DADWAGON

Martin Gardner died this week, inspiring one of two reactions:

• (a) Who?
• (b) Oh my god, Martin Gardner! [Followed by ten minutes' recall of a youth spent with pencil and paper, scribbling and scratching one's head]

I am, needless to say, in group B. Gardner was (for all you group-A types) the world’s foremost constructor of mathematical and scientific puzzles, for most of the twentieth century and a bit of this one. Many of them appeared in his “Mathematical Games” column in Scientific American, though I came across them in some of the 50 books he put together during his 95 years. He brought a sense of play to math, which, despite my inclinations toward a career in the sciences, was never my strong suit—he certainly helped make it tolerable. He had wide-ranging interests beyond puzzle-land, being particularly interested in the threat of pseudoscience. Most of all, his work was, and still is, a fabulous way to hone one’s logic skills, critical thinking, and clearheaded thinking.

Tributes here, from Scientific American: An elegant obituary, another thoughtful story, and three simple puzzles that will pleasurably eat up twenty minutes of your day. A life well spent.