The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections: Hundreds of 3-D Puzzles to Build and Solve

By Stewart T. Coffin

Book Overview

For many years Stewart Coffin has been inventing and building solid geometrical puzzles. His craftsmanship and originality of design have won him a devoted following among puzzle enthusiasts and collectors the world over. In this unique book, Stewart provides an enjoyable and educational guide to the history, geometry, and practical construction of three-dimensional puzzles. The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections includes full coverage of the many different types of interlocking assembly puzzles, from burrs, Tangrams, and polyominoes to those using such polyhedra as the rhombic dodecahedron and truncated octahedron. Coffin also describes numerous puzzles designed by himself and other inventors, many never before published. The volume is illustrated with over 200 line drawings and photographs to help enthusiasts build their own versions of these challenging and fascinating interlocking solids. Many unsolved problems are considered that will challenge mathematicians, computer buffs, and puzzle fanatics for years to come.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192861336
• ISBN13: 9780192861337
• Release Date: November 1991
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

No math? Are you JOKING?

The reviewer who said this book has zero mathematical content must have a different definition of mathematics than I do. True, the book has no formulas, no algebra, no arithmetic, and very few numbers, but it's FULL of combinatorics and geometry, especially symmetry, dissections, and polyhedra. In a sense, this book is nothing BUT math!If you're at all interested in mathematical puzzles, or symmetry, or geometry, or woodworking, you MUST buy this beautiful book! But if you're looking for a book of numbers and formulas, buy something else.

An Excellent Resource

Has all the math you may need without getting bogged down in formulas. This CD is perfect for both a beginner or a seasoned pro of puzzle theory. This the best resource I have found to date for those interested in either puzzles or geometric studies for fun.

My favorite puzzle bock!!

This book opens up a whole world of possibilities for puzzle enthusiasts! It does a systematic break down of the ideas behind the design of burr puzzles, puzzles whose assembled interlocking pieces form ployhedra. It contains the most amazing puzzles of this sort I've ever seen. If you love puzzles, you'll love this book!!

This is the best book ever written on how to make puzzles.

Finally the best book ever written on how to make three dimensional wooden mechanical puzzles is again available. And the format of the CD makes it quite easy to find more than a hundred of Stewart Coffin's beautiful puzzles. The photographs, illustrations and drawings of the puzzles are a visual treat. And he even has information on the selection of wood and woodworking techniques for those that want to make the puzzles. Some of the puzzles can be made with simple hand tools and others require accurate power tools and advanced woodworking skills. But everyone will enjoy this classic book of polyhedral puzzles.