The September/October 2026 issue of Puzzle Corner has arrived, bringing with it a fresh collection of brain-teasers and the long-awaited solutions from the May/June edition. Curated by Michael S. Branicky, ScD ’95, and his Puzzle Corner Puzzle Crew — known formally as PC2, comprising Edward Faulkner ’03, MEng ’04, and Abe Kunin ’03 — this latest installment continues a tradition that has challenged and delighted MIT alumni and puzzle enthusiasts worldwide since 1966. The new issue is available now as a digital download, marking another chapter in a legacy that began with Allan Gottlieb ’67 and has evolved through decades of mathematical and linguistic ingenuity.
The September/October 2026 Issue: What Subscribers Can Expect
The latest Puzzle Corner release offers a carefully curated set of problems spanning logic, mathematics, and wordplay. For the first time in this issue cycle, the publication includes solutions to the May/June 2026 puzzles, giving solvers a chance to check their work and learn from the official answers. The dual nature of each issue — presenting new challenges while closing the loop on previous ones — is a hallmark of the column’s structure, reinforcing a continuous cycle of engagement that keeps its readership returning quarter after quarter.
The September/October 2026 edition arrives at a moment when puzzle culture is experiencing a remarkable renaissance. From the global phenomenon of Wordle to the resurgence of cryptic crosswords and escape rooms, the appetite for structured mental challenges has never been stronger. Puzzle Corner, with its roots in the MIT community, occupies a unique space in this landscape: it is neither a mass-market app nor a casual pastime, but a curated, intellectually demanding forum where solvers are expected to wrestle with problems that often require deep mathematical reasoning or creative lateral thinking.
For those unfamiliar with the format, each Puzzle Corner issue typically presents six to ten original problems, ranging from deceptively simple to fiendishly complex. The September/October 2026 issue is no exception, offering a spread that tests everything from number theory and combinatorics to geometry and algorithmic thinking. The solutions section, meanwhile, provides not just answers but often detailed reasoning — a feature that transforms the column into a learning resource as much as a competition.
The Puzzle Corner Puzzle Crew: Who Are PC2?
The stewardship of Puzzle Corner has passed through several hands since Allan Gottlieb founded the column in 1966. The current custodians — Michael S. Branicky, ScD ’95; Edward Faulkner ’03, MEng ’04; and Abe Kunin ’03 — operate under the collective banner PC2, a nod to both their institutional affiliation and their collaborative approach to puzzle curation.
Michael S. Branicky, the lead editor, brings a background in engineering and computer science to the role. His doctoral work at MIT, completed in 1995, focused on control systems and robotics — fields that demand the same kind of systematic, logical thinking that Puzzle Corner problems reward. Branicky’s involvement ensures that the column maintains its technical rigor while remaining accessible to a broad audience of alumni, students, and outside enthusiasts.
Edward Faulkner, who earned his S.B. in 2003 and his M.Eng. in 2004, contributes expertise in software engineering and systems design. His experience building complex systems translates naturally into the construction and verification of puzzles, where the elegance of a solution often depends on the clarity of the problem statement. Abe Kunin, also graduating in 2003, rounds out the trio with a perspective shaped by years of puzzle-solving and community engagement.
The formation of PC2 represents a deliberate effort to distribute the editorial load while preserving the continuity of the column. Unlike the early decades, when Gottlieb single-handedly selected problems, corresponded with solvers, and wrote the commentary, the current model leverages a team-based approach. This allows for more diverse problem sourcing, faster response times, and a richer range of puzzle types.
How PC2 Curates the Puzzle Selection
The process of assembling each issue is far more involved than simply picking a handful of interesting problems. Branicky and his team review submissions from the readership, solicit contributions from known puzzle designers within the MIT network, and occasionally adapt classic problems for a modern audience. Each puzzle is test-solved by at least two members of the crew before publication, ensuring that the difficulty is calibrated correctly and that the solutions are watertight.
The September/October 2026 issue reflects this meticulous approach. Problems are sequenced to offer a gradient of difficulty, with earlier entries serving as warm-ups for the more demanding challenges that follow. This structure is intentional: it encourages solvers to build momentum and confidence before tackling the puzzles that require sustained concentration and creative insight.
Six Decades of Puzzle Corner: The Allan Gottlieb Legacy
To understand the significance of the September/October 2026 issue, one must appreciate the history that precedes it. Allan Gottlieb ’67 launched Puzzle Corner in 1966 as a feature in the MIT alumni magazine. What began as a modest column filled with recreational mathematics and logic problems has since grown into an enduring institution, one that has outlasted countless other magazine features and developed a fiercely loyal following.
Gottlieb, now editor emeritus, personally oversaw the column for more than fifty years. During his tenure, Puzzle Corner became a proving ground for generations of MITaaa-trained problem solvers, many of whom went on to careers in technology, academia, and finance. The column’s problems were often drafted by alumni themselves, creating a feedback loop in which the readership both consumed and produced content. This participatory model was remarkably ahead of its time, anticipating the user-generated content ecosystems that would later define the internet.
The archives of Gottlieb’s tenure — back issues from 1966 through 2022 — are preserved at cs.nyu.edu/~gottlieb/tr, a resource that allows contemporary solvers to explore decades of puzzles. These archives represent not just a collection of problems, but a historical record of mathematical culture at MIT, reflecting shifts in technological capability, pedagogical philosophy, and the kinds of puzzles that captured the community’s imagination.
More recent issues, including the 2023 through 2026 releases, are hosted at technologyreview.com/puzzle-corner, marking a transition from print-only distribution to a digital-first model. This shift has widened the column’s reach, making it accessible to an international audience that may have no direct connection to MIT but shares a passion for rigorous intellectual challenge.
What Is Puzzle Corner and How Does It Work?
Puzzle Corner is a recurring column that publishes original puzzles and their solutions, primarily for the MIT alumni community but open to any reader who wishes to participate. Each issue presents new problems and, on an alternating basis, provides solutions to the puzzles from the previous issue. Solvers are invited to submit their answers by a specified deadline — for the September/October 2026 issue, that deadline is October 1, 2026 — and the most interesting or elegant solutions are often highlighted in subsequent columns.
The column operates on a bimonthly schedule, with six issues per year. Each issue balances mathematical puzzles, logic problems, and occasionally word-based challenges. The difficulty level varies, but the column maintains a reputation for problems that reward persistence and careful reasoning rather than rote knowledge or computational brute force.
Participation is straightforward: solvers download the PDF from the Technology Review website, work through the problems at their own pace, and submit solutions via email to [email protected]. The editorial team reviews all submissions, and while only a subset receive individual recognition, the process of solving and submitting is itself the primary reward for most participants.
How to Participate in the September/October 2026 Issue
For readers eager to dive into the new puzzles, the process is simple. The full issue is available as a PDF download from the Technology Review website. Solvers are encouraged to work through the problems independently or in groups, and to submit their solutions by October 1, 2026.
Submissions should be sent to [email protected] with clear labeling of which puzzles are being solved. While the editorial team encourages complete solutions, partial progress or novel approaches to individual problems are also welcome. The most insightful solutions — whether correct or not — may be referenced in the solutions section of a future issue.
Comments, feedback, and original puzzle submissions are also accepted at the same email address. PC2 actively seeks new problems from the readership, and many of the puzzles that appear in the column originate from solvers who decided to try their hand at puzzle construction. This open submission policy has been a cornerstone of Puzzle Corner since its founding and is largely responsible for the column’s remarkable longevity and diversity of content.
The Broader Puzzle Ecosystem: Where Puzzle Corner Fits
The release of the September/October 2026 issue comes at a time of significant growth in the puzzle industry. The global puzzles and brain teasers market has expanded substantially in the past decade, driven by mobile gaming, subscription puzzle boxes, and the mainstreaming of competitive puzzle events. Yet Puzzle Corner occupies a distinct niche within this ecosystem.
Unlike commercial puzzle apps that monetize through ads or in-app purchases, Puzzle Corner remains a free, community-driven initiative. Its value proposition is not entertainment alone, but intellectual development and community connection. The puzzles are designed to be hard — often requiring hours of sustained effort — and the payoff is not a digital reward or a leaderboard position, but the satisfaction of having solved a genuinely difficult problem.
This ethos aligns closely with the MIT culture of “hacking” — not in the security sense, but in the sense of playful, creative problem-solving that pushes boundaries. Puzzle Corner is, in many ways, a formalized extension of that impulse: a space where the MIT community can flex its collective intellect without the pressures of grades or professional deadlines.
The Social Dimension of Puzzle Solving
While Puzzle Corner is often experienced individually, it has a strong social component. Many solvers gather in informal groups — over email lists, in person at alumni events, or through online forums — to discuss strategies and compare approaches. The solutions section of each issue sometimes highlights particularly creative methods, fostering a sense of shared discovery.
The September/October 2026 issue is likely to generate its own wave of discussion. As solvers work through the problems, they will inevitably encounter points of ambiguity or difficulty, and the exchange of ideas around these sticking points is part of what makes the column a living community rather than a static publication.
The Evolution of Puzzle Design: From 1966 to 2026
Comparing the September/October 2026 issue with early Puzzle Corner columns reveals both continuity and change. The core values — rigor, creativity, elegance — remain intact. But the types of problems have evolved in response to changes in mathematical knowledge, computational tools, and cultural context.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Puzzle Corner problems often drew on classical recreational mathematics: number theory, geometry, combinatorics. The problems were designed to be solved with pencil and paper, and the emphasis was on elegant derivations rather than computational heft. As personal computers became widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, some puzzles began to incorporate computational elements — not requiring programming, but often rewarding solvers who could reason algorithmically.
By the 2020s, the puzzle landscape had shifted again. The rise of online puzzle communities, the availability of sophisticated mathematical software, and the increasing mathematical sophistication of the general public have all influenced the kinds of problems that appear in Puzzle Corner. The September/October 2026 issue reflects this evolution, incorporating problems that draw on modern mathematical concepts while remaining accessible to anyone with a strong foundation in logical reasoning.
Why Puzzle Corner Matters in the Age of AI
One might ask: in an era when large language models can solve many types of puzzles, and when computational tools can brute-force through combinatorial problems, what value does a human-curated puzzle column still hold? The answer lies in the distinction between solving and understanding.
AI systems can indeed solve many Puzzle Corner problems, particularly those that involve pattern recognition or exhaustive search. But the point of Puzzle Corner has never been merely to arrive at the correct answer. It is about the process: the moment of insight, the elegant proof, the satisfaction of seeing a problem from a new angle. These experiences are fundamentally human, and they cannot be replicated by handing a problem to a machine.
Moreover, Puzzle Corner problems are designed to be solved by humans. The constraints of the format — no external resources, no computational assistance, no time pressure except the submission deadline — create a pure problem-solving environment that is increasingly rare in a world of constant digital distraction. For many solvers, the hour spent wrestling with a Puzzle Corner problem is an hour of focused, uninterrupted thinking — a luxury in modern life.
Practical Guidance for New Solvers Approaching the September/October 2026 Issue
For those picking up Puzzle Corner for the first time, the September/October 2026 issue is an excellent entry point. The presence of solutions from the previous issue means that new solvers can study the format and style of official answers before attempting the current problems. This “answer key” function is invaluable for learning the conventions of puzzle presentation and solution writing.
A few practical suggestions for first-time solvers: start with the problems that seem most approachable; read each problem statement carefully, as Puzzle Corner puzzles often contain subtle constraints that are easy to overlook; and do not be discouraged if a solution does not come quickly — many regular solvers report spending multiple sessions on a single problem. The deadline of October 1, 2026 provides ample time for thoughtful work.
Returning solvers will find the familiar structure and quality they expect, along with the fresh content that keeps the column vital. The September/October issue occupies a particular place in the calendar: it arrives at the start of the academic year, a time of renewed intellectual energy, and carries solvers through the transition from summer to autumn.
The Digital Transition and Archival Access
The availability of the September/October 2026 issue as a PDF represents the culmination of a gradual digital transition that has reshaped how Puzzle Corner reaches its audience. For decades, the column was available exclusively in print, nestled within the pages of the MIT alumni magazine. Readers who missed an issue had to track down a physical copy or rely on photocopies passed among friends.
The digital archive at technologyreview.com/puzzle-corner has changed this dynamic entirely. Every issue from 2023 onward is freely available for download, and the back catalog through 2022 at cs.nyu.edu/~gottlieb/tr ensures that no puzzle is truly lost. This accessibility has broader implications: it allows educators to use Puzzle Corner problems in classrooms, enables casual solvers to explore at their own pace, and preserves the column’s intellectual legacy for future generations.
The digital format also enables features that were impossible in print: color diagrams, hyperlinked references, and the ability to zoom in on complex figures. The September/October 2026 PDF takes advantage of these capabilities, presenting puzzles with clean typography and well-rendered graphics that enhance the solving experience.
As the column approaches its seventh decade, the transition from print to digital is more than a logistical convenience — it is a strategic necessity. Younger audiences expect digital access, and the expanded reach ensures that Puzzle Corner will continue to attract new solvers even as its original readership ages. The September/October 2026 issue is thus not just another installment in a long-running series; it is part of a deliberate effort to ensure that Puzzle Corner remains relevant for another sixty years.
The release of this issue invites solvers old and new to engage with a tradition that has defined recreational mathematics at MIT for generations. Whether you are a seasoned veteran who remembers solving puzzles in the Gottlieb era, or a newcomer encountering Puzzle Corner for the first time, the September/October 2026 issue offers a gateway into a community built on curiosity, rigor, and the shared joy of a problem well solved.
