New Mathematical Pastimes

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Major Percy Alexander MacMahon is one of the nineteenth century’s forgotten mathematical heroes. Mathematicians know him for his classic work Combinatory Analysis, a book still in print. He also published four papers on recreational topics. New Mathematical Pastimes develops some of these ideas. It has had a widespread and persistent influence but is still unknown to many recreational mathematicians and the puzzle community. The book is hard to come by and so it seems fitting to produce a reprint to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth. MacMahon set out to demonstrate the principles by which an interested reader, with some work and thought, could create his or her own amusements. It also contained a completely original approach to visual puzzles, where edge matching could be forced by altering the profiles of the edges, a process described in Part II of the book. The results of these transformations are remarkably similar to work produced by Maurits Escher, and predate him by a decade and a half. As well as being important as a resource the subject is by no means exhausted. A worthwhile and important addition to any collection - in book and CD form (CD with much original, additional material).