A Little Tribute To Recreational Mathematics
A Little Tribute to Recreational Mathematics
I recently read about the passing of David C. Kelly, a mathematician famous for his playful obsession with the number 17. Though far less high-profile than some, he was surrounded by delightful stories that remind us just how much joy math can bring.
Over the past 20 years, we’ve lost quite a few brilliant minds who had that rare gift: making deep mathematical ideas feel simple, fun, and downright human. Many were masters at crafting clever puzzles that still surprise us today.
Sure, there are many top-tier mathematicians out there. But very few wrote books that parents and kids could both pick up and truly enjoy. Fewer still could explain math without sounding like a dusty old textbook!
In fact, one of the main reasons I started teaching Math Olympiad was my own happy accident of stumbling across these wonderful recreational math books.
You might wonder: Do these “fun” books really help your kids? Absolutely. Nearly every viral brainteaser or puzzle you see on social media is just an old classic reborn — invented decades ago by these very authors. Plus, Math Olympiads themselves are shifting away from drill-heavy, “China-style” problems to more creative, puzzle-like questions. Many are lifted almost straight from these old books. (Whoever sets questions for APMOPS/SMOPS clearly loves browsing recreational math shelves!)
Some remarkable authors to explore
Here are a few giants of recreational math who have left us, but whose books still inspire and entertain. If your kids are keen on math — or if you simply enjoy a good puzzle yourself — their works are absolutely worth tracking down.
- Klaus Peters (d. 2014)
Together with his wife Alice, he founded the iconic publishing house A K Peters. Though now under CRC Press (and putting out fewer books), the AK Peters / CRC Recreational Mathematics Series still offers some real gems. - Martin Gardner (1914–2010)
The undisputed king of recreational math, Gardner wrote over 100 books. His writing is so clear and inviting that even primary school kids can jump right in. His Mathematical Games columns in Scientific American are legendary — they’ve sparked countless careers in math and science. - Andy Liu (1947–2024)
Andy (Andrew Chiang-Fung Liu) helped bring brilliant problems and competitions from Hungary, Taiwan, Russia, and Japan into the English-speaking world. Many of his books are delightful puzzle collections. Years ago, I had a brief exchange with him — he generously pointed me to solutions for some obscure Chinese contests I was curious about. - Tony Gardiner (1947–2024)
The driving force behind the UKMT and the architect of much of the UK’s modern contest landscape. Under his watch, the UK developed more than 10 different competitions. Tony also served as the UK’s IMO Team Leader for many years. His Mathematical Challenge books are a joy to read. - Ross Honsberger (1929–2016)
A prolific author whose works, like the Mathematical Gems series, are loved for their clarity and charm. These are pitched more at the secondary school level and above. - Nobuyuki Yoshigahara (1936–2004)
Japan’s puzzle master. His work was beautifully compiled in The Puzzles of Nobuyuki Yoshigahara — a book Andy Liu himself told me about when we first corresponded. Sadly, it turned out to be one of Andy’s last projects. - Christopher J. Bradley (1945–2014)
Not strictly in the recreational camp, but worth mentioning for his many key geometry and Olympiad books for the UKMT. His problems often dance right on the line between rigorous contest training and playful exploration.
At Avocado Lab, we have a shelf full of titles by these authors. If you’d like recommendations, just ask your Avo MO coach — we’re always happy to share a good puzzle or two.