Marilyn vos Savant

Marilyn vos Savant is an American author and magazine columnist best known for writing the long-running “Ask Marilyn” advice-and-puzzle column in *Parade* magazine.

Marilyn vos Savant is an American author and columnist best known for writing the long-running “Ask Marilyn” advice-and-puzzle column in *Parade* magazine. She gained widespread recognition after *The Guinness Book of World Records* listed her as having the highest recorded IQ, a category later retired.

What it is

Marilyn vos Savant (born Marilyn Mach on August 11, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American writer and columnist. Since 1986, she has authored the Sunday column “Ask Marilyn” for *Parade* magazine, which features puzzle-solving and answers to readers’ questions on various subjects.

Why it matters

Vos Savant became a household name after her 1990 column explaining the Monty Hall problem, a probability puzzle that sparked widespread public discussion. Her Guinness record for the highest recorded IQ brought attention to the limits of IQ testing, as the category was later retired due to reliability concerns.

Key details

Her birth name was Marilyn Mach. She has been active in writing since 1986. The Monty Hall problem response is one of her most famous works, and her fame in logic and probability makes her a familiar reference for Canadian readers interested in puzzles and science communication.