This book is the heavyweight champion of recreational mathematics problems, containing a large number of very detailed problems in many areas. The presentation strategy is to develop the subject using problems followed by an explanation followed by a detailed solution. The style is that of a largely manual, which is actually what it is designed for. The authors have developed the material as the main text for a course they teach in applied problem solving. The chapters are largely independent, it is possible to choose and have chosen topics in a course. Do not let the leisure word in the title lead you to believe that these problems are rabbits. I am a co-editor of the Journal of Recreational Mathematics and I found myself thinking long and hard about some of these issues. Surely many are simple, but there is enough variety of puzzles for all tastes. The general themes are logic, basic number theory, graph theory and games, interspersed with a few other subjects. With hundreds of issues, detailed solutions demonstrations and tips included for most, it is a resource unlike any other. If you teach a course in mathematical problem solving or begin programming the computer, you can not help find a problem here that you can use to illustrate a subject or a test question. I've used a couple as seeds for some programming exercises. Better yet, consider it as a manual for your course of mathematical problem solving.
Published in the Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.
