Algorithmic Puzzles

This book is a great resource for software development interviews or if you just want to blow off some steam and solve some fun puzzles. In many software interviews you will be asked to devise an algorithm to solve a problem or execute an objective. This book is by no means an exhaustive list of algorithmic puzzles that you'll encounter in interviews, but it does have several classic puzzles, as well as a number of puzzles I've never seen before. The puzzles themselves are very fun to solve and they'll get your brain thinking algorithmically. There's also great advice and information about how to devise systems to solve common problems using algorithms, so even if the challenges you're given in an interview aren't in this book you'll be studied up on how to devise your own systems for solving problems.One notable omission is the Tower of Hanoi puzzle, that is a classic and I suggest you look it up if you enjoy this type of thing. Overall I think this book is great for software developers looking to get into mental shape for interviewing, but don't think that you have to be a computer science major to enjoy this book. The puzzles are just plain fun to solve, and the skills you will acquire when learning to devise algorithms are certainly applicable in other fields. I highly recommend this book to any developers looking for a mental workout before an interview or anyone that just likes fun, challenging puzzles.

This book contains an excellent collection of algorithmic puzzles. There are lots (150) of puzzles in three difficulty categories. The book itself has 3 parts - the puzzle, the hint(s), and the solution explanation with references and a short history. The conversion to Kindle format was done poorly. You would have thought they could puzzle out that the three parts of the book should be linked so the reader can move back and forth. This is especially problematic as neither of the three sections can stand alone. The Pounstone books,  Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?: Trick Questions, Zen-like Riddles, Insanely Difficult Puzzles, and Other Devious Interviewing Techniques You Need ... to Get a Job Anywhere in the New Economy  and  How Would You Move Mount Fuji?: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle - How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers  are referenced in the book and they got the connectivity correct. I would recommend the paper version of the book with 3 book marks. Fixing this frustration would raise my rating to 5 stars.The above Poundstone books do have a small overlap with this book, however they are sufficiently different that purchasing all three books is not a bad idea.

For my favorite gamer, coders, computer guy. :)

This is a very good book. Among many techniques used in math and in puzzles, algorithmic type of proofs exist for problems where the problem state either directly involves an algorithm or the problem state can be used to derive an algorithm. Algorithms of this sort have certain properties like some quantity either strictly increases, or strictly decreases, or it remains constant etc. Observations of what happens to such quantities can lead to solution of such problems.Good thing is that it has hints and solutions which are given in separate sections so that if you cannot solve it using hints, you can look at the solutions later. Highly recommended for people interested in problem solving.

This book is not an introductory book to algorithms or a general algorithmic book in the computer science paradigm. But it contains loads of puzzles which you can understand, solve using a pen and a paper and apply the same in your favorite programming language. The book is written in a very clear and crisp way. For someone who loves brain teasers this book is a must have in their collection. Also it would be of immense help for anyone preparing for interviews on algorithms.

Love this book.I agreed with some reviewers' comment about the Kindle formatting of this book. You are better off with a paper version.Fortunately I have no need of hints and solutions. I bought this book only to entertain my puzzle-loving daughter, in lieu of a bed time story. So I skipped the tutorial and went all the way to main section.She successfully fell into asleep after 6th puzzle, so far as good.

I bought this book on sight. It's possibly my favorite book of any and all books I own. The puzzles are not only ubiquitous and exciting... they're educational and provide many "Aha!" moments. I've been looking for a book like this for years, and I recommend it to those looking for fun and challenging puzzles of varying difficulty levels. Being a computer science major, many of the puzzles are also fun to implement and solve using programming, emphasizing the "algorithmic" component in the title.Buy this book!!

i love the "hints" section. just a nudge in the right direction or at least affirmation that you're on the right path to the solution. haven't gone through the entire book yet, but some of the easy problems are quite challenging and have elegant solutions.

Good variety of maths related puzzles, I bought the paper copy so cannot comment on the kindle version. Beware though, the reason I'm writing this review is to warn others that some of the puzzles presume prior knowledge of their type and/or are very poorly worded/illustrated ( The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Math & Logic Puzzles)  is better quality). I haven't finished this book yet, but have found at least one mistake in the answers section(kings reach part b - see tutorial section square build up algorithm). The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Math & Logic Puzzles)

it was oily and a bit dirty on delivery, considering the £18 price you'd think the book would be in good condition...

Question related to one of those mentioned in this book came up in my interview at oxford.

bought it for my daughter who hope to study computer science - she found it very interesting and informative. Written in an engaging style, covering many topics. Worth the money.

The title a little bit misleading. I think as it's more like recreational math puzzles than algorithmic puzzles.Anyway it's ok if you like mental exercises.