed to create the puzzle, while other skills are necessary if you are to solve it. Many of the puzzles are non-trivial in the creation of the solution.

 Solutions to the puzzles are given and are sometimes lengthy. For example, the solution to the “Sixteen Pegs Checker Board Puzzle” has 15 moves while the solution to the “’Checkers’ Checker Board Puzzle” is 30 moves long. The solution to the “Twelve Colored and Numbered Peg Circle Puzzle” is constructed of 118 moves.

 If you are looking for puzzles with manipulatives in the physical sense, then this book contains some real jewels. As a bonus, you will need to take on the role of a precision woodworker. Some of them will keep you busy for a while.