I like this book. With 401 puzzles it is good value for money and the puzzles are well constructed. There are 2 puzzles per page, which disconcerts me sometimes but not enough to prevent me from using it and it does mean that the book is not the size of a doorstep. It's not pocket sized either but it is small enough to take on the commute. The puzzles, however, are large enough to allow pencil marks/candidates.
I very much appreciate the fact that Pete Sinden gives some pertinent information at the beginning of the book clearly stating what he considers to be the essence of 'good' Sudoku, that he is the one that constructs the puzzles and the method that he uses to do this. I like to know against whom I'm pitting my wits, if they are aware of how to construct a decent puzzle and the method with which they do this. I also appreciate that he states clearly that "No puzzle is duplicated between any of Pete Sinden’s books", which means that when you buy another book of his you know that it contains fresh puzzles.
There are no solving tips in this book, a la Carol Vorderman, which I like also. It contains only puzzles and their solutions.
I do, however, take issue with the Migraine rating and that "Migraine - inducing difficulty (number crunching for the addict)." definition. These puzzles do not require any of the advanced solving methods - as far as I'm aware - and thus I find the statement confusing. Then again I suppose that it would depend on the solver. I've been solving since November 2005 and have been known to solve a Wayne Gould rated Fiendish in 35 minutes. Fiendish and below don't require advanced solving methods either. I would say that I was addicted but not in the number crunching category. I certainly don't find Pete Sinden's hardest puzzles in this book migraine inducing either - I'm sorry to say!
The Migraine rating/definition is the only quibble I have with the book (which is why I gave it 5 stars), and I know that ratings are the hardest thing to get right with puzzles. I solve on a regular basis and this book is not the only one I possess, but I do find it entertaining and I do keep coming back to it.
So, my recommendation is : buy it, you'll love it.
