We’re living in unprecedented times. Maybe. In this show, Jody Avirgan (538, 30for30, TED) and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt) and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley) take one moment, big or small, from that day in U.S. political history and explore how it might inform our present –– all in about fifteen minutes. New episodes release Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Sign up for the newsletter and more at ThisDayPod.com. We’re also posting about moments from the past @thisdaypod on Threa ...
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Finally, your daily puzzle fix—in audio form! Every day, New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs and his celebrity guests will puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old puzzle favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Plus, Chief Puzzle Officer Greg Pliska joins A.J. each week to present new puzzles from the Puzzle Lab. And there’s a daily Extra Credit Puzzler for our Puzzlers at home. (Answers revealed in ...
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A show about our data age. Each week, Jody Avirgan brings you stories and interviews on how data is changing lives.
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Ask Roulette is a conversation series in which strangers ask each other questions, live on stage. It's a mix of conversation, comedy, and storytelling -- there's also music. David Plotz of Slate calls it "great" and the Observer says it's one of NYC's 10 Best Podcasts. The podcast features highlights from our live events at Housing Works Bookstore in New York, including appearances by special guests. Past guests have included Robert Krulwich of Radiolab, Kurt Braunohler, Julie Klausner, Bara ...
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We can't play ultimate, but we can talk about it. Coach Speak brings you one-on-one interviews with the top coaches in Ultimate about how to find success on and off the field. Each installment focuses on one aspect of the game — planning practice, in-game adjustments, selecting Team USA — and goes deep on what players, coaches, and all of us can learn. Hosted by Jody Avirgan (FiveThirtyEight, 30for30, Radiotopia), former PoNY player and coach at the high school, national, and Team USA levels ...
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There's no better way to understand our world than through sports. Epic wins. Heartbreaking losses. The feeling you get when you look a teammate in the eye. Sports reveal the strange and fascinating psychology that competition brings out in all of us. Good Sport dives into worlds like F1 racing, table tennis, NBA shooting, and beyond. Asking questions like: Is "the zone" a real place? What are talent hotbeds, and how do we create them? And… is it still baseball if you're wearing a giant bana ...
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The Wolf Den focuses on starting and growing a new business and interviews others who are influencing the business of new media. Part of the fun is hearing about the behind the scenes building of Earwolf.
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Rembert Browne, writer and former New York Magazine and Grantland journalist, hosts a 24-hour podcast at the Anchor HQ to raise money for his former youth tennis camp, Coach Wink's NJTL, in Atlanta to attend the US Open. The podcast features conversations with various special guests recorded over 24 hours straight and published in one-hour episodes. Tune in all day and night starting Thursday, August 30th. You can donate to the cause at advantagekids.co/donate
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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SNL Turns Fifty: Our Favorite Political Sketches (1975-2025)
21:34
21:34
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21:34This weekend Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th anniversary. To help celebrate, we're bringing you an episode we recorded last fall about SNL's political impact. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the way that SNL's spoofs have changed, whether their skits have had a political impact -- and why it can be a struggle to do spoofs in the Trump era. T…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: former showrunner and writer for The Simpsons, Mike Reiss! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever…
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It's February 11th. This day in 1862, the U.S. Senate has expelled Indiana Senator Jesse David Bright for colluding with the Confederacy. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Bright remained in the senate, even after secession, and how his deep sympathies with the South were ultimately exposed. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day m…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: former showrunner and writer for The Simpsons, Mike Reiss! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: former showrunner and writer for The Simpsons, Mike Reiss! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever…
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Immigration And MAGA (Some Sunday Context)
18:38
18:38
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18:38Today, an episode from the archives that may provide some context for the news playing out today. We'll be doing more Some Sunday Context episodes -- from the archives and fresh conversations -- throghout the first year of the second Trump administration. /// Nicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries…
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It's February 6th. This day in 1968, 82 crewmembers of the U.S.S. Pueblo have been captured by North Korea, setting off a major hostage crisis in the midst of an already very tumultuous year. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the Pueblo came to be captured, what the eleven-month negotiations revealed about U.S. power, and why the incident isn't as…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever …
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It's February 4th. This day in 1980, the story is breaking about the FBI's "ABSCAM" operation -- a bribery sting that ended up implicating many congressman and other elected officials. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the sting morphed from art theft to political corruption, the murky line between political maneuvering and corruption, and the wan…
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"Levitt or Leave It" w/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt
17:31
17:31
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17:31Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever …
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever …
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Airline Deregulation (Some Sunday Context)
28:57
28:57
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28:57Today, an episode from the archives that may provide some context for the news playing out today. We'll be doing more Sunday episodes -- from the archives and fresh conversations -- throghout the first year of the second Trump administration. /// It’s December 17th. This day in 1978, holiday travelers are flying around the country under a regulator…
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It's January 29th. In 1964, because of an impasse over redistricting, the state of Illinois held elections in which every candidate was at-large. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss what happened when voters entered the booth and were confronted with 118 races to weigh in on. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at…
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"Polar Bear Knuckle Boxing" w/ A.J. & Greg
21:42
21:42
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21:42Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: comedian, rapper, and host of The Crossword Show, Zach Sherwin! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast whe…
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The First Issue Of National Geographic (1888)
18:00
18:00
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18:00It's January 28th. This day in 1888, a new society is formed in Washington D.C. to support the exploration of the entire globe -- and soon thereafter the magazine bearing its name would hit the shelves. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the National Geographic Society was founded, how it fit into the late 19th century American vision of the world,…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: comedian, rapper, and host of The Crossword Show, Zach Sherwin! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast whe…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: comedian, rapper, and host of The Crossword Show, Zach Sherwin! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast whe…
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The Push To Impeach Perkins (1939) w/ Rebecca Brenner Graham
22:53
22:53
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22:53It's January 25th. This day in 1939, Republicans in Congress are holding hearings to impeach labor secretary Frances Perkins, claiming that she'd failed to deport a communist labor organizer. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Rebecca Brenner Graham to discuss why they were going after Perkins in this moment, and how the impeachment effort fits i…
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A.J. was recently a guest on the excellent podcast "Mission Implausible," hosted by former high-level CIA operatives John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea. Here is part of their conversation about puzzles and spy craft. Check out the full episode and subscribe to Mission Implausible on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts! /// "The Puzzler with …
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It's January 23rd. This day, we discuss Donald Trump's first 48 hours, and how other presidents have spent their first hours, days, and weeks in office. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps fos…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: Emmy-winning sports comedy personality and host of the brand-new podcast "Casuals", Katie Nolan! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Sub…
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It's January 21st. This day in 2017, millions of people marched in Washington, DC and across the United States to protest for women's rights and against the inauguration of Donald Trump. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the "pussy hat" movement was born, what it symbolized about resistance to the first Trump administration -- and how resistance w…
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"In the Form of a Question" w/ Katie Nolan
18:19
18:19
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18:19Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: Emmy-winning sports comedy personality and host of the brand-new podcast "Casuals", Katie Nolan! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Sub…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: Emmy-winning sports comedy personality and host of the brand-new podcast "Casuals", Katie Nolan! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Sub…
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It's January 19th. Today, we look at Joe Biden's farewell address, and the history of presidential goodbyes. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and a…
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1
"Stoic Philosopher or Cartoon Character?" w/ Ryan Holiday
14:18
14:18
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14:18Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: author, podcaster, and founder of Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherev…
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1
Prohibition Starts, Everyone Still Drinks (1920)
18:23
18:23
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18:23It's January 16th. 1920, at midnight (of the 17th) the Volstead Act took hold, bringing prohibition to the United States. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why this did very little to actually curb alcohol consumption, in those first hours and beyond. Plus, some thoughts on the decline of drinking in our modern age. Sign up for our newsletter! Get you…
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"Hidden Spies" w/ John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea
17:57
17:57
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17:57Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: former CIA operatives and hosts of the "Mission Implausible" podcast, John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. …
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: journalist, podcaster, and host of "The Sam Sanders Show," Sam Sanders! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler pod…
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Elizabeth Packard Is Not Insane (1864) w/ Therese O'Neill
22:51
22:51
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22:51It's January 14th. This day in 1864, an Illinois woman by the name of Elizabeth Packard is on trial, claiming that she has been wrongfully imprisoned -- and accused of insanity -- by her husband. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Therese O'Neill to discuss why Packard was sent to a mental institution to begin with, how she argued for freedom fro…
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"It's Been How Many Minutes?" w/ Sam Sanders
16:10
16:10
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16:10Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: journalist, podcaster, and host of "The Sam Sanders Show," Sam Sanders! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler pod…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: journalist, podcaster, and host of "The Sam Sanders Show," Sam Sanders! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler pod…
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It's January 9th. This day in 1964, riots broke out in the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal Zone over the flying of a Panamanian flag alongside the U.S. flag at a local High School. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the roots of the tensions in the zone, and how these riots created a flashpoint that eventually led to renegotiations of the Panama Canal tre…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: our very own Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get yo…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: author, media pundit, and host of the "Savage Lovecast" Dan Savage! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast…
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Pardon Season, And A Case Before Biden w/ Shannon Lynch
25:22
25:22
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25:22It's January 7th. Today, we take a look at the history of presidential pardons, which often take place at the end of an outgoing president's term. Joe Biden is expected to -- and is being pressured to -- grant a number of pardons over the next few weeks. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by Shannon Lynch of the New America Foundation to look at the…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: author, media pundit, and host of the "Savage Lovecast" Dan Savage! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast…
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Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: author, media pundit, and host of the "Savage Lovecast" Dan Savage! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask Chat GPT” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast…
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Emancipation, Of Sorts (1863) w/ Jonathan Lande
23:30
23:30
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23:30It's January 4th. This day, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved Americans in the South. It also freed up Black soldiers to fight for the Union army -- but many of them found conditions in the military restrictive and oppressive as well. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Jonathan Lande of Purdue Uni…
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"Name That Band" w/ Myq Kaplan [Best-Of Episode]
17:43
17:43
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17:43While we gear up for the new year, the Puzzler team is bringing back some of our favorite episodes from the past year of puzzling. Happy holidays, and we will see you soon for a very puzzlingly puzzling 2025! Puzzling with us today: comedian Myq Kaplan! Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old…
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Happy New Year, everyone! What will 2025 bring? We're not in the prediction business, but we do think there's a lot of history that can help us navigate whatever this year has in store. We discuss which historical era and theme we have at the top of mind, how to stay engaged as things seem to be spiraling out of control; and what we want this littl…
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