n conducting a mathematical column in the Graham Dial over the
past twenty-five years, the author found that the most stimulating
experience and the greatest reward for his effort came from the
"surprise attack" initiated by readers in solving many of the problems.

For the most part the problems were original contributions and,
strange to say, in nearly every case the prize-winning solutions by
readers excelled that of the contributor, shed new light on the problem,
and opened up entirely new vistas of interest.

In this book we have selected from the scores of original problems
used in our column in recent years those that emphasize this feature
of surprise - the unexpected approach that not only brings simplicity
to the solution but often broadens the scope of the problem and adds
an esoteric touch dear to the mathematician's heart.

Note that after the statement of the problem in each chapter, the
word Solution appears in bold-faced type; this is a signal to the
reader who wishes to tackle the problem himself to postpone further
reading at this point until he has completed his own attack.
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