Piet Hein

Piet Hein (1905-1996) was a Danish poet, mathematician, and designer, and the inventor of the game of Hex. He is widely known for his contributions to both the literary and mathematical worlds, and as the inventor of the Soma cube.

He is most famous in Denmark and Scandinavia for his collections of short poems, which he called "grooks." These poems, which were mostly written in Danish, have been widely popular in the region for decades. Some of these poems have been translated into English by Hein himself. The following is an example, which should be taken to heart by all Hex players:

The road to wisdom?

Well, it's plain

and simple to express:

Err

and err

and err again

but less

and less

and less

Piet Hein designed many Hex puzzles.

External links

• Piet Hein Homepage
• Notes on Piet Hein
• Grooks by Piet Hein