Fill Me In

Latest Episodes:

Fill Me In #247: The Great Vowel Shift (ca. 1400-1700) Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian's interview studio is graced by the great Ben Zimmer! Known to much of world as a renowned linguist, lexicographer, and language columnist for the Wall Street Journal (among other places), he is known on this program as "The Barnacle," and regularly delivers expertise on word origin and history. Our Contest of Still Going On is still going on (download it here), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:00pm Eastern).

Today's hot links:

benzimmer.com • Ben on Twitter • beyondwordplay.com • Wall Street Journal • The Atlantic
Amanda Rafkin's blog
P&A Magazine (get the Puzzle Runway issue and solve with us on Saturdays!)

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Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980
Google Play link:https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002
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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 #246: Make a better choice! Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian discuss Avengers, Dole Whip, and learn a ton about cryptic crosswords courtesy of a great conversation with Neville Fogarty! There's a new Contest of Now (PDF only this time), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:00pm Eastern).

Connect with Neville on Twitter or at his blog, or watch him play Pam on Merv Griffin's Crosswords. And if you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki, or 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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #245: Can I have a brief moment of didacticism about cereal? May 26, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian take a dive into a bowl of soup with Learned League 1-Day Special champion (and New Yorker food writer) Helen Rosner! Laura Braunstein (who co-smithed the LL quiz with Brian) also joins us for a conversation you don't want to miss. Our Contest of Still Going On is still going on (download it here), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:00pm Eastern).

Connect with Helen on Twitter, Instagram, or The New Yorker. (And read her article about chicken tenders.)

Connect with Laura on Twitter, or through her crossword subscription, The Inkubator.

As for Ryan and Brian ... if you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki, or 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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #244: The hidden secrets of the spreadsheet. May 19, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian welcome indie crossword legend Sid Sivakumar to the show for a conversation about indie vs. mainstream, representation, and the art of crosswords. There's a brand new contest crossword courtesy of Neville Fogarty (download it here), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:00pm Eastern).

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #243: How do you map? May 12, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian spend an inordinate amount of time being amazed at other people's skills and accomplishments, and almost completely forget to talk about crosswords. There's still a Contest of Still Going On (download it here), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:30pm Eastern).

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #242: The value of pants. May 05, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian welcome special guest Robyn Weintraub to the show! In addition to the celebrity interview, we have a new Contest of Now (download it here), and we invite you to our Twitch stream for cryptic crosswords (Wed @ 7:30pm Eastern).

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #241: There is no consistency. Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian discuss road atlases, scary numbers, and someone lets a four-letter word slip. We left it in just so we could mark this episode "explicit." The Contest of Still Going On is still going on, and you should watch us try to streamsolve a cryptic (Wed @ 7:30pm Eastern).

Article from Vice.com
New Yorker crosswords (with "partner mode")
Matt Gritzmacher's Daily Crossword Links
Sid Sivakumar – Sid's Grids

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #240: It's too blinky and bells ringing. Apr 21, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian learn about the days of the week, the months of the year, and develop a fresh fascination for the Jew's harp. There's a brand new Contest of Now (free crossword!), and you should watch us try to streamsolve a cryptic (Wed 4/22 @ 7:30pm Eastern).

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #239: What is the halfway point of things? Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian learn of more sources for cryptic crosswords, more activities to do online with others, and how many more puzzles Brian is trying to finish from 2019. The Contest of Still Going On continues here. Join R&B as they stream cryptic crosswords – Wed 4/15 @ 7:30pm Eastern.

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
RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss
Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google Voice (315-510-9892)

Fill Me In #238: Can you split the difference between what it was and what it is? Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

This week, Ryan and Brian learn why "Lost" was allegedy good, why alto horn is a legit instrument, and why we should know the name Ximenes. There's a brand new Contest of Now (get it here), and join R&B as they stream cryptic crosswords – Wed 4/8 @ 7:30pm Eastern.

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
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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