Recommended Reading
Maths is really a subject about thinking: how to tackle a problem logically and understand the solution you find. Puzzles and brainteasers help to improve your skills, but have you considered taking up a really challenging game? By this I mean a game of skill against an opponent such as chess, backgammon or the ancient Far Eastern game of Go. All of these have quite simple rules but take a long time to master, as the strategies needed to win can be quite complex. The important thing to realise is that although the aim of playing a game is obviously to win, there is no shame in losing - rather it is an opportunity to LEARN where you went wrong or what your opponent did to beat you!
The best way to play these games is "in the flesh" against a friend or family member, and many schools will offer Chess Clubs or similar opportunities to do this. Alternatively, try a simple turn-based website such as ItsYourTurn.com, where you can register safely to play turn-based games against real opponents over minutes, hours, days or weeks!
There are, of course, many computer games available now such as "Brain Training" which will definitely help you sharpen up your problem-solving skills, but nothing beats a real battle of wits against another real person, whether they're in the same room or halfway around the world.
