A Tangled Tale

by Lewis Carroll

"A Tangled Tale" by Lewis Carroll is a collection of 10 humorous stories published serially between 1880 and 1885. Each "Knot" presents mathematical puzzles cleverly disguised within witty narratives featuring recurring characters—knights debating distances, an overbearing aunt and her sharp niece, befuddled professors, and hapless travelers. Carroll later published solutions, playfully critiquing readers' answers by name. These tales combine arithmetic, algebra, and geometry with Carroll's signature charm, creating an ingenious blend of storytelling and mathematical challenge that delighted some readers while perplexing others.