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Path Puzzles
The Path Puzzles book. If you enjoy logical puzzles like Sudoku but are bored of the basic filling-in-numbers-in-a-9x9-grid tedium, then check out this creative new puzzle type from Roderick Kimball. Use the numbers outside the grid (which ranges in size and shape from a simple 2x2 box up to a full-page monstrosity consisting of multiple sub-rectangles) to find your way from entrance to exit, as you would a maze. Just when you think you've figured out the basics, Kimball throws in a new twist: multiple entrances where you have to figure out which is the correct one, larger and more challenging grids, and even a bonus section with encrypted clues. The first puzzles are simple enough to hook anyone, but by the end of the book, even seasoned solvers will have found some challenges along the way. There is something for everyone here. The introduction and explanation of the puzzles, including sample solving strategies, is thorough and clear. The section headings contain quotations about paths and mazes. It's not something you see in a typical puzzle book and it adds to the richness of the whole experience. This book is a great gift for puzzle-solvers. Just be prepared for some late nights, because this book is, as the cover says, hard to put down.
174 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 18, 2020
Really spectacular collection of logic puzzles with a very simple premise - draw a path between two entrances in a maze, respecting the number of squares specified per row and column - which is progressively complicated in interesting but intuitive ways - you'll never find yourself wondering what the rules are. I found the puzzles generally well-constructed and the progression was well thought-out. Greatly enjoyed the whole set. Also, the author bio is *chef's kiss*.
September 1, 2020
The previous edition was great. This one is better.
Rod Kimball has created a new type of logic puzzle that ultimately is more satisfying to solve than Sudoku puzzles. There's an adventurousness to it, both mentally and visually, in its execution. Path Puzzles make Sudoku puzzles seem a bit dry and dull, though they do share many of the same reasoning challenges.
The object of the Path Puzzle is basically to wind your way through a maze with unseen walls, building the walls as you go. You start with basically a blank grid/canvas, often quite uniquely and irregularly shaped, and the clues placed within and around the grid guide you through it. The puzzles range in difficulty from entry-level to quite devious. And come on, aren't the devious ones always more fun? (Spoiler alert: yes they are.)
I purchased several copies of the previous edition and mailed them to friends, and it looks like I will do the same with this one.
What I find the most satisfying about working Path Puzzles is that once completed the more challenging ones can be re-worked over and over again yet still seem like a fresh challenge. The solutions do not change, but the mental skill needed to navigate one's way from start to finish remains high, even on repeat attempts. The rewards are in the journey itself: each incremental step accomplished in completing the path and solving the puzzle is a satisfying discovery. I might solve the same puzzle ten times almost precisely the same way, but on the 11th time a lightbulb comes on in my head and I piece together a set of clues in a way I hadn't before, and it accelerates the solving process. It makes the puzzle seem new again.
Rod suggests using a pencil to work these puzzles but I always insist on using a pen. It raises the stakes and forces you to be confident and certain in your every move. And that, to me, is the whole point of working logic puzzles.
So if you like the challenges presented by Sudoku but are getting a bit bored with them, Path Puzzles are for you. The puzzles themselves come in all shapes and sizes. No two are even remotely alike. But heed Rod's words when he says that the smaller ones aren't always the easiest and the larger ones not always the hardest. Size truly doesn't matter.
Rod Kimball has created a new type of logic puzzle that ultimately is more satisfying to solve than Sudoku puzzles. There's an adventurousness to it, both mentally and visually, in its execution. Path Puzzles make Sudoku puzzles seem a bit dry and dull, though they do share many of the same reasoning challenges.
The object of the Path Puzzle is basically to wind your way through a maze with unseen walls, building the walls as you go. You start with basically a blank grid/canvas, often quite uniquely and irregularly shaped, and the clues placed within and around the grid guide you through it. The puzzles range in difficulty from entry-level to quite devious. And come on, aren't the devious ones always more fun? (Spoiler alert: yes they are.)
I purchased several copies of the previous edition and mailed them to friends, and it looks like I will do the same with this one.
What I find the most satisfying about working Path Puzzles is that once completed the more challenging ones can be re-worked over and over again yet still seem like a fresh challenge. The solutions do not change, but the mental skill needed to navigate one's way from start to finish remains high, even on repeat attempts. The rewards are in the journey itself: each incremental step accomplished in completing the path and solving the puzzle is a satisfying discovery. I might solve the same puzzle ten times almost precisely the same way, but on the 11th time a lightbulb comes on in my head and I piece together a set of clues in a way I hadn't before, and it accelerates the solving process. It makes the puzzle seem new again.
Rod suggests using a pencil to work these puzzles but I always insist on using a pen. It raises the stakes and forces you to be confident and certain in your every move. And that, to me, is the whole point of working logic puzzles.
So if you like the challenges presented by Sudoku but are getting a bit bored with them, Path Puzzles are for you. The puzzles themselves come in all shapes and sizes. No two are even remotely alike. But heed Rod's words when he says that the smaller ones aren't always the easiest and the larger ones not always the hardest. Size truly doesn't matter.
September 12, 2020
I don’t remember when I first came across Path Puzzles. It was several years ago and I was looking for puzzles that were accessible to a wide range of students. They quickly became a favorite of my classroom. I think this is because they are easy to understand yet are challenging to complete. They also help strengthen a variety of skills such as number sense, continuity and logical reasoning so they have appeal to people who are at different levels and working on different skills.
This new edition will hold a treasured spot in my classroom. The leveled structure makes it easy to find the right challenge, the tips are now throughout the book which allows you to determine how much guidance you want and the new look of the puzzles themselves all add to make this new version delightful. I bought a few extra copies because I know how well they will be loved.
This new edition will hold a treasured spot in my classroom. The leveled structure makes it easy to find the right challenge, the tips are now throughout the book which allows you to determine how much guidance you want and the new look of the puzzles themselves all add to make this new version delightful. I bought a few extra copies because I know how well they will be loved.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews