The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games

Lichtman, Elliot

ISBN 10: 0262551691 / ISBN 13: 9780262551694

Published by The MIT Press, 2025

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games
• Publisher: The MIT Press
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0262551691
• ISBN 13: 9780262551694
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

An engaging and approachable resource for beginning-to-intermediate coders eager to learn advanced ideas in computer programming.

In The Computer Always Wins, Elliot Lichtman will teach you some of computer science’s most powerful concepts in a refreshingly accessible way: exploring them through word games, board games, and strategy games you already know. Learn recursion by playing tic-tac-toe, efficient search through puzzle games like sudoku and Wordle, and machine learning by way of the playground classic rock-paper-scissors. Finish the book, and you’ll come away with not only a deeper understanding of these foundational programming techniques but also a new appreciation for the amazing feats that can be accomplished using simple, readable code.

About the Author

Elliot Lichtman started teaching online classes in computer science when he was a freshman in high school. Small classes quickly grew into a series of larger and longer offerings, and from those, this book was born. Elliot is currently a sophomore at Yale University.