A Problem Squared
By Matt Parker, Bec Hill
A podcast dedicated to solving problems of all kinds, such as, "What should I listen to right now?". A Podcast Squared. First one's free. You're welcome.
Episodes released twokly on Mondays.
136 = How to Discuss The Number e and When to Disclose the "Real Me"
#️⃣ What’s the best way to explain the number e to an 8-year-old?
💗 How early in a relationship should you reveal that you’re a bit weird?
🤧 And there’s some any other blow-your-nose-ness
Head to our socials to see The Beautiful Old Calculator and The World’s Tallest Comedian.
Matt is bringing An Evening of Unnecessary Detail to New York! The Bell House, Brooklyn on Sunday 12th July. Tickets can be found here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/300064B84CCCF567
Matt has extended his tour - and he’s filming the show in London in October - all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
135 = Pasta Water Solution and QR Code Substitution
🍝 Why do we put salt in pasta water?
👾 Can you put bespoke characters in to a QR Code?
🌼And Spring Has Sprung (in the UK) so there’s some Any Other Bloomsness
Head to our socials to see some frankly-very-silly-but-fully-operational QR Codes.
Boiling and Freezing Points of Pure and Salty Water https://van.physics.illinois.edu/ask/listing/1457
Matt has extended his tour - and filming the show in London in October - all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
134 = Tooth and Rock Day 2026
🤘To mark the May Birthday of Dwayne 'The' 'Tooth Fairy' 'Rock' Johnson, Episode 134 is a Tooth and Rock Special!
🪨 Matt answers your rock-based queries and shares a Salt of the Perth update
🦷 Bec and Dentist Sophie answer your tooth-based queries and shares an Adult Tooth Fairy update
Head to our socials to look at some incredibly detailed Salt of the Perth imagery.
And relatedly…
Lead Explained:
Thallium in Salt Substitutes: A Possible Health Hazard:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0013935177900433
And here’s Matt’s Moving Mountains sources:
https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption
https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/courses/eosc350/content/foundations/properties/density.htm
Matt has extended his tour - and filming the show in London in October - all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here:
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
133 = Oeuf-Bran Geometry and Huffman Decoder Tree
🥣 What percentage of a box of Weet-Bix is wheat again?
🥚 What shape is an egg?
💬 What’s the most efficient way to write your name on a Pop-it Fidget Toy?
👎 And would you like some AOB? We won’t take no for an answer
Head to our socials to see all the Weet-Bix Pix, lots of names efficiently spelt out on a Pop-It Fidget Toy, lots of Girl Scout cookies, and a sheep being sheared by a robot…
The Sheep’s Back Museum, Naracoorte
https://thesheepsbackmuseum.org.au/
Creation: Between Art and Mathematics Exhibition in Paris: https://www.ihp.fr/en/news-science-and-society/creation-between-art-and-mathematics
Laura Taalman’s Granny Life Crochet:
https://www.grannylifecrochet.com/
Get your own Egg-Shaped Spinning Top:
https://mathsgear.co.uk/products/phitop
Eve’s beautiful cross-stitch:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWY-_qzivz6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
Matt has extended his tour - and filming the show in London in October - all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here:
And there is a Kickstarter to fund production of the filmed show, which you can get involved with here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/standupmaths/getting-triggy-with-it
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
132 = Insistuvree and Bix of Weet
🔠 Are there any English words containing four letters in alphabetical order?
🥣 What percentage of a box of weet-bix is wheat?
🎪 And there is some any other bah-bah-bahbahbahbah-buh-buh-business
Head to our socials to see Bec’s post-show photos and videos from her Adelaide run including Morgan and Morgan's mum’s tooth, Scott and the 6-7 shirt and Karn and his incredible APS Flipchart. You’ll also find Matt’s list of all the 4-letters-alphabetised words and one of the many bridges.
Matt has extended his tour - and filming the show in London in October - all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here:
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
131 = Microwave Conventions and Pythagoral Dimensions
👋 When microwaving food, should you place it in the centre, or off to the side?
📐 Does the longest diagonal in a 1m sided cube in 4D square equal root 4?
🐨 And there’s some Bonus Other Business.
Head to our socials to see Bec’s Photographic Exhibition of Australian Wildlife, Cubie the Moon Rover, Bec’s Poppadom Experiment, Matt’s Pythagorean Whiteboard Action, and the first glimpse of the most confusing game of Connect 4 ever to be played. A surprisingly visual audio podcast… so it’s all happening over on BlueSky / Twitter / Instagram
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
130 = Sly Skittles Claim and Why Sniffles Name?
🌈 Is it true that "No Two Packs Of Skittles Are The Same?”
🤧 Why a cold called cold?
🤫 And there’s some ASMROB
Head to our socials to see Matt’s Mission Patches, Matt’s Calculator, and the Skittles Combinatorics!
The Liberation Laser Software by Seb Lee-Delisle
The Skittle Maths by Clare Wallace
https://www.clarewallace.co.uk/skittles
And some Norfolk Punch, if you’re so inclined
If you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here:
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
129 = People off Ground and Pound for Pound
🛫 How many people are flying in the air at any given moment?
⚖️ What weighs a pound and costs a pound?
🏈 And there’s some Any Other (Foot)Ballness
Head to our socials to see Bec’s glasses 🤓Pat Patriot 🇺🇲and our Pound for Pound items!
Here is a link to the book Flying With Confidence (which helped Producer Laura with her fear of flying and also helped her answer the problem correctly!)
They Did The Math, They Did The Monster Math on Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/
https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemonstermath/
Flight Radar 24: https://www.flightradar24.com/
If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026
And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard! If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
128 = AMA 2^7 Special
❓ Have you sent in a question for our AMA episode?
❔ Have Matt and Bec answered it in this AMA episode?
⁉️ Here are your AMA questions, answered!
We’ll be back solving your problems as normal in Episode 129!
If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026
And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
127 = Labelling Consumables and Conceivable Numerals
🫘 Can we come up with some fun names for common pantry items?
🔢 What's the smallest number that has never been written down in human history?
🧂 And there’s a sprinkling of Any Other Business.
Numberphile’s take on a number NOBODY has thought of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdZrxkix9Mk
Every Time "67" Has Been Said on Numberphile, if you dare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlJMJfPPnVA
Googolplex Written Out: http://www.googolplexwrittenout.com/
If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026
And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard! If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
126 = Temperature Levels and Special Vessels
🧊 Why doesn’t the coldest day fall on the shortest day?
🥂 If you don’t drink, what can you use fancy drinking glasses for?
🏊 And we take the plunge into some Any Other Brrrrrrrness.
If you’d like to read about defibrillator testing using a turkey, here’s the paper sent in by Hans: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12879378/
If you’d like to see Matt and Bec - alongside Steve Mould and Helen Arney and more - at An Evening Of Unnecessary Detail in London on Monday 26th January, you can get tickets here:
https://www.universe.com/events/an-evening-of-unnecessary-detail-tickets-TFK426?ref=ticketmaster
If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026
And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows
If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode in February go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA! Please get your AMA questions in by Friday 23rd January 2026!
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
125 = Toots from Bums and Attitude Sums
💨 How many people are needed to guarantee that there is always someone farting somewhere?
🔠 If you match each letter with the corresponding number in the alphabet and add them together, which words add up to 100.
🏁 And there is some unfinished business.
Head to our socials for pictures of Matt’s Homemade Sea Salt and Bec’s Brilliant Branding, an assortment of Massive Hourglasses, the beautiful sketch of Bec, and a smiley jerk on the beach in the sunshine 🌅
Here is the full list of words that add up to 100 (and do be warned that it contains some words that may not be suitable for young eyes)
If you have a suggestion of dates for us to do a Rock Special and a Tooth Special,, go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com and select ‘Solution’ and do mention ‘International Teeth Day’
See Matt on tour in 2026!
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
124 = Dangerous Angling and Harmonious Wrangling
👼 What is the Angle of Death?
🎼 What is the best filing system for sheet music?
🎄And there’ll be some A-ho-ho-ho-B
If you have any maths-studio-based-names for the Newdio, go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com and select ‘Solution’ and be as funny and punny as possible!
If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode in February go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA!
See Matt on tour in 2026! http://standupmaths.com/shows
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard - and a special APS Christmas Card!
If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
123 = The Science of Fries and Mounting Sea Level Rise
🍟 Why does the nutritional value of frozen chips change depending on whether they are cooked in an air fryer or in an oven?
⛰️ How large a mountain could we make from 2.2 meters of dredged sea bed (combatting sea level rise in the process)?
🃏And there’ll be some AOB, as easy as 123.
Head to our socials for pics of LIVE MATHS, chip nutritional values, post-Totoro Bec, ESA Souvenirs.
If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode in February go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA!
See Matt on tour in 2026! http://standupmaths.com/shows
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard. If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
122 = Shocking Theories with Quickfire Queries
🔥 How many quickfire problems is it possible to solve in a single episode of A Problem Squared?
🧑💼 Why is Matt dressed like a maths teacher?
🃏And we will deal out some Any Other Business
If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA!
A chicken slapping machine - click to view at your own risk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68L6JA_CnmU
Here’s where you’ll find the video of Matt in 374 different outfits (and the 375th outfit is on our socials)
https://www.youtube.com/@standupmaths/videos
From AOB here’s Chris’ working…
https://chrisboettner.github.io/blog/posts/2025-10-28-card_game_blog.html
…and here’s Dede’s working…
https://github.com/dedebenui/cardgame
See Matt on tour!
Specifically, see Matt in London on Monday 1st December!
https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/matt-parker/
Or if you would like to see Bec in Brighton on Monday 1st December, tickets are here:
https://www.komedia.co.uk/shows/john-luke-roberts-geoffrey-chaucers-mediaeval-christmas-festivitye/
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard. If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
121 = Bi-annuals and Diagonals
🗓️ Does bi-weekly mean every two weeks or twice a week?
🧊 What is the name of the line between two opposing corners of a cube?
🕑 And daylight will be saved with some Any Other Brightness.
For more on Rupert and Nopert Shapes:
Euler Brick: https://mathworld.wolfram.com/EulerBrick.html
Tom7 - Rupert's Snub Cube and other Math Holes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH4MviUE0_s
Tom7’s Print files for Platonic, Archimedean and Catalan Solids: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1617011-platonic-archimedean-and-catalan-solids#profileId-1706419
Follow Dr Ben Whittle, The Excellent Etymologist, on Instagram! @schnebwhittle
Joey Parrish and his Sega Slides https://github.com/joeyparrish/sega-slides
See Matt on tour! http://standupmaths.com/shows
Specifically, see Matt in London on Monday 1st December! https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/matt-parker/
Or if you would like to see Bec in Brighton on Monday 1st December, tickets are here: https://www.komedia.co.uk/shows/john-luke-roberts-geoffrey-chaucers-mediaeval-christmas-festivitye/
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard. If you’re already on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
120 = Dealing Probability and Healing Gullibility
🃏 What are the odds of actually winning Morgan’s very specific, very fun card game?
🤯 Are people more gullible now? And what are the best ways to persuade someone they are wrong?
👻 And, appropriate to the season, there will be some Any Other Boooooooooooooosness
If you have some ingenious suggestions of what Matt can do in lunar gravity, head to www.aproblemsquared.com and submit your idea as a ‘Solution’
Head to our socials to see Matt’s graph plot and stats on the odds of winning the card game, as well as Bec’s beautifully laid out existence proof of the 52 Card Game!
Some further reading on The Gullibility Problem:
Why are people so gullible? https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20160323-why-are-people-so-incredibly-gullible
Research paper on political extremism: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797612464058
Nobel Disease: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease
And some tetrahedron-shaped packaging - or TetraPaks, if you will:
TetraPak: https://www.tetrapak.com/solutions/packaging/packages
SunnyBoys: https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/2016-goodbye-sunnyboy/
See Matt on tour! http://standupmaths.com/shows
And if you want to see Matt in London on Monday 1st December, tickets are here: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/matt-parker/
Or if you want to see Bec in Brighton on Monday 1st December, tickets are here: https://www.komedia.co.uk/shows/john-luke-roberts-geoffrey-chaucers-mediaeval-christmas-festivitye/
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
119 = Proportions by Bananas and Polygons from Lava
🍌 Is there a more consistent system of measuring things (and is it ‘Banana For Scale’)?
🌋 Why and how do hexagons occur in nature?
🔔 And there will be a whole Bec of Any Other Becness
Head to our socials to see Matt and Bec playing The Metre Game, lots of bananas for scale, and Matt sporting some very fetching headwear.
Some further reading on the origins of ‘Banana For Scale’:
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/banana-for-scale
Some further reading on hexagons in basalt:
European Geoscience Union article:
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.154301
See Matt on tour!
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt:
https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
118 = Rolling Eyes and Juggling Highs
🎲 What are the odds of rolling snake eyes? (And does it make for good TV?)
🤹How long does it take to learn to juggle with seven balls?
🛌 And there’s some Any Other Bed’n’Boardness
Head to our socials to see Matt and Bec in action, rolling dice and juggling balls!
To find out more about our juggling expert Darryl J Carrington, head to his insta: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPTqhTwDEeb/?igsh=MXdyMDJvNGhma2ZtNg==
And here’s Colin Wright’s video about Sideswap: “Juggling by Numbers - Numberphile” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwgusHjA0Y
Here are Jasper’s links (in Dutch and in English) about the Belgian family and their children’s themed names
https://vrtnws.be/p.NvjDVZw5w (Dutch)
https://www.reddit.com/r/tragedeigh/comments/17h7ka6/gwenny_32_is_pregnant_of_a_twelfth_child_a/ (English)
And here are the visualised shuffles of the card question in Episode 113
Tom - https://tehtommeh.github.io/riffle-me-this/
Bernhard - https://www.bernhard-werner.de/assets/cindy/applets/card_weave.html
Shaun - https://svermaak.github.io/VisualiseCardShuffle/
See Matt on tour!
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
A Problem Squared - Emergency Episode!
Unfortunately, Matt has been ill and lost his voice so we were unable to record the episode that should be coming out this week.
To make up for it, we are releasing an episode of the usually-Patreon-only I Am A Wizard for you to listen to. It's the one from April this year and features a magical offer from our listener who is, apparently, a wizard - USBinPRL. But we begin with a message from Bec, who can still speak.
If you want more wizarding silliness then join our Patreon at patreon.com/aproblemsquared - you'll get access to all the past episodes of I Am A Wizard, a new wizard episode every month, and early access to all episodes of A Problem Squared!
Normal Service will be resumed in Two Weeks!
117 = Visualising Hacks and Unusual Icy Snacks
👁️ How do you remember things if you can’t visualisethem in your mind’s eye?
🍭 What’s the best shape for a freeze pop?
🪣 And there’s some Any Other Beachness
Head to our socials to see freeze pop pics, Matt(not that one)’s tooth and the AOB gifts!
Here’s a link to the University of Exeter’s The Eye’s Mind project: https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/eyesmind/
And here’s a selection of freeze pops and anti-prisms…
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/del-monte-quality-pineapple-freeze-pop-8-x-62ml
https://www.vimto.co.uk/vimto-range/product/vimto-pyramids/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_antiprism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disphenoid
See Matt on tour! http://standupmaths.com/shows/
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
116 = Guess The Right Price and Why Teeth Might Splice
￡ What’s the optimum strategy to win The Price Is Right?
🦷 Why have Tim’s baby teeth fallen apart?
🛠️ And there’s some Any Other Billy Bookcase Business
Head to our socials to play along with The Price Is Right and to see a video of Ikea Wars!
Here are the GIANT LETTERS sent in by Phillip:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yZaofcfNPaF5HyX17
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillside_letters
If you’re in Edinburgh for the Fringe, get tickets to see Bec here:
https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And get tickets see to Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt:
https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
115 = Jolly Good Euphemising and Hollywood Sign Sizing
🍆 What’s the “female equivalent” of phallic?
What’s the font size of the Hollywood sign?
🦈 And we’re always open for AOBusiness
Thanks to our excellent experts appearing in voicenote form - Dr Ben Whittle, Chella Quint OBE, and Linus Boman.
Daan’s paper in the American Journal of Archaeology which cites this very podcast: doi.org/10.1086/735650
The world’s largest enlarged letter: https://www.pleasedonotbend.co.uk/categories/world-record
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And you can get tickets see to Matt here: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky,Twitter,Instagram, and on Discord.
114 = Delectable Dips and Dealable Decks
🃏 What’s the deal with cards?
🫕 What is the perfect ratio of chips to dips?
🍔 And there’s some Any Other B-B-Q-B-ness
Head to our socials to see the card shuffle and patterns, Bec’s starstruck selfie, and our chips ‘n’ dips experiment!
For all your homemade snacking needs:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tortillas
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/homemade-tortilla-chips-guacamole-charred-tomato-salsa
It’s 5 o’chop Somewhere! (Really excellent work from Eve)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DKZSlCGIdCZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
And some info about Aphantasia as mentioned by Keith…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia
And synaesthesia…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here:
https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And you can get tickets see to Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
113 = Marg Ana Names and Mid Career Change
🚂 If you want a career change, how do you decide what to retrain as?
👶 What would be a good set of names for twins or triplets?
🦷 And there’s some Any Other Busi
Here’s some baby naming code from Colin Beveridge: https://github.com/icecolbeveridge/zoe_names
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And you can get tickets see to Matt here: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
If you are in Edinburgh and fancy seeing Matt and Bec battle it out in Ikea Wars on Sunday 10th August, tickets are here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ikea-wars
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
If you are on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky,Twitter,Instagram, and on Discord.
112 = Staring Safely At The Sun and Celebrations Off By One
🌞 How far away from the Sun do we have to travel before we can look at it without damaging our eyes?
📆 Is there an off by one error with anniversaries?
🍝 And AOB has been slow cooked and packed up in tupperware for safe storage
The starting point for Matt’s theory:
Astroid Mattparker:
https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=mattparker
Distance to Voyager 1: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/where-are-voyager-1-and-voyager-2-now/
Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here:
https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And you can get tickets to see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
111 = Mnemonic Serenading and Mechanism Naming
🎶 Why are songs easier to remember than sentences?
⚙️ Can we come up with new names (that meet strict criteria) for leader/follower motors?
🌟 And it’s a glitzy, toothy, clackety AOB
As discussed in the intro, here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:
And here's the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/standupmaths/moon-pi-were-going-to-calculate-on-the-moon
And head to our socials to see the Corris Railway Traverser!
For tickets to Bec Hill’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at the Museum of Comedy, London on 19/06/2025, go here: https://museumofcomedy.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873654374
For some glittery further reading, here’s that NYT article https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/style/glitter-factory.html
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
And you can get tickets to see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
110 = Inventive Dice and Paperwork Advice
🎲What’s the best design for non-traditional dice?
📄 What should you call paperwork that doesn’t involve paper?
🙋And it’s more a comment than a question in AOB
Head to our socials to see Matt’s excellent Angry Man In Local Newspaper photos.
If you’d like to peruse and purchase more dice variations, head here:
https://mathsgear.co.uk/collections/dice
If you have any paperlesspaperwork suggestions, join in here!
https://www.reddit.com/r/AProblemSquared/
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
And you can get tickets see Bec here:
https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
109 = Fourth Dimensions and Love Conventions
4️⃣ What would it look like to be trapped in a 4D world?
🥰 What is the meaning of marriage?
✨Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get AOBusy
Head to our socials to see some fantastic representations of 2D meets 3D meets 4D in fiction, some magical magic, and an alphabetically perfect travel route (for 40 days in 1990).
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
And you can get tickets see Bec here:
https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
108 = Proofed Mates and Proved Dates
🍻What’s the best way to politely tell a friend that they’ve had too much to drink?
🗞️ Is there a way to prove that something existed before a certain date?
❌And AOB brings us some friendly corrections…
A useful menu of alcoholic choices…
A hash of a DING!
1f2b352be3c09872b3e38083ec6f0d2b22615a99c5a446a03abf24430187c484
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
And Bec’s show will be onsale soon!
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared - including the pictures mentioned herein! - you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
107 = Megabytes and Satellites
🧱How many megabytes are actually in a gigabyte?
🌕There have been some Moon Developments…
😎And AOB will bring a little sunshine into your life
Here is NASA’s Press Release about navigation on the moon:
And some further reading from Matt:
https://www.gpsworld.com/lugre-receiver-captures-gnss-signals-in-lunar-orbit/
https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/icg/2024/WG-B_Lunar_PNT_Jun24/LunarPNT_Jun24_01_03.pdf
The Biggest Bike!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG4Gbrys3NL/?igsh=dTBqeG0wZGVpcXhs
Prawn News!
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
And Bec’s show will be onsale soon!
Make sure you look after your teeth, kids...
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
106 = Travel ABC and Art of Karate
🗺️ Is there an alphabetically perfect travel route?
🪵 What can be done with karate chopped wood?
🤙 And we ride the crest of the Any Other Business wave
You can find the data-basis for the alphabetically perfect travel route here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_number_of_land_borders
Here are some of Bec’s aesthetically pleasing solutions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=JubeLHRYl80
https://www.myveryeducatedmother.com/2015/12/turn-broken-karate-boards-into-coat-rack.html
https://www.ellemariehome.com/upcycle-karate-break-boards-into-wood-signs/#google_vignette
And you can find Brendan’s magical web app here:
https://bren.app/podcasteveryday/
If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths
And Bec’s show will be onsale soon!
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
105 = Next Prime Dates and Ancient Gag Rates
📆 When is the next Prime Number Day?
🤣 What is the oldest joke?
🪨 And we get to the rock bottom of Any Other Business
You can find Matt’s Divisibility Rules video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pLz8wEQYkA
You can read more about the world’s oldest joke here:
https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2022/08/05/sumerian-joke-one
And you can get your Philogelols right here:
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
104 = Paper Spread and Pencil Lead
📃 Is a sheet of A-45 paper big enough to wrap the earth?
✏️ Why do we still call pencil graphite lead?
👔 There’s business to attend to.
You can find Matt and Hannah’s protractor up the shard video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcdqlo3pYc&ab_channel=Stand-upMaths
Here’s Matt’s Truncatable Prime Pencil: https://mathsgear.co.uk/products/truncatable-prime-pencil?srsltid=AfmBOorhZ6qk_IAhKnCjtjoVM3wM-GXMTaFporL13aTjdOokjGG_hkxY
And the oldest known pencil in the world: https://www.penciltalk.org/2021/02/worlds-oldest-pencil
If you want to know more about that 1889 World Fair and that luxury yellow pencil you can do that here: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-little-known-reason-pencils-yellow
Here is the link to David’s MIT Maze turned Sudoku, Go check it out, it’s very cool: https://sudokupad.app/arbp91du01
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
103 = Heaps Splad and Paul’s Pad
🤫 Which synonyms are Caesar ciphers of each other?
🎨 Bec and Matt attempt to help a listener decorate their home.
💼 The tax business briefcase is wide open.
⚔️ And battleships heats up.
It’s time to go see ‘Bec Hill: Guess Who's Bec, Bec Again?’ at The Adelaide Fringe! https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-guess-who-s-bec-bec-again-bec-hill-s-bec-tell-a-friend-af2025
You can see Matt Live! https://festivalofthespokennerd.com/tickets/
Here are just some of the sources that inspired Bec’s answer to Paul’s problem:
- https://www.geekwire.com/2018/tiny-seattle-apartment-bed-ceiling-thats-part-makes-smart-home/
- https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/saving-space-4-5e43ab2209c96-jpeg__700.jpg
- https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1552627931/laptop-desk-designed-for-lying-down?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_au_en_au_a-electronics_and_accessories&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3h029YOcWlhpb2hPKJIRRlzC875u1Xd05jQ5wcB1pKVfiPHBIgyWSBoCSsAQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_22104612603_176942312567_728668009637_pla-315906365651_c__1552627931enau_102845289&utm_custom2=22104612603&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3h029YOcWlhpb2hPKJIRRlzC875u1Xd05jQ5wcB1pKVfiPHBIgyWSBoCSsAQAvD_BwE
- https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/N4OkvQNSSYkvAIQvyEpZjg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjAw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/architectural_digest_422/b0e714e92e546a10087be8044b839f94
And The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things: http://www.worldslargestthings.com/mobilemuseum.htm
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
If you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
102 = Copyright Traps and Saturday Night Gaps
✅ What’s the best way to leave your mark?
🗓️ Can Saturday Night Live be on Every Day?
📍 And there are some big locations in AOB
Top Marks: https://neatnik.net/steganographr/#results
SNL Spreadsheet: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i9leqlafx0orjfp6l8a6t/weekend_whatdate.xlsx?rlkey=vetpi2qg9etbb35jq0zculjt1&e=1&st=q5vl7052&dl=0
Big Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8kf2XcYPXWnqGqn88
See Matt Live! https://festivalofthespokennerd.com/tickets/
See Bec Live! https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-guess-who-s-bec-bec-again-bec-hill-s-bec-tell-a-friend-af2025
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
101 = Squear Data and The Big Banana (in an Aussie accent)
🔺 What are the most “interesting” years?
🍌 Bec goes big on Big Things
🎉 When Party Tricks Go Wrong
🔢 And there's some numerical AOB
Here’s Max-matics’ video that Matt mentioned - Turning a 2024 Ball Pyramid in to a 2025 Ball Square for NYE 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXUlKCIgV8U
Some further reading on the 2025 maths https://aperiodical.com/2025/01/numerical-coincidences-for-2025/
It’s a banger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJS3xnD7Mus
Some further reading on BIG THINGS -
https://www.spottobooks.com.au/shop/p/bigthings
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/figure/10.1080/14443058.2022.2144928
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
Welcome to A Problem....Suspended!
Hello you wonderful listener,
Welcome to a new year. 2025 - has a nice ring to it doesn't it?
This is a short announcement to say that there will be a very short feed break - just an episode or two, don't worry - to allow us all rest for the first two weeks of January.
Matt will tell you everything you need to know in his very organised PSA. Have a listen.
Thank you for your continuted support and understanding. We love you very much.
Bec and Matt.
100 = Orchestral Seats and Calculator Beef
To celebrate A Problem Squared’s 100th episode…
🎼 What is the least popular instrument in an orchestra?
🍎 Matt is appalled.
🔮 Another unplanned, unexpected mystery segment!
💼 And the business briefcase is (briefly) open.
A big thank you to Katie Steckles for her brilliant contributions to this episode. You can find more from her on her website: https://www.katiesteckles.co.uk/index.html, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stecks?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor, or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/katiesteckles.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
099 = Most Watched Films and Homonyms
099 = Most Watched Films and Homonyms
✍️ What single word in the English Language has the most different meanings?
📺 Is the most consumed media of all time a holiday movie or song?
🗞 There’s some Any Other Business!
⚔️ Battleships continues.
If you want to find out more about the Royal Flying Doctor Service, do that here: https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/nswact/visit/broken-hill-visitor-centre/
You can see the full contents of Bec’s new outback first aid kit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPuwoOtTFV8
If you want to learn more about WordNet (as mentioned in Matt’s problem) follow this link here: https://wordnet.princeton.edu/
If you’d like to see the trailer for what is apparently the most watched film of all time, you can do that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXqjcDchr14
And if you’d like to hear the most streamed song of all time, you can do that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHI8X4OXluQ&ab_channel=TheWeekndVEVO
Finally, IF you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer for Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
Perhaps you want to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating? If you’d like to, please do that. It really helps.
AND if you want even more from A Problem Squared (and who doesn’t) you can connect with us and other fantastic listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.
098 = Something Blue and Diamond Birthdays Too
098 = Something Blue and Diamond Birthdays Too
💙What are the most extreme examples of something old, something blue, something borrowed, something new?
💎What’s up with diamond birthdays?
🔥A new special one-time bonus section from Matt.
💼And a look into the business briefcase.
For the Diana Spencer Tiara, look no further:https://www.sothebys.com/en/digital-catalogues/power-image-royal-aristocratic-tiaras/the-spencer-tiara-r-s-garrard-1930s
Here’s an image of Ezra Jack Keats’ children’s story TheSnowy Day:
https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/galleries/childhood/item/11304.Selected from the millions of books that have been checked out of the library since 1895, Ezra Jack Keats’ children’s story The Snowy Day, described as a “charming, beautifully illustrated tale of a child enjoying the simple magic that snow brings to his city,” tops the list.
And, perhaps the best suggestion from Bec, the Blue‘Pantheon’ aka Meteor 3200:https://www.space.com/42236-weird-blue-asteroid-phaethon.html#:~:text=Asteroid%203200%20Phaethon%20is%20a,typical%20for%20comets%20than%20asteroids.
Finally, this is the Diamond Birthday Tik Tok trendmentioned in Matt’s dinglett: https://www.tiktok.com/@misshaleymichelle/video/7196331969838566702?lang=en
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinnedpost!
If you want to leave us a review, show the podcast to afriend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared youcan connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
097 = Number of Maps & Numbered Pads
097 = Number of Maps & Numbered Pads
🗺 Are there enough OS maps to cover Great Britain?
0️⃣ Why does zero come after nine on a mobile phone?
📰 And, of course, some AOB!
If you want to see Bec’s friend Amy’s summary of accessibility in Thorpe Park and theme parks more generally, head on over to her instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/longcovidrockstar/
Here is a picture of The Big Tractor: https://amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/08/giant-red-tractor-carnamah-wa-australias-big-things
You can watch a brilliant Phone Phreaking Documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FufYSx2_6Bg&ab_channel=RCW39RJ
Here’s that Numberphile vid about Phone Buttons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCSzjExvbTQ&ab_channel=Numberphile
And the 17 Designs That Bell Almost Used for the Layout of Telephone Buttons: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/the-17-designs-that-bell-almost-used-for-the-layout-of-telephone-buttons/279237/
Please send your problems and solutions into the website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
096 = Movie Pairs and Moving Flares
🎞 Why would competing studios release movies in the same year that have the same concept or plot?
🔭 Why are we seeing the Aurora Borealis in the UK?
📈 Business of an any other nature.
If you want to have a listen to Bec on Tom Scott’s podcast ‘Lateral’ you can do that here, at some point soon: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TthQOE4Fx6gBPW8l48cfN
Their book can also be brought here! It’s really good: https://lateralcast.com/book/
To see a history of solar flare data going back to 1700, follow this link here: https://www.sidc.be/SILSO/ssngraphics
Please send your problems and solutions into the website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.
095 = Friday Fears and Disco Spheres
🍀 Does the 13th really fall more frequently on Friday?
💿 How do you make a giant disco ball wearable?
🍩 And we have some any other doughness.
If you want to find out more about the cardboard related event (called Number City!) Matt attended on Orkney Island, have a look at this link: https://oisf.org/fest-event/number-city/.
Do send your problems and solutions to the website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
If you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us onTwitter,Instagram, and on Discord.
094 = The First Podcasts and Votes Precast
💿 What did the first ever podcast sound like?
🗳 How do you REALLY lose an election in the US?
📰 Business will be closed, and opened.
Thank you to Emily for the Maths mittens! To see pictures of those, head over to APS socials.
You can see the incredible Agree to Disagree podcast pages from 1999 here:
https://web.archive.org/web/19990914040650/http://www.thealph.com/agree/
https://web.archive.org/web/19991004035401/http://thealph.com/agree/about.shtml
There is also a file, but we don’t think it contains any data. Can someone help find an original review?
Do send your problems and solutions to the website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
If you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord
093 = Game Solutions and Neil Distributions
⭕ Circle Can Tic-Tac-Toe ever be fun?
🤏What is the smallest Neil called?
🗞There’s some Any Other Business!
⚔️Battleships continues.
If you want to read the works referenced by Matt in his tic-tac-toe / naughts and crosses problem, take a look below:
- Solo Noughts and Crosses, James Grime: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10724117.2023.2168434
- Tic-tac-tome, Willy Yoners: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tic-Tac-Autonomous-Playing-Book/dp/1594746877
- A Knowledge-based Approach of Connect-Four The Game is Solved: White Wins, Victor Alis: https://disi.unitn.it/~montreso/asd/docs/connect4.pdf
- Is ultimate tic-tac-toe solved? https://www.joachim-breitner.de/blog/604-Ultimate_Tic_Tac_Toe_is_always_won_by_X
Please send your problems and solutions to the website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
If you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord
092 = Broken Hands and Alexander's Bands
🌈 How many colours are really in a rainbow?
🕰 How often is a broken clock is right?
💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is open. Briefly.
🏴 And we have a NEW POST CREDITS easter egg.
To hear more about the brilliant and terrible Emily In Paris premier, listen to this episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/point-break-pt-1-season-04-episode-01/id1720149980?i=1000666164553
If you want to see where the Mattparker asteroid / minor planet is in the universe, you can locate it on this NASA database: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=314159&view=VOP
A full circle rainbow was captured by aerial photographer Colin Leonhardt while flying through a rain shower just above Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia: https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/cn_round_rainbow_australia_jc_141010_16x9_992.jpg?w=1600
And if you want to be even more wowed, you can see a reflective rainbow (or six!) in Norway: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0709/sixrainbows_nordvik_big.jpg
Finally, send your problems and solutions to our website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
If you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us onTwitter,Instagram, and on Discord
091 = Optimal Darts and Smelling Sharks
🎯 What is the optimal layout for a dart board?
🦈 How soon after a cut does a shark smell your blood?
📜 And there’s some AYE-YOOO-BEEEE.
To see the Percy Arrangement mentioned by Matt follow this link: https://www.globaldarts.de/globalDartsEN/sport/Percysboard.html
And for the “Optimal Dartboard Design” reveal, see here! https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/1980058
If you want to learn more about shark senses, check out Sensory Biologist Dr. Lauren Eve Simonitis‘s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanexplauren/?hl=en
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord
090 = Washing Machine Lies and Lincoln Penny Highs
🧺 Why is the cycle time on my washing machines always wrong?
🪙 How long will it take to sell 400 Lincoln memorial pennies for $20,000?
🔔 We have DINGS!
🧳 And the business briefcase is open!
Disclaimer: You may hear a slight change in tone on Matt's audio at points throughout, that's back up audio which sounds different.
If you want to find out more about the IMO, or International Mathematics Olympics, you can do that here: https://www.imo-official.org/
And if you’re in London and you want to experience the janky eclipse, why not visit Novelty Automation! You can find details about this gem of a place here: https://www.novelty-automation.com/10_current-machines.htm"
Finally, send your problems and solutions to our website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!
And if you like, leave us a review, pass the podcast onto a friend or give us a rating! Every little helps.
Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord
089 = Venomous Snakes and Doggy Legs
On this episode...
🐍If you pooled up all the snake venom in the world would it be enough to kill all the non-immune mammals?
👢Do dogs have 2 arms? Or do we have 4 legs?
📜And we open the business briefcase.
If you want to know more about lizard sampling, do that here: ‘Hierarchical distance sampling to estimate population sizes of common lizards across a desert ecoregion’: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.4780
There’s a great video by Technology Connections to turn signals and specifically syncing them up, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/2z5A-COlDPk?si=SWSE_FX3fuyLH1X0
You can find the rude praying hands here: https://www.reddit.com/r/teams/comments/xvpefh/can_we_please_talk_about_the_praying_emoji_on/
As always, send your problems and solutions to our website: www.aproblemsquared.com.
And, if you want more from A Problem Squared, you can also find us on Twitter, Instagram, Discord and on Patreon.
