For_IF today_RT 's_GE mathematical_JJ puzzle_NN1 ,_, assume_VV0 that_CST in_II the_AT year_NNT1 1956_MC there_EX was_VBDZ a_AT1 children_NN2 's_GE magazine_NN1 in_II New_NP1 York_NP1 named_VVD after_II a_AT1 giant_JJ egg_NN1 ,_, Humpty_JJ Dumpty_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS purportedly_RR served_VVN as_CSA its_APPGE chief_JJ editor_NN1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Dumpty_NP1 was_VBDZ assisted_VVN by_II a_AT1 human_JJ editor_NN1 named_VVD Martin_NP1 Gardner_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS prepared_VVD "_" activity_NN1 features_NN2 "_" and_CC wrote_VVD a_AT1 monthly_JJ short_JJ story_NN1 about_II the_AT adventures_NN2 of_IO the_AT child_NN1 egg_NN1 ,_, Humpty_NP1 Dumpty_NP1 Jr_NNA ._. 
Another_DD1 duty_NN1 of_IO Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 's_GE was_VBDZ to_TO write_VVI a_AT1 monthly_JJ poem_NN1 of_IO moral_JJ advice_NN1 from_II Humpty_NP1 Sr._NNA to_II Humpty_NP1 Jr_NNA ._. 
At_II that_DD1 point_NN1 ,_, Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 was_VBDZ 42_MC and_CC had_VHD never_RR taken_VVN a_AT1 math_NN1 course_NN1 beyond_II high_JJ school_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 had_VHD struggled_VVN with_IW calculus_NN1 and_CC considered_VVN himself_PPX1 poor_JJ at_II solving_VVG basic_JJ mathematical_JJ puzzles_NN2 ,_, let_II21 alone_II22 creating_VVG them_PPHO2 ._. 
But_CCB when_CS the_AT publisher_NN1 of_IO Scientific_JJ American_NN1 asked_VVD him_PPHO1 if_CS there_EX might_VM be_VBI enough_DD material_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 monthly_JJ column_NN1 on_II "_" recreational_JJ mathematics_NN1 ,_, "_" a_AT1 term_NN1 that_CST sounded_VVD even_RR more_RGR oxymoronic_JJ in_II 1956_MC than_CSN it_PPH1 does_VDZ today_RT ,_, Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 took_VVD a_AT1 gamble_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 quit_VVD his_APPGE job_NN1 with_IW Humpty_JJ Dumpty_NN1 ._. 
On_II Wednesday_NPD1 ,_, Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 will_VM celebrate_VVI his_APPGE 95th_MD birthday_NN1 with_IW the_AT publication_NN1 of_IO another_DD1 book_NN1 --_NN1 his_APPGE second_MD book_NN1 of_IO essays_NN2 and_CC mathematical_JJ puzzles_NN2 to_TO be_VBI published_VVN just_RR this_DD1 year_NNT1 ._. 
With_IW more_DAR than_CSN 70_MC books_NN2 to_II his_APPGE name_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 is_VBZ the_AT world_NN1 's_GE best-known_JJ recreational_JJ mathematician_NN1 ,_, and_CC has_VHZ probably_RR introduced_VVN more_DAR people_NN to_II the_AT joys_NN2 of_IO math_NN1 than_CSN anyone_PN1 in_II history_NN1 ._. 
How_RRQ is_VBZ this_DD1 possible_JJ ?_? 
Actually_RR ,_, there_EX are_VBR two_MC separate_JJ puzzles_NN2 here_RL ._. 
One_PN1 is_VBZ how_RRQ Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS still_RR works_VVZ every_AT1 day_NNT1 at_II his_APPGE old_JJ typewriter_NN1 ,_, has_VHZ managed_VVN for_IF so_RG long_JJ to_TO confound_VVI and_CC entertain_VVI his_APPGE readers_NN2 ._. 
The_AT other_NN1 is_VBZ why_RRQ so_RG many_DA2 of_IO us_PPIO2 have_VH0 never_RR been_VBN able_JK to_TO resist_VVI this_DD1 kind_NN1 of_IO puzzle_NN1 ._. 
Why_RRQ ,_, when_CS we_PPIS2 hear_VV0 about_II the_AT guy_NN1 trying_VVG to_TO ferry_VVI a_AT1 wolf_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 goat_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 head_NN1 of_IO cabbage_NN1 across_II the_AT river_NN1 in_II a_AT1 small_JJ boat_NN1 ,_, do_VD0 we_PPIS2 feel_VVI compelled_VVN to_TO solve_VVI his_APPGE transportation_NN1 problem_NN1 ?_? 
It_PPH1 never_RR occurred_VVD to_II me_PPIO1 that_DD1 math_NN1 could_VM be_VBI fun_JJ until_CS the_AT day_NNT1 in_II grade_NN1 school_NN1 that_CST my_APPGE father_NN1 gave_VVD me_PPIO1 a_AT1 book_NN1 of_IO 19th-century_JJ puzzles_NN2 assembled_VVN by_II Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 --the_AT same_DA puzzles_NN2 ,_, as_CSA it_PPH1 happened_VVD ,_, that_CST Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 's_GE father_NN1 had_VHD used_VVN to_TO hook_VVI him_PPHO1 during_II his_APPGE school_NN1 days_NNT2 ._. 
The_AT algebra_NN1 and_CC geometry_NN1 were_VBDR sugar-coated_JJ with_IW elaborate_JJ stories_NN2 and_CC wonderful_JJ illustrations_NN2 of_IO giraffe_NN1 races_NN2 ,_, pool-hall_JJ squabbles_NN2 ,_, burglaries_NN2 and_CC scheming_VVG carnival_JJ barkers_NN2 ._. 
(_( Go_VV0 to_II nytimes.com/tierneylab_FU for_IF some_DD examples_NN2 ._. )_) 
The_AT puzzles_NN2 did_VDD n't_XX turn_VVI Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 into_II a_AT1 professional_JJ mathematician_NN1 --_NN1 he_PPHS1 majored_VVD in_II philosophy_NN1 at_II the_AT University_NN1 of_IO Chicago_NP1 --_NN1 but_CCB he_PPHS1 remained_VVD a_AT1 passionate_JJ amateur_NN1 through_II his_APPGE first_MD jobs_NN2 in_II public_JJ relations_NN2 and_CC journalism_NN1 ._. 
After_CS learning_NN1 of_IO mathematicians_NN2 '_GE new_JJ fascination_NN1 with_IW folding_JJ certain_JJ pieces_NN2 of_IO paper_NN1 into_II different_JJ shapes_NN2 ,_, he_PPHS1 sold_VVD an_AT1 article_NN1 about_II these_DD2 "_" flexagons_NN2 "_" to_II Scientific_JJ American_JJ ,_, and_CC that_CST led_VVD to_II his_APPGE monthly_JJ "_" Mathematical_JJ Games_NN2 "_" column_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ he_PPHS1 wrote_VVD for_IF the_AT next_MD quarter-century_NNT1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 prepared_VVD for_IF the_AT new_JJ monthly_JJ column_NN1 by_II scouring_VVG Manhattan_NP1 's_GE second-hand_JJ bookstores_NN2 for_IF math_NN1 puzzles_NN2 and_CC games_NN2 ._. 
In_II another_DD1 line_NN1 of_IO work_NN1 ,_, that_DD1 would_VM constitute_VVI plagiarism_NN1 ,_, but_CCB among_II puzzle_NN1 makers_NN2 it_PPH1 has_VHZ long_RR been_VBN the_AT norm_NN1 :_: a_AT1 good_JJ puzzle_NN1 is_VBZ forever_RT ._. 
For_REX21 instance_REX22 ,_, that_DD1 puzzle_NN1 about_II ferrying_VVG the_AT wolf_NN1 ,_, the_AT goat_NN1 and_CC the_AT cabbage_NN1 was_VBDZ included_VVN in_II a_AT1 puzzle_NN1 collection_NN1 prepared_VVN for_IF the_AT emperor_NN1 Charlemagne_NP1 12_MC centuries_NNT2 ago_RA --_JJ and_CC it_PPH1 was_VBDZ presumably_RR borrowed_VVN by_II Charlemagne_NP1 's_GE puzzlist_NN1 ._. 
The_AT row-boat_JJ problem_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN passed_VVN down_RP in_II cultures_NN2 around_II the_AT world_NN1 in_II versions_NN2 featuring_VVG guards_NN2 and_CC prisoners_NN2 ,_, jealous_JJ spouses_NN2 ,_, missionaries_NN2 ,_, cannibals_NN2 and_CC assorted_JJ carnivores_NN2 ._. 
"_" The_AT number_NN1 of_IO puzzles_NN2 I_PPIS1 've_VH0 invented_VVN you_PPY can_VM count_VVI on_II your_APPGE fingers_NN2 ,_, "_" Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 says_VVZ ._. 
Through_II his_APPGE hundreds_NNO2 of_IO columns_NN2 and_CC dozens_NNO2 of_IO books_NN2 ,_, he_PPHS1 always_RR credited_VVN others_NN2 for_IF the_AT material_NN1 and_CC insisted_VVN that_CST he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ n't_XX even_RR a_AT1 good_JJ mathematician_NN1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 do_VD0 n't_XX think_VVI I_PPIS1 ever_RR wrote_VVD a_AT1 column_NN1 that_CST required_JJ calculus_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 says_VVZ ._. 
"_" The_AT big_JJ secret_NN1 of_IO my_APPGE success_NN1 as_II a_AT1 columnist_NN1 was_VBDZ that_CST I_PPIS1 did_VDD n't_XX know_VVI much_RR about_II math_NN1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 had_VHD to_TO struggle_VVI to_TO get_VVI everything_PN1 clear_JJ before_CS I_PPIS1 wrote_VVD a_AT1 column_NN1 ,_, so_RR that_CST meant_VVD I_PPIS1 could_VM write_VVI it_PPH1 in_II a_AT1 way_NN1 that_CST people_NN could_VM understand_VVI ._. "_" 
After_CS he_PPHS1 gave_VVD up_RP the_AT column_NN1 in_II 1981_MC ,_, Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 kept_VVD turning_VVG out_RP essays_NN2 and_CC books_NN2 ,_, and_CC his_APPGE reputation_NN1 among_II mathematicians_NN2 ,_, puzzlists_NN2 and_CC magicians_NN2 just_RR kept_VVN growing_JJ ._. 
Since_II 1994_MC ,_, they_PPHS2 have_VH0 been_VBN convening_VVG in_II Atlanta_NP1 every_AT1 two_MC years_NNT2 to_TO swap_VVI puzzles_NN2 and_CC ideas_NN2 at_II an_AT1 event_NN1 called_VVN the_AT G4G_FO :_: the_AT Gathering_NN1 for_IF Gardner_NP1 ._. 
"_" Many_DA2 have_VH0 tried_VVN to_TO emulate_VVI him_PPHO1 ;_; no_PN121 one_PN122 has_VHZ succeeded_VVN ,_, "_" says_VVZ Ronald_NP1 Graham_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 mathematician_NN1 at_II the_AT University_NN1 of_IO California_NP1 ,_, San_NP1 Diego_NP1 ._. 
"_" Martin_NP1 has_VHZ turned_VVN thousands_NNO2 of_IO children_NN2 into_II mathematicians_NN2 ,_, and_CC thousands_NNO2 of_IO mathematicians_NN2 into_II children_NN2 ._. "_" 
Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 says_VVZ he_PPHS1 has_VHZ been_VBN gratified_VVN to_TO see_VVI more_DAR and_CC more_DAR teachers_NN2 incorporating_VVG puzzles_NN2 into_II the_AT math_NN1 curriculum_NN1 ._. 
The_AT pleasure_NN1 of_IO puzzle-solving_NN1 ,_, as_CSA he_PPHS1 sees_VVZ it_PPH1 ,_, is_VBZ a_AT1 happy_JJ byproduct_NN1 of_IO evolution_NN1 ._. 
"_" Consider_VV0 a_AT1 cow_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 says_VVZ ._. 
"_" A_AT1 cow_NN1 does_VDZ n't_XX have_VHI the_AT problem-solving_NN1 skill_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 chimpanzee_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ has_VHZ discovered_VVN how_RRQ to_TO get_VVI termites_NN2 out_II21 of_II22 the_AT ground_NN1 by_II putting_VVG a_AT1 stick_NN1 into_II a_AT1 hole_NN1 ._. 
"_" Evolution_NN1 has_VHZ developed_VVN the_AT brain_NN1 's_GE ability_NN1 to_TO solve_VVI puzzles_NN2 ,_, and_CC at_II the_AT same_DA time_NNT1 has_VHZ produced_VVN in_II our_APPGE brain_NN1 a_AT1 pleasure_NN1 of_IO solving_VVG problems_NN2 ._. "_" 
Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 's_GE favorite_JJ puzzles_NN2 are_VBR the_AT ones_NN2 that_CST require_VV0 a_AT1 sudden_JJ insight_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 aha_UH !_! moment_NN1 can_VM come_VVI in_II any_DD kind_NN1 of_IO puzzle_NN1 ,_, but_CCB there_EX 's_VBZ a_AT1 special_JJ pleasure_NN1 when_CS the_AT insight_NN1 is_VBZ mathematical_JJ --_NN1 and_CC therefore_RR eternal_JJ ,_, as_CSA Mr._NNB Gardner_NP1 sees_VVZ it_PPH1 ._. 
In_II his_APPGE new_JJ book_NN1 ,_, "_" When_CS You_PPY Were_VBDR a_AT1 Tadpole_NN1 and_CC I_PPIS1 Was_VBDZ a_AT1 Fish_NN ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 explains_VVZ why_RRQ he_PPHS1 is_VBZ an_AT1 "_" unashamed_JJ Platonist_NN1 "_" when_CS it_PPH1 comes_VVZ to_II mathematics_NN1 ._. 
"_" If_CS all_DB sentient_JJ beings_NN2 in_II the_AT universe_NN1 disappeared_VVD ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 writes_VVZ ,_, "_" there_EX would_VM remain_VVI a_AT1 sense_NN1 in_II which_DDQ mathematical_JJ objects_NN2 and_CC theorems_NN2 would_VM continue_VVI to_TO exist_VVI even_CS21 though_CS22 there_EX would_VM be_VBI no_PN121 one_PN122 around_RP to_TO write_VVI or_CC talk_VVI about_II them_PPHO2 ._. 
Huge_JJ prime_JJ numbers_NN2 would_VM continue_VVI to_TO be_VBI prime_JJ even_CS21 if_CS22 no_PN121 one_PN122 had_VHD proved_VVN them_PPHO2 prime_JJ ._. "_" 
I_PPIS1 share_VV0 his_APPGE mathematical_JJ Platonism_NN1 ,_, and_CC I_PPIS1 think_VV0 that_DD1 is_VBZ ultimately_RR the_AT explanation_NN1 for_IF the_AT appeal_NN1 of_IO the_AT puzzles_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 may_VM superficially_RR involve_VVI row_NN1 boats_NN2 or_CC pool_NN1 halls_NN2 or_CC giraffes_NN2 ,_, but_CCB they_PPHS2 're_VBR really_RR about_II transcendent_JJ numbers_NN2 and_CC theorems_NN2 ._. 
When_CS you_PPY figure_VV0 out_RP the_AT answer_NN1 ,_, you_PPY know_VV0 you_PPY 've_VH0 found_VVN something_PN1 that_CST is_VBZ indisputably_RR true_JJ anywhere_RL ,_, anytime_NNT1 ._. 
For_IF a_AT1 brief_JJ moment_NN1 ,_, the_AT universe_NN1 makes_VVZ perfect_JJ sense_NN1 ._. 
