Alice in Puzzle-Land: A Carrollian Tale for Children Under Eighty

by Raymond M. Smullyan

Book Overview

Characters from Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass populate these 88 puzzles involving word play, logic and metalogic, and philosophical paradoxes. The charmingly illustrated challenges range from easy to difficult and include solutions.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486482006
• ISBN13: 9780486482002
• Release Date: December 2011
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

engaging and frustrating in the best way

I first read this when I was 18, and now 4 years later still return whenever I'm in need of a fun riddle. Just be sure not to spoil the solutions of the riddles yourself without giving it at least 24 hours! It's more fun that way.

Stretch your logic muscles here

He is "simply the best" is the phrase that most accurately describes the ability of Raymond Smullyan to create puzzles in logic. Written at a lower level than some of his other books, no background in formal logic is necessary to understand and solve all of the problems in this collection. While the novice will find the problems understandable, even the veteran will experience new levels of logic consciousness as they twist their way through to the solutions. As the name implies, all of the problems in some way involve characters created by Lewis Carroll, and solutions to all are given at the end of the book. If you wish to have your intellectual muscles worked and smile while it is done, then this book is for you.Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission

Full of Wit and Wim, both logical and humorous

This time the reader comes along for Alice's adventures in Wonderland as a logical analysis, to asses the logical understanding and thoughtfulness of the inhabitant's minds (rendering surprising results). The puzzles go first from a young child's birthday party, then onto the mysteries of the eateries in the Queen's Kitchen. Next, Alice decides from obscure facts and hints who is mad in Wonderland (waddya go Alice!). Next tackle some clever algebric and arithmetic problems of the two queens and Griffon...just don't use algebra and arithmetic! Then help the White King decipher who the devil was the spy in his various trials. Travel through the woods to play some interesting card games with the Tweedles. Then kick back as Humpty Dumpty, with his little desire for brain cells, gives a 'true logician's' lecture on the nature of paradoxes and Godel's Incompleteness Theorm. At long last wrestle with some truly difficult puzzles in which the abscent-minded White Knight has almost completely forgotten the facts of some very interesting trials. Then asses the nature of a Looking-Glass logician. And finally analyse one of life's deepest mysteries...dreams. Did the Red King actually hit on the mark with his propositions of Type A and Type B? Or was he perhaps just a figment of Alice's imagination? But then...well, I'll let you decide. At any rate...read this book!