Magic Squares and Cubes by W. S. Andrews

Description

Magic Squares and Cubes is a book by W. S. Andrews, first published in 1908. It collects a series of essays that survey the theory and construction of magic squares and their higher-dimensional cousins. The book explains classical constructions, algebraic methods for producing squares and cubes of various orders, and treats related curiosities such as Franklin squares, magic circles and spheres, Pythagorean arrangements, and the theory of reversions. Designed for readers with a taste for constructive puzzles and classical number play, it balances historical notes with worked examples and rigorous methods. Far more than a puzzle book, Andrews’ work is a mathematical treatment of recreational topics: he connects traditional, often centuries-old examples to systematic techniques and shows how to generalise constructions. The text influenced later collectors and popularisers of mathematical recreations by demonstrating that “magic” arrangements admit clear algebraic description and classification. For anyone cataloguing historic recreational mathematics or building a reference collection of mathematical curiosities, this volume remains a comprehensive, well-illustrated resource.

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