Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.
Enigmatology (WORD PUZZLES) with David Kwong
Crosswords! Puzzles! Wordles! Magic? Ah yes, world-renowned Enigmatologist David Kwong drops in to chat about the intersection of sleight of hand and brain games, covering everything from Scrabble strategies to how to get away with a surprise party unsuspected. Also: crosswords and dementia, how puzzles are like hot sauce, a secret group of Hollywood magicians, his most clever clues, cryptic crosswords, international slang, Wordle’s many derivatives, and how to get over your intimidation of all those empty squares.
Follow David Kwong on Twitter and Instagram
His website
The ENIGMAS playing card deck – with puzzles!
A donation went to lollipoptheater.org
More episode sources and links
More episodes you may enjoy: Etymology (WORD ORIGINS), Mythology (STORYTELLING), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS)
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
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Sound editing by Mark David Christenson & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn