James Grime
James Grime is a mathematician and presenter who shares puzzles, number theory and codebreaking through singingbanana, Numberphile and live talks.
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Latest
James’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Numberphile
Numberphile
Numberphile
YouTubeOverview
- Work
- Mathematician, video presenter and public speaker
- Education
- Mathematics at Lancaster University; PhD in mathematics at the University of York
- First maths videos
- 2008, on singingbanana
- Wider audience
- Helped launch Numberphile with Brady Haran in 2011
- Special interests
- Cryptography, group theory, combinatorics, probability and number theory
Mini bio
How it started.
James studied mathematics at Lancaster and then earned his PhD at York. His interests range from symmetry and networks to probability and secret messages. He later joined Cambridge’s Millennium Mathematics Project, running the Enigma Project to bring codebreaking into schools and public events.
From friends to Numberphile.
He began making maths videos on singingbanana in 2008 to entertain friends. Puzzles and tricks gradually took over a channel that also featured juggling and dancing. In 2011, Brady Haran invited him to help create Numberphile, which launched on 11 November. James became one of its recurring presenters, exploring everything from infinity to the Enigma machine.
Maths you can get your hands on.
After leaving the Millennium Mathematics Project in 2014, James continued giving talks about codebreaking and other mathematical ideas. His work also includes teaching cryptography for Cambridge’s International Summer Programme. Recent projects span MathsWorld London events, school visits and a published puzzle about rearranging seven dice.
Creditschronological, newest first
Videos and audio
- 2026Squaring the TrianglePresenter, Numberphile
- 2025Introducing MathsWorld LondonCreator and presenter, singingbanana
- 2025Games Time with James GrimeGuest, Finite Group livestream
- 2023Go First DicePresenter, Numberphile
- 2013Flaw in the Enigma CodePresenter, Numberphile
- 2012Infinity is bigger than you thinkPresenter, Numberphile
Writing
- 2026The Seven Dice ShuffleAuthor, Recreational Mathematics Magazine
- 2007The hook fusion procedure for Hecke algebrasAuthor, Journal of Algebra
Awards
Quotes
I never had a special maths day when I was at school, which is a shame because I would have eaten that up!James Grime, Lancaster University
Reflecting on his visit to Lancaster University School of Mathematics in an article published in April 2025.
Trivia
- His hobbies include juggling and unicycling.
- He remembers watching Johnny Ball explain maths on television as a child.
- Numberphile’s launch date was deliberately chosen as 11.11.11.
Find James
Find his puzzles, videos and live talks on his official channels.
Are you James Grime?
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