Feature: Dr. John Wilson’s New Puzzle Book
September 7, 2023

For nearly four decades, John Wilson has shared his love of mathematics at Centre College. Now, he’s sharing it with the world.

Wilson has published a book, “Squarely Up to You,” a sudoku-style mathematics game he devised that is “fun for all ages.”

He’s always been a fan of a good puzzle, from his first Rubik’s cube to Instant Insanity blocks, Wordle to Knotwords. Wilson now has a puzzle and puzzle book of his own creation.

“Math is a thought process, it’s not just doing equations,” Wilson said. “There has to be something going on in the brain that gets fired up when you solve a puzzle — there’s always a rush of pleasure in solving a challenging task. Puzzles like these stretch your brain and help keep you sharp. That’s one of the things we try to teach in college, period, is that you need to be open to solving new problems, hard problems.”

The book was born in part due to Wilson’s CentreTerm course, Recreational Mathematics, where students are tasked with creating their own puzzle or game. He said the game helps teach logical deductive reasoning — and is accessible for those who might be apprehensive about math.

You can try your hand at Wilson’s Squarely puzzles at https://squarelypuzzle.com/

OUR MATH PROGRAM

The study of mathematics transforms the mind and develops a creative and efficient intellect. At Centre College, the professors have a passion for teaching mathematics. We enjoy exploring new ideas with our students, and together, we solve interesting problems with a blend of classical techniques and the latest technologies. Our students master central concepts in mathematics and in the process learn to think precisely and to clearly articulate their ideas.

We have an exciting and vibrant mathematics community at Centre College. We invite you to explore these web pages and learn about our program, our people, and our love of mathematics.