Jerry Slocum (born July 5, 1931) is an American historian, collector and author specializing on the field of mechanical puzzles.
He worked as an engineer at Hughes Aircraft prior to retiring and dedicating his life to puzzles.
In the introduction Martin Gardner predicted that the book would "remain a classic for decades."
The first eight International Puzzle Parties (an event dedicated to discussing, showing, and trading mechanical puzzles) were held in Slocum's Beverly Hills living room and evolved into an annual by-invitation-only event rotating between North America, Europe, and Asia.
Slocum has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books on the topic of puzzles.