Paul Sloane studied engineering at Cambridge University and works in software marketing. His passion for lateral puzzles started when he met a dwarf standing on a block of ice in an elevator. His first book, Lateral Thinking Puzzlers , was published by Sterling in 1991, and has gone on to become a bestseller. Des MacHale is Associate Professor of Mathematics at University College in Cork. He has written more than 40 books, including one on John Ford's classic film The Quiet Man and another on George Boole of Boolean algebra fame. MacHale and his wife, Anne, have five children. Following a chance meeting between Paul Sloane and Des MacHale in 1991, the two have written many popular books of lateral thinking puzzles, all published by Sterling.