15 Must-Have Puzzle Books for Your Library
A great puzzle book is more than just a pastime — it's a tool to train the brain, challenge your logic, and spark creativity. At Matiks, we believe that sharpening your mind should be as engaging as it is educational.
Whether you’re a math lover, logic enthusiast, or casual problem solver, this curated list of puzzle books is a must-have for any personal or school library.
1. The Moscow Puzzles
By Boris A. Kordemsky
A legendary collection of recreational math problems. These brainteasers range from playful to profound and have inspired problem solvers for decades.
2. The Colossal Book of Mathematics
By Martin Gardner
Martin Gardner was the master of math puzzles. This comprehensive volume collects 50 years of his writing from Scientific American, mixing logic, magic, and math.
3. Professor Stewart’s Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities
By Ian Stewart
Filled with mathematical tricks, oddities, and puzzles, this book is a delightful deep dive into the quirky side of math.
4. The Ultimate Mathematical Challenge
By Tony Gardiner
A brilliant collection from the UKMT designed for Olympiad-level problem solvers. It’s tough but rewarding.
5. The Art of Problem Solving: Volume 1
By Richard Rusczyk and Sandor Lehoczky
This isn’t just a book — it’s a full course in mathematical thinking, packed with problems that go far beyond typical schoolwork.
6. Puzzle Baron’s Logic Puzzles
By Puzzle Baron
Great for fans of classic grid-based logic puzzles. This book offers hundreds of well-crafted problems with detailed solutions.
7. Five-Minute Math Problems
By Kenneth D. Smith
Perfect for quick mental workouts. The book features a wide variety of bite-sized math puzzles that are ideal for daily warmups.
8. The Lady or the Tiger?
By Raymond Smullyan
A collection of self-referential logic puzzles that play with paradoxes, truth-tellers, and liars in clever ways.
9. My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles
By Martin Gardner
A compact and accessible introduction to Gardner’s most famous puzzles, ideal for newcomers.
10. Brilliant.org Daily Challenges (Compilations)
By Brilliant.org Team
Though originally digital, Brilliant’s compilations bring their interactive problems into print form, offering puzzles in math, physics, and logic.
11. The Big Book of Brain Games
By Ivan Moscovich
Packed with visual puzzles, illusions, and mental games that engage multiple types of thinking — spatial, mathematical, and verbal.
12. The Riddle of Scheherazade
By Raymond Smullyan
Another classic from the logician and philosopher. The book explores ancient logic puzzles with modern clarity.
13. A Mathematician's Lament
By Paul Lockhart
Not a puzzle book in the traditional sense, but this philosophical look at math includes creative and open-ended challenges that rethink how we approach mathematics.
14. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
By Mark Haddon
A novel that introduces mathematical thinking and puzzles through storytelling. While fiction, it’s a brilliant gateway into logical thought.
15. Mensa® 10-Minute Brain Teasers
By Dr. Gareth Moore
Designed for fast, focused problem-solving. This is a great pick for students or adults who want quick mental challenges.
Final Thoughts
A strong puzzle library offers more than entertainment — it sharpens reasoning, encourages creativity, and builds persistence. Whether you're looking to boost brainpower in five minutes or dive deep into abstract reasoning, there's something here for every level.
At Matiks, we believe puzzles are one of the purest forms of learning. Start with one of these books, and you might just unlock a whole new way of thinking.