🔺 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.co…

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…

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: htt…

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.o…

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/…

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/longcovid…

🎞 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 Th…

🍀 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 a…

💿 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:…

⭕ 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/10.1080/10724117.2023.21…

🌈 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-…

🎯 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.indexcopern…

🧺 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…

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 acr…

🚘 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: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0984 You can hear Bec on Ali Plumb’s podcast ‘Screen Time’ here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02r4zfx/episodes/dow…

🧗 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 Matt Parker, you can find out more details here: https://sevengravelrace.com/the-race/ You can listen to ‘Climb Any Mountain’ from the Sound of Music soun…

🙏 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 collectable (and mistake-ridden) copy of ‘Love Triangle’, with a special, limited edition book cover designed by print-artist Paul Catherall. You'll get one fre…