Professor Povey's Perplexing Problems: Pre-University Physics and Maths Puzzles with Solutions Paperback – Illustrated, 7 May 2015

Professor Povey’s Perplexing Problems is a unique and charming collection of pre-university physics and mathematics puzzles. The puzzles contained within range from the mechanics of those trapped in sewers to accelerating matchboxes to the game of elastotennis (a creation of Povey’s in which both ball and racket are perfectly elastic). Each puzzle is a work of art, Povey has created each puzzle himself and whilst some may be familiar in another guise many are completely original. The accompanying witty commentary and delightful cartoon sketches make this collection of puzzles stand out from the rest. There will not be a wannabe Engineer, Mathematician or Physicist out there who would not enjoy the experience of intellectually wrestling with the hundreds of puzzles presented. One quote is all that is needed to summarise how one should approach this book:‘These questions are perplexing, puzzling, but-most of all-fun. You should regard them like toys. Pick up the one that most appeals, and play with it. When you have exhausted it, you can entertain a friend with it.’

This book was single-handedly the best purchase I made in Year 12 (although, I wish I bought it even earlier) as it led me to where I am now: studying Natural Sciences @ St. John's College, Cambridge.I have done most of the problems and enjoyed almost every one of them (especially when seeing my skills improve with each question). This made my admissions tests and interviews much easier because my general problem-solving skills improved so much over the several months I did the problems.I would suggest that when you buy this book, you should try to do the problems consistently and spend a while thinking about each one. Doing 1 or 2 problems every 1/2 days over the course of 3/6 months will be much more beneficial than trying to do 5 a day when cramming for interviews (because you won't have as much time to play with the puzzles). Ultimately, the sooner you buy this book and start using it, the better.

There is obviously masses of well worked brain teasers included here, but I prefer ones that do not require such a volume of text to explain the solutions.

This book is very interesting. Highly recommended.

I really loved reading and working through this book. The problems are all very engaging and unique with clear explanations which offer much more than simply the answer, often providing the reader with a more elegant approach than they might have taken and occasionally containing something quite insightful. The professor also gives an enjoyable commentary throughout. I wish there were more books like it and I hope Povey writes more. It's the perfect post A-levels pre-uni book.

Whilst this book was highly insightful and very thought provoking, it did not align to at least my interview experience, which were a lot more pure maths orientated. However, even considering this, I thoroughly enjoyed the questions inside this book and it helped me enjoy the topics I had learnt at school by showing its use case in very practical problems.

Sort of interested but equally frustrated by the initial pages that made rather uncomfortable reading. A young child making fireworks without patents .... Blowing up stuff ... How easy he got into Oxford University despite messing up interview.... All exudes a privileged life while those without these advantages languish..... However.... Once that has left the normal individual quite uncomfortable......the problems set are then explained clearly .... In this sense it is a great resource to help students prepare for Oxbridge interview or just to challenge personal knowledge. Problems are graded too ... So we don't feel too superior when we answer an easy one :)

Excellent. Well written with lots of problems ranging from straightforward to fiendish. It will challenge and entertain first year university, A-level, and very able GCSE students - as well as their parents!