Puzzles Books - Page 2

Mensa Guide to Solving Sudoku: Hundreds of Puzzles Plus Techniques to Help You Crack Them All (Mensa)

Peter Gordon, Frank Longo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

good and bad 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm with the other people who described the problem with the binding of this book: it's poor. Just like another reviewer, within the first couple of weeks, the binding started to come apart, and I've been handling it carefully to keep pages from coming out, which will begin soon, I fear. And it wasn't through any rough handling on my part: I handle books like precious objects, with a lot of care and respect. The binding STILL failed very quickly.

The content is pretty good, and I'm learning a lot of advanced solving techniques, however I'm noticing that the book is a little short on examples of some of the more advanced patterns, and variations on those patterns. For example, the first end-of-chapter problem in the chapter on Forcing Chains and Grid Coloring had me totally stumped, despite the fact that I knew that one of the variations on the chapter's patterns of XY-Wing, XYZ-Wing, and Turbot Fish had to be present. Finally, I consulted sudopedia.org, and lo, they offered two subtypical examples of XY-Wing, the first of which was covered in the book, the second of which was not. I'd spent perhaps 6 hours staring at that one puzzle, and after reading of subtype two at sudopedia, I spotted the example of it in the puzzle after about 10 seconds!

Basically, I think the book could be improved by having not only solutions for the end of chapter problems, which it has, but also highlighting of the critical pattern in the candidates, at the critical juncture where the special pattern taught in that chapter must be located to enable you to finish the puzzle (without guessing), in case the reader just had too much difficulty finding it, as I did. Also more elaboration on some of the more complex patterns and how to go about searching for them would be useful.

Aside from those few shortcomings, this book is pretty good! I can't say I'm sorry I bought it. But it could be better.

Editorial Review:

Here it comes: a revolution in sudoku solving! This is by far the most complete guide to cracking these addictive puzzles ever produced, with tricks even the experts won’t know. While most books might have a few pages of introduction before proceeding straight to the sudokus, this one covers it all. Hidden pairs, naked pairs, X-wings, jellyfish, squirmbag, bivalue and bilocation graphs, turbot fish, grid coloring, chains: every single one is here, and much more too, including the exclusive Gordonian logic methods (Gordonian rectangles and Gordonian polygons) that will turn even the hardest puzzles into a breeze. Of course, there are hundreds of sudoku for practice. A very special addition: a reprint of the very first sudoku ever published in 1979, from Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games magazine!  

Life: Picture Puzzle Holidays! (Life Picture Puzzle)

Editors of Life Magazine

Amazon Price: $8.79 List Price: $10.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Life Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $5.77

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Awesome! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I first bought the "original", and liked it so much, I just bought this one. I bought it because I wanted something to keep me busy on a plane ride (& it sure did)! The plus side of it is, it keeps your mind going, and studies show that combats the risk of Alzheimers! So a win-win! Makes a great holiday gift, too.

Editorial Review:

As the leaves change colour and the air turns crisp, our thoughts naturally turn to the upcoming holiday festivities. The folks at "Life" have also been thinking about these days of good cheer, and have been busy collecting the prettiest and most fun-filled photos of the winter holidays. "Life Picture Puzzle: Holiday" is 144 pages filled with all the moments that warm our hearts and the most amusing, challenging and beautiful puzzles drawn from Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's. See if you can spot the differences as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floats by or catch the funny ornaments that have jumped on the Christmas tree.

Easy Origami

John Montroll

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $3.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $1.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Starts simple and stays simple 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a good starter book as it claims to be.. but as I leafed through it I realized that anyone who has had even some remote experience with origami or paper crafts will find this book ... perhaps too basic.

I was hoping for at least a couple of more 'exciting' or slightly advanced projects at the end of the book, but the book stays simple till the end. Also, paper with both coloured sides looks better even for some of the basic designs.

Other than that, it offers exactly what it says on the cover.

kids loved it 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

i got this for my 6 kids and they've used it so much, the pages are falling out.

Beginners Origami 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I like this book because the pictures and instructions were very clear. The difficulty of each piece is labeled. It is a good book for teaching children the art of Origami.

Editorial Review:

A collection of 32 projects for novice origami hobbyists, clearly illustrated with easy-to-follow instructions that even beginning papercrafters can follow with successful results. Subjects range from an ultra-simple hat, cup and pinwheel to the more challenging figures of a penguin and a piano.

The People Puzzler Book: Jumbo Edition (Puzzle)

Editors of People Magazine

Amazon Price: $8.79 List Price: $10.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: People Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $5.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

People Puzzler Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a great way to occupy yourself while waiting for the kids to get to the car after an activity. I keep it in my car.

gator girl 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Fun and easy. I would recommend this for any "People" crossword fans!
Enjoyed very much.

hours of... 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

...entertainment. My wife and I fight over the People crosswords and we no longer have to.

People Jumbo Puzzler 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I absolutely LOVE doing these crossword puzzles! I like this book because it has the JUMBO puzzles which allow for more space to write the letters in. Also, I like that the answers are in the back of the book so if I get stuck I can look one up and keep going! I cannot wait until the next set of PEOPLE PUZZLERS comes out!

Editorial Review:

This book includes what more of the people puzzlers readers love, plus more than 30 extra-large Jumbo Puzzlers! (Caution: Readers will need to stretch and hydrate before attempting! Think you know your pop-culture trivia? Sure of the movie that brought Julia Roberts an Oscar? Know the character names of all the friends? Certain of which boy band lance Bass sang with ON Sync? Backstreet Boys? The Kingston Trio?) Grab a pencil and give the crossword-style trivia test a go. This book offers fun for all ages, and anyone who owns, has owned, or knows anyone who has owned a television.

The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Book in the World (Book 2) (Greatest Dot-To-Dot Book in the World)

David Kalvitis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great for Adults who are still Kids at heart 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great product for those who enjoyed doing Dot-to-Dots as a kid, but who want something a little more substantial than the typical offerings. The book has about 50 pages of great Dot-to-Dots, all of which consist of hundreds of dots. You can almost never tell what the picture is until you finish connecting the dots. I also recommend "The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Super Challenge" by the same author as well. That one has a few Dot-to-Dots with over 1000 dots per page!

Editorial Review:

The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Book in the World Book 2 is the second in a series of connect-the-dot books which stand apart because of their complexity and variety. As in Book 1, there are traditional dot-to-dots as well as unique innovations and variations for those who can count into the hundreds and follow simple instructions. Readers will appreciate the fact that you can't tell what the images are before you start as well as the playful challenges that maintain excitement throughout this book of all new puzzles. This fun and relaxing book will entertain young and old alike! Ages 8-adult.

Life Picture Puzzle: Can You Spot the Differences? (box set)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

What's in the box 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Three favorite editions in one slipcased gift collection! From the popular "LIFE" Picture Puzzle series comes a three-volume set of "LIFE Picture Puzzle, LIFE Original Picture Puzzle," and "LIFE Amazing Picture Puzzle."

multiple challenges from a wide variety of expertise 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

When I purchased this item, it came at the time that it was said to come. When I gave it to my friend, he was like AWESOME. He loved the diffrent levels from novie to genius levels and the timing feature on this made it fun for himself as well as others that competed with him and that was just the first book out of 3 that were included. A good deal for the price. He also loved looking at all the different pictures. They were from all over the world and some of them very funny to look at. Another friend saw it and said, Wow, that's a really nice gift.

Need to list the names of the 3 books in the set 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

These picture puzzles are great. They are very challenging and fun. It would have been nice if they told you that there were 3 books in the set and listed the names of the books that were included since I already had a few of the Time Life Picture Puzzle books. Overall I was very pleased with my purchase.

Mensa Absolutely Nasty Sudoku Level 4 (Mensa)

Frank Longo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Tough puzzles! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Mostly very tough puzzles, that (like book #3) lived up to the books' name. We're very happy to have bought #3 and #4.

Question, does Mr Longo know there are duplicate puzzles in #4?
#69 is duplicated in 75, 82, 95, 99, 119, and 127.
#134 is duplicated in 202.

Nail biting and time consuming 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

These are some really, really challenging sudoku. It would be nice in the next edition if we could have some descriptions on how to solve using the more complicated techniques. It would also be nice if the answers included reference to which of the more difficult techniques were used to solve them.

I love the pain! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As someone who searches for seriously difficult sudoku, I love this book. The puzzles are all very hard, but still require a variety of solving methods, some of which I find approachable, and others of which are truly painful, at least for me. I agree with another reviewer that it would be nice to have "speaking" solutions, that is, solutions that explain how the puzzle was solved, but solving methods vary so much by player that this is probably only a dream. There are truly no linear solution methods, which is what makes sudoku so attractive.

Compared to the many other books that claim to offer very hard sudoku, this one stands way out as telling it like it is.

I criticised the "Mensa Guide" book for its fragile binding and tiny grids, so I have to award big points for the spiral binding and large grids of this book.

Editorial Review:

Top solvers can try their hand at the One-Sided Gordonian Rectangle; Extended Gordonian Rectangle; Gordonian Polygon; and Alternating Digits. (But they can take comfort in knowing that no more than one will occur in any single puzzle.)

Roger von Oech's Ball of Whacks: A Creativity Tool for Innovators

Roger Von Oech

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Ball of Whacks Review 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ball of Whacks, A Creativity Workshop in a Ball by Roger von Oech

I love toys and this one has me hooked. Thirty-six plastic pyramids are fitted with magnets so they stick together with a satisfying "clack" to form a variety of geometric shapes. The possibilities for creating stars, polygons, patterns, and random forms are limited only by imagination and accident. I mention imagination because you can try to recreate the designs in the accompanying 96-page information booklet. But accident, I found, was a much more satisfying process. The pieces seem to "jump" into place forming surprise designs that, like a stream of consciousness, lead to further discoveries. And this is one of the major intentions of this kinetic toy.

Roger von Oech is the author of A Whack on the Side of the Head, a book which describes the creative process and offers exercises to flex the inventive muscles. He designed the Ball of Whacks to take advantage of the connections between the hand, the brain, and the creative process. As our hands manipulate the whack pieces, our brain slips into a state of flow - critical for creativity. So simply maneuvering the pieces becomes the most obvious way to make this toy an essential part of your creative work.
In addition, the information booklet gives more than a dozen suggestions for inducing the creative process for individuals, partners, and small groups. Use it as you meditate. Think of it as a metaphor for a problem. Start a brainstorming session. Or just take a mental stretch break!

Learn more at www.thefirefly.org

Editorial Review:

30 magnetic pyramid shaped pieces that act as building blocks! -- Are you stumped for ideas? Do you want a fresh perspective on a problem? -- This ball of magnetic pieces is proven to jump start your creativity and imagination. Based on the rhombic triacontahedron, this ball consists of 30 magnetic pyramid shaped pieces that act as building blocks for an unlimited number of uses. -- You can create inspiring shapes, challenge yourself to recreate patterns shown in the activity book, have fun forming new designs, and much more! -- Recommended ages 8+

Are You Smart, or What? A Bizarre Book of Games & Fun for Everyone

Pat Battaglia

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not as it seems in the review .... 2 out of 5 stars.
38 of 45 people found this review helpful.

I am a huge fan of brain teaser books. I have a huge collection of these types of book. BUT after reading this book I say that this book is not as good as it seems in the review. If you think that you will find many Logical and mathematical riddles, this isn't the book for you, but on the other hand if you are into word games this might be a great book for you .

Wonderful fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
23 of 23 people found this review helpful.

I just adored this book and enjoyed every single puzzle in it. As one reviewer points out, this is a book for word puzzle enthusiasts. It might be compared to Will Shortz's "Puzzlemaster Presents" series. What I love about this book is that it can be done without the aid of a dictionary, as it uses a vocabulary from common cultural literacy (e.g. types of candy bars, etc.). I also appreciate the fact that the references aren't dated like some game books are, which can lead to frustration when I am asked to rely on my knowledge of stars from the eighties. Overall, I simply loved this book for the accessible but challenging fun it provided. I hope that Mr. Battaglia will be gracing us with another book of this type soon!

Editorial Review:

Are You Smart, or What? is the most entertaining book of word games, ever! It combines clever challenges and surprising answers with playful innovations to both amaze and amuse readers of all ages. All puzzles are concise and uncomplicated. They are about ordinary words and things that everybody knows about so the entire family can enjoy them.

In Your Face 3-D: The Best 3-D Book Ever! (Sports Illustrated Kids)

David E. Klutho

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sports Illustrated Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $10.60

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best 3-D book ever! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The title does not lie, this is the Best 3-D book I have ever seen. The photos actually pop out. There is a wide variety of sports covered in this book and the pictures are of the highest quality. You will be amazed at the detail of the 3-D images. This book is not just for kids, it is great for young and old alike.

Editorial Review:

New for Fall 2008, the editors of Sports Illustrated Kids present In Your Face 3-D: The Coolest Sports Book Ever! Filled with exciting, state-of-the-art 3-D images taken by veteran Sports Illustrated photographer David E. Klutho, this 96- page, hardcover book will literally have kids ducking, jumping, and flying out of their chair with every turn of the page. Awesome 3-D images from just about every sport you can imagine will be featured. The book is packaged with a pair of high-grade 3-D glasses, which kids can re-use to see a special gallery of bonus 3-D images on SIKIDS.com. Big stars, big sports, and the best 3-D sports photography in the world make this a must-have title for sports fans of all ages.