On long-term predictions of the maximum sunspot numbers of solar cycles 21to 23

We have collected a set of predicted values of maximum sunspot numbers of s olar cycles 22 and 23 published in the literature and examined the characte ristics of predictions made by various methods. The precursor methods are f ound to be always superior to other prediction methods. The maximum sunspot number of solar cycle 23 is here inferred to be about 162.