Be warned, Alex Bellos's new book could put a strain on your personal life, particularly if you are willing to go through the joyful ordeal and gleeful torment of solving every single one of his 125 puzzles ... Can You Solve My Problems? is not just a random list of skull-warping brain-teasers, but rather a skilfully curated anthology of puzzles... Excellent. (Simon Singh Observer, Science and Nature Book of the Day)Great . . . Compiled with a collector's knowledge and a fan's enthusiasm. (Charlie Higson)A delightful book. (Tim Hartford)Great fun. (The Times 'Books of the Year')Superbly engrossing. (Spectator)Think of the best storyteller you know and the coolest teacher you ever had, and now you?ve got some idea of what Alex Bellos is like. (Steven Strogatz, Cornell University)

Are you smarter than a Singaporean ten-year-old?Can you beat Sherlock Holmes?If you think the answer is yes ? I challenge you to solve my problems.

Here are 125 of the world?s best brainteasers from the last two millennia, taking us from ancient China to medieval Europe, Victorian England to modern-day Japan, with stories of espionage, mathematical breakthroughs and puzzling rivalries along the way.

Pit your wits against logic puzzles and kinship riddles, pangrams and river-crossing conundrums. Some solutions rely on a touch of cunning, others call for creativity, others need mercilessly logical thought. Some can only be solved be 2 per cent of the population. All are guaranteed to sharpen your mind. Let?s get puzzling!