Fill Me In

Latest Episodes:

Fill Me In #377: The last stop on the WOTY junket. Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian are graced with the return of The Barnacle! Ben Zimmer stops by with the inside scoop on the Word of the Year (which earned us an "explicit" rating). Other news: 64-card decks, Brian doesn't know the difference between Latin and French, and this week's "Kealoa," featuring ACME vs. APEX.

Stuff to click:

American Dialect Society's 2022 Word of the Year wrapup
another article about it, this time in Rolling Stone
Follow Ben Zimmer on Twitter!
Follow the American Dialect Society on Twitter!
500, the card game with 64 cards
upcoming cryptic crossword stream on January 18 with Will Nediger, Hayley Gold, and guests from The Rackenfracker
spend $478.56 to get the framed crossword from "All About Steve"

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matter! Please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. This will help new listeners find our show, and you'll be inducted into the Quintuple Decker Turkey Club.

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Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

We're putting these words here to help with search engine optimization. We don't think it will work, but you probably haven't read this far, so it doesn't matter: baseball, crossword, crosswords, etymology, game, hunt, movies, musicals, mystery, oscar, pizza, puzzle, puzzles, soup, trivia, words

Fill Me In #376: Thank you for that emotional ride. Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian find great joy in an FMI tribute puzzle, attempt to learn the word "veridical," fail to remember what is or is not a sea, and play a second rendition of "Kealoa," this time featuring ROAM vs. ROVE.

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #375: Not exactly sure what kind of animal Flounder is. Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

Happy New Year! This week, Ryan and Brian learn more about The Little Mermaid, reflect on the value of a V-neck sweater, and introduce a new game show, "Kealoa!"

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #374: I don't understand it, but I love talking about it. Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian learn a bit more about folding paper, attempt to make sense of soup, and analyze the minutiae of a musicalized Disney princess.

Stuff to click:

join our Discord for some extremely sparse conversation
"Despacito," if (like Brian) you've never seen it
Blooming Onion vs. Bloomin' Onion
come see The Little Mermaid in Syracuse!

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #373: Slap it on where it hurts. Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian get some education in math, Italian playing cards, and baseball players who don't belong in the Hall of Fame. If anyone can teach us how to make Rows Gardens, that would be pretty cool.

Stuff to click:

Peter Gordon's Fireball Newsflash Crosswords
Steve Mossberg's Square Pursuit (and the upcoming Eight Cryptic Nights suite)
Will Nediger's Twitch stream (to watch Will, Hayley Gold, and others on Friday, December 16 at 9pm)
apparently "A Touch of Moon" is a thing ...
come see The Little Mermaid in Syracuse!

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #372: I have retroactive wiseness. Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan turns FIFTY! Also, he and Brian learn a little more about acrostics, hear from the time-traveling Hersh family, propose a new club (not the sandwich) (though the sandwich comes up in conversation as well).

Stuff to click:

Alex Boisvert's Crossword Nexus, including the Acrostic Machine
Taylor Johnson's Lemonade Disco project
come see The Little Mermaid in Syracuse!

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #371: 56% sugar by weight. Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian discuss getting older, examine the history of cereal, and ponder the predictive powers of musical theater programming in central New York.

Stuff to click:

Crossword Discord -- worried about the demise of Twitter (and Crossword Twitter)? Join Discord!
Blockables.app -- new online word game
come see The Little Mermaid in Syracuse!
cereals of the day: Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, Lucky Charms

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #370: I don't know if it's quartz or tornado. Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian learn more about the world's quietest room, explore the intricacies of clefs, and consider the realities of time.

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #369: That's billion with a B. Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian dream of winning the lottery, bemoan the realities of baseball and America, and invent a new kind of pastrami. Puzzle content shows up eventually, but if you like the other typical nonsense, we've got you covered.

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #368: Oh my god, another goose. Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian reminisce various random memories from the 1970s and 1980s, ponder the pros and cons of being forced to watch "Stayin' Alive" in perpetuity, and then declare (but later redact) that Will Nediger can do no wrong.

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

Drop us a note or a Tweet or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you.

Helpful links:

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

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