Episodes

  • Creative Collaborations

    Creative Collaborations
    Jun 30 2026
    Des and Paul talk about their own collaborations and how serendipitous connections can lead to remarkable results. Examples range from Gilbert and Sullivan to Jobs and Wozniak to Simon and Garfunkel. Books mentioned include the Art of Unexpected Solutions by Paul Sloane, 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words by Paul Sloane and Des MacHal,e and the new book Beautiful Things in Mathematics by Des MacHale.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Irish Words, Latin Words and the 25 Horses Puzzle

    Irish Words, Latin Words and the 25 Horses Puzzle
    Jan 2 2026
    What do you call a grumpy person with a PhD in Palindromes? How can you find the 3 fastest horses among 25 horses if all you can do is race five at a time? We also dive into some Irish and Latin words in use in English. Based on our book, 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • AI - Friend or Foe?

    AI - Friend or Foe?
    Jul 3 2025
    Des received an AI assessment of one of his papers and was not pleased. We discuss AI, consciousness, humour, driverless cars and whether computers can really think..

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles

    Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles
    Nov 11 2024
    One of our most popular books is Mathematical Lateral thinking Puzzles. Here we review some of our favourite puzzles from the book.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • Favourite Quotes

    Favourite Quotes
    Aug 23 2024
    We share our selections of favourite quotes from Mark Twain, William Shakepeare, Woody Allen, Oscar Wilde, Yogi Berra and many more. Prepare for some laughs and insights.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Fiendish Facts and Querolous Questions

    Fiendish Facts and Querolous Questions
    Jun 4 2024
    Which country has the most pyramids? What is a mountweazel? How can you always have a beautiful girl on your arm? Some of the crazy questions that Paul and Des pose in this podcast.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Paul Sloane Interview on BBC Radio London 23 April 2024

    Paul Sloane Interview on BBC Radio London 23 April 2024
    Apr 26 2024
    Shay Grewal on BBC Radio London chats to Paul Sloane about 1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice (co-authored with Des MacHale) and lateral thinking topics.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • 1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice

    1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice
    Apr 12 2024
    We talk about our new book, 1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice. It is packed with atrocious advice, juvenile jokes and terrible tips. Listen to this short podcast to hear many, many examples.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins