He is active in the popularisation of mathematics and was awarded the Zeeman medal [1] in 2017 for excellence in the promotion of maths.
He is best known for his books, including the bestselling Why Do Buses Come in Threes?
His first book was What is a Googly?, an explanation of cricket for Americans and other newcomers to the game.
[2] He is also a puzzle setter and adviser for New Scientist magazine and he has appeared frequently on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live.
[3] He is a former pupil of The King's School, Chester, and has a degree in engineering and management science from the University of Cambridge.