A Problem Squared
Matt Parker and Bec Hill present: A Problem Squared. 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 (53)
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’BoardnessHead to our socials to...
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...
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,...
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 BusinessHead to our socials to play along with The Price...
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 AOBusinessThanks to our excellent experts appearing in voicenote form - Dr Ben...
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-nessHead to our socials to see the card shuffle and patterns, Bec’s starstruck selfie,...
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 BusiHere’s some baby naming code from Colin...
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...
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...
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 AOBHead to our socials to see Matt’s excellent...
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 AOBusyHead to our socials to see some fantastic representations of 2D meets 3D meets 4D...
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...
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 lifeHere is NASA’s Press Release about navigation on the...
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 waveYou can find the data-basis for the alphabetically...
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 BusinessYou can find Matt’s Divisibility Rules video...
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...
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...
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:...
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...
🍌 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...
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,...
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,...
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...
🎼 What is the least popular instrument in an orchestra?
🍎 Matt is appalled.
🔮 Another unplanned, unexpected mystery segment!
💼 And the business...
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...
✍️ 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...
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...
💙What are the most extreme examples of something old, something blue, something borrowed, something new?
💎What’s up with diamond birthdays?
🔥A new...
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...
🗺 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...
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...
🔭 Why are we seeing the Aurora Borealis in the UK?
📈 Business of an any other nature.
If you want...
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...
💿 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...
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...
🗳 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...
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...
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...
🕰 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...
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...
🦈 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...
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...
🪙 How long will it take to sell 400 Lincoln memorial pennies for $20,000?
🔔 We have DINGS!
🧳 And the business briefcase is...
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...
🐍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...
088 = Tired Tires and Curvy Cubes
🚘 What happens when tires get tired?
🧊 What is the equation for the curve on a spinning Ruibik’s cube?
📜 And there’s some pin related AOB!
Find out more about the counting crows here:...
🧊 What is the equation for the curve on a spinning Ruibik’s cube?
📜 And there’s some pin related AOB!
Find out more about the counting crows here:...
087 = Climbing Cliffses and Cloning Eclipses
🧗 Is it possible to climb every mountain?
🌞 Can you simulate an eclipse if you miss the real thing?
📜 And some loose ends (and change), in AOB!
If you’d like to enter the very same gravel race as...
🌞 Can you simulate an eclipse if you miss the real thing?
📜 And some loose ends (and change), in AOB!
If you’d like to enter the very same gravel race as...
086 = Emoji Editions and Birthday Billions
🙏 Is this emoji praying hands or a high five?
🍚 What's the best present for celebrating a billion seconds?
💼 For the first time we have Any Other Business WITH SPECIAL GUESTS!
If you want a...
🍚 What's the best present for celebrating a billion seconds?
💼 For the first time we have Any Other Business WITH SPECIAL GUESTS!
If you want a...
085 = Coin Collections and Pin Selections
🪙 How many coins would you need to sort through to collect all commemorative €2 coins in circulation?
📍How do you display enamel pins?!
💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…mostly open.
Here’s...
📍How do you display enamel pins?!
💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…mostly open.
Here’s...
084 = Indicators and In Da Cake-ers
In this episode...
🎂 Where did birthday cake come from?
🚗 How come my indicator is never in sync with other cars waiting to turn?
💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase.
Nina,...
🎂 Where did birthday cake come from?
🚗 How come my indicator is never in sync with other cars waiting to turn?
💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase.
Nina,...
083 = Sunbeams and Dog Dreams
🌒 What’s the best place to see the next solar eclipse?
💤 Do animals dream?
💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…half open.
Send your problems and solutions to our website:...
💤 Do animals dream?
💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…half open.
Send your problems and solutions to our website:...
An Emergency Broadcast to Solve an Emergency Problem.
🔔🚨This is an emergency broadcast🚨🔔
Unfortunately a bout of sudden food poisoning has got in the way of our latest recording session. Everyone's safe (now) but as you may have noticed, we're missing...
Unfortunately a bout of sudden food poisoning has got in the way of our latest recording session. Everyone's safe (now) but as you may have noticed, we're missing...
082 = What Is Lint and Zero Hints
In this episode...
🧺 What is lint?
👌 When does zero count?
💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase.
Please do send us your problems and solutions to the website:...
🧺 What is lint?
👌 When does zero count?
💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase.
Please do send us your problems and solutions to the website:...
081 = Pi Prize and Square Stairs
In this episode…
🥧 Can Pi ever repeat itself?
🪜 Is it impossible for cube-based stairs to be identical?
📈 And some Business of an Any Other Nature.
If you want to see the biggest hand calculation in...
🥧 Can Pi ever repeat itself?
🪜 Is it impossible for cube-based stairs to be identical?
📈 And some Business of an Any Other Nature.
If you want to see the biggest hand calculation in...
080 = Naming Clichés and Squaring Birthdays
In this episode…
🍼 What’s the best method for naming a human child?
🎊 How do you turn 45^2=2025 into a birthday celebration?
📜 AYE-YOOO-BEEEE.
Please do send us your problems and solutions to the...
🍼 What’s the best method for naming a human child?
🎊 How do you turn 45^2=2025 into a birthday celebration?
📜 AYE-YOOO-BEEEE.
Please do send us your problems and solutions to the...
079 = Driving Clockwise and Evolving Dragonflies
In this episode…
⤵ Is it faster to drive around Australia in an anticlockwise direction on the inside lane?
🐉 What were dragonflies called before there were dragons?
💼 Business of an ‘Any Other’...
⤵ Is it faster to drive around Australia in an anticlockwise direction on the inside lane?
🐉 What were dragonflies called before there were dragons?
💼 Business of an ‘Any Other’...
078 = Spinal Taps and Star Maps
In this episode…
🇺🇸 A LAT of LA chat.
⭐️ If you visited each star on the Hollywood Walk of fame in alphabetical order, how far would you have to travel?
📜 And some sort of Any Other Businesses.
Send...
🇺🇸 A LAT of LA chat.
⭐️ If you visited each star on the Hollywood Walk of fame in alphabetical order, how far would you have to travel?
📜 And some sort of Any Other Businesses.
Send...
077 = Earth That Quakes and Quick Fire Takes
In this episode…
🌏 How often do earthquakes take place in the same location, on the same date, in different years?
🔔 Dingletts, dingletts and more dingletts!
💨 A fundamental buoyancy error.
If you...
🌏 How often do earthquakes take place in the same location, on the same date, in different years?
🔔 Dingletts, dingletts and more dingletts!
💨 A fundamental buoyancy error.
If you...
076 = Human Pasta and Strada Romana
In this first episode of 2024…
🍝 How long would human spaghetti be?
🏛 Do all roads actually lead to Rome?
📜 We have new old business for a new new year.
P.S episode not intentionally Italy themed....
🍝 How long would human spaghetti be?
🏛 Do all roads actually lead to Rome?
📜 We have new old business for a new new year.
P.S episode not intentionally Italy themed....
075 = Roman Recursion and Role-Play Immersion
In this episode…
🏺 What is the biggest roman numeral word?
🎲 How do I get my friends to play D&D?
🪵 A Christmas Stumpdate!
💼 And the business briefcase is OPEN.
If you'd like some extra listening...
🏺 What is the biggest roman numeral word?
🎲 How do I get my friends to play D&D?
🪵 A Christmas Stumpdate!
💼 And the business briefcase is OPEN.
If you'd like some extra listening...
074 = Chocolate Powder Fails and Consonant/Vowel Details
On this episode…
🍫 Can you prevent hot chocolate from clumping?
🖊 When is a vowel a vowel?
👾 We have some Discord news!
💼 And a small amount of Business, of Any Other nature.
The holidays have...
🍫 Can you prevent hot chocolate from clumping?
🖊 When is a vowel a vowel?
👾 We have some Discord news!
💼 And a small amount of Business, of Any Other nature.
The holidays have...
073 = Farting Thrust and Pocket Mistrust
In THIS episode…
💨 How low would gravity need to be for farts to lift you off the ground?
👖 Is there a solution to suboptimal trouser pockets?🔔 Ding ding ding!
📜 Business, fresh from the Any Other...
💨 How low would gravity need to be for farts to lift you off the ground?
👖 Is there a solution to suboptimal trouser pockets?🔔 Ding ding ding!
📜 Business, fresh from the Any Other...
072 = The Perfect Paint Set and Rubik's Reset
In this episode...
🎨 What's the best hypothetical paint set?
🧊 Can a single turning pattern return a Rubik's cube to where it started?
🛰 And some Any Orbital Business!
If you want to weigh in on...
🎨 What's the best hypothetical paint set?
🧊 Can a single turning pattern return a Rubik's cube to where it started?
🛰 And some Any Orbital Business!
If you want to weigh in on...
071 = Snap Probability and Zombie Mobility
In this episode...
🃏 Is the probability in a game of snap changed if two packs of cards are used?
🧟 Can zombies ride bikes?
🥣 A commemorative plate-bowl update.
👻 And some Any Other...
🃏 Is the probability in a game of snap changed if two packs of cards are used?
🧟 Can zombies ride bikes?
🥣 A commemorative plate-bowl update.
👻 And some Any Other...
070 = Speaking Profanities and Lettered Localities
In this episode... 📣 Which words sound rude in other languages? ✏️ Which letters go where most often? 🛩 And some any aeroplane-autobahn business! Tony has give us some fantastic Maths Decor....
069 = Tiling Planes and Driving Planes
In this episode... - What is the optimal maths based pattern to decorate a rented home? - Is it possible to fly a plane on the autobahn? - And some bloody brilliant Any Other Business ...
About this Podcast
Copyright
Matt Parker, Bec Hill
Language
en-us
Categories
Comedy