A hyper-local mathematics zine, produced in Hyde Park, Austin, Texas, is gaining a cult following. Written in pen on a single folded sheet of paper, each issue has a print run of just 30 copies and is distributed within the neighbourhood.
Math educator Kevin Gately launched the Hyde Park Math Zine (HPMZ) after realising the fanzine format, popular in sports and music, could work for puzzles. “It dawned on me that there might be people in my community who find the novelty of a hyper-local math zine to be amusing and/or curious,” he said.
Each issue features three puzzles, with answers that are easy to understand, plus cover artwork. Gately adapts most puzzles from other sources. Among the problems are a perimeter puzzle, a digit-placement challenge, and a probability question about a tennis match at deuce.
Readers are invited to submit their favourite fanzines or suggest puzzles for future issues.
