June 10, 2025 • 17 mins
Hello, Puzzlers! This week, A.J. and Greg celebrate Father's Day by puzzling with their kids!
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 AI” and audio rebuses.
Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
"The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is a co-production with Neuhaus Ideas.
Our executive producers are Neely Lohmann and Adam Neuhaus of Neuhaus Ideas, and Lindsay Hoffman of iHeart Podcasts.
The show is produced by Jody Avirgan and Brittani Brown of Roulette Productions.
Our Chief Puzzle Officer is Greg Pliska. Our associate producer is Andrea Schoenberg.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. This one
is an I rhyme E y e rhyme. Longtime listeners
might remember the I rhyme puzzles. These are words that
look like they should rhyme, but they do not. These
are rhymes for your eyes but not your ears, such
as lemon demon. They both end an em o N,
(00:22):
but they do not rhyme. So I'm going to give
you a clue to an I rhyme two words that
should rhyme but don't, and the clue is female offspring chuckling.
So the answer is a two word phrase with similar
ending letters pronounced differently. Female offspring chuckling. The answer and
more puzzling goodness after the break, Hello puzzlers, Welcome back
(00:51):
to the Puzzler the excessive Muttzarella in your stuffed crust
puzzle pizza. I am your host, A J. Jacobs, and
I'm here, of course, puzzle Officer Greg Puliska Greg. Before
the break, we gave a clue to an I rhyme
two words that should rhyme but don't, and the clue
was female offspring chuckling. What might that be?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That is going to be daughter and lefter.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Correct daughter laughter, which we hope to hear today. Yeah,
very nice, because this is episode two of the Father's
Day Week on the Puzzler, the spawn of the Puzzlers,
and Lucas is not loving that. Well, that's all right. Yesterday,
(01:39):
yesterday we had my son Lucas assisted by Greg's daughter Margo,
and today we have Margo Pliska assisted by Lucas.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Welcome, Margo, thank you, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
We are delighted that you could come and hear both
sides of the puzzler because you were saying you only
hear one side in your room.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, now I'm really getting the full experience.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Yeah, I actually think it is better with both sides, natcha,
not as much as I love Greg's side.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I agree, it's a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Of dead air, you know, if you're just listening to
my side of it.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So, your dad has written you a puzzle that's all
about pop music, and we're going to dive into it
in a moment. But before we do, I thought you
were a country music fan. Are you also a pop
music fan? In addition?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Yes, I think kind of both. I was in the
country but also kind of more pop. Yeah, it depends,
I think both.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Who are some of your favorite pop artists? We used
to call them singers, remember Greg? Now the artists.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I love?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Beyonce of course, Trianna, Taylor Swift, Yeah a lot. Also
recently I've been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac.
I went on a road trip and it was all
we listened to.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah. Really, we had a whole Fleetwood Mac road trip. Yeah.
Perfect for dad and daughter and Margo.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Have you seen any of those artists in concert recently?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I saw Taylor Swift like nice two years ago.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I think it was from Paris.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, that was amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Well, I have to say, because you brought it up.
What was it three days ago? Lucas and I stood
in the rain for two and a half hours to
watch Beyonce's Cowboy Carter Tour?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Did you really you went?
Speaker 5 (03:31):
It was and it was frezy and it was so fun.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
I don't know how much my dad enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Though I loved it. I loved it. You know, I
am not unlike Greg and you two. I am not
a music aficionado, but this was a feast for the eyes.
She had like flaming pianos, and she's riding in cars
above the audience. So it is even for someone who's
a music idiot like me, couldn't well, And.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I feel like Ajake, things have evolved the concerts, like
I mean, these are these are the biggest artists of
our time, but still like the Beyonce Tour, the the
Eras Tour, they're not just a concert. They are a
huge theatrical spectacular and the event itself is a huge thing.
It's not like, you know, let's go see Steely Dan
at the Beacon, which was cool, right, it was fun,
but it wasn't a cultural moment the way some of
(04:25):
these tours are.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
And actually Lucas was my stylist, so I had a
cowboy hat and.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Jeans.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, I see that on the Puzzler Instagram.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Oh interesting, I don't know. All right, Well, speaking of
all this pop music, Greg, let me, I'm gonna turn
it over to your pop all right.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Good music, all right, Margo and Lucas, here we go.
This is a puzzle that we call pops music because
it's pop music as misunderstood by your pops. Right, Because
as hard as we try, us old guys just can't
quite understand the music you kids listen to and we
always get it a little bit wrong.
Speaker 7 (05:09):
So I don't think you try very hard too.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Good, Yes, you don't even try well. I'm going to
give you a clue to a well known pop song
of your era as it has been misheard or misunderstood
by us, guys, and you give us the name of
the song. So, for example, I might say, this is
a killer's song about a guy who looks normal from
the front and the back, but from another angle he's
(05:35):
really shiny, and that would be mister bright Side.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Got it. I didn't even know the name of the song, So.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Mister Bright's side, because in the front of the back
he's not bright, but on the sides he's bright.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I like the wordplay, if not, even if I don't
know the reference.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
All right, So you guys understand how this is gonna work. Yes, okay,
all right, all right, So here's your first one. This
is a Bruno Mars song where he says he wants
to give Dracula a piggyback ride. It could be Dracula.
It could be Dooku from Star Wars. It could be Chocula,
(06:13):
it could be think of a famous Bruno Mars.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Song the only one I know is billionaire. That literally so,
but it's not not it? Okay, well is it something
about vampires?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
No? No, but what is Dracula's title?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Count? Yeah, what's it called?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
It's like you can count on me?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yes, there you go, count count on me. That's what
it's about. He wants Dracula, no.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Piggyback ride, It's on you, all right?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
All right? This next one is a big Miley Cyrus hit,
and I think it's about either the Democrats or the Republicans,
or maybe the Green or the working families.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Lucas like, yeah, is it.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
USA?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yes, exactly, it's about the parties in the US. Okay, okay,
now right, all right, all right, let's go to Taylor Swift.
This is a great Taylor Swift song. One word title.
I think it's really a one word title, but to me,
it sounds like she's singing about how she wants you
(07:32):
to swipe your amex a second time.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Okay, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I mean, it might be about a sweater, but I
think it's.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
About card again. Yes, that's good. All right?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
What about what about this one? My name is really
Carly ray Jepson, but you can use this other name,
which is a month and a letter?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Maybe yes?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Right? Who was a character in Arrested Development? So oh
I remember that?
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Well I don't obviously in the clue. All right? What
about this Ed Shearing song about the way a magnet
and a horseshoe and a neck pillow all look like
one particular letter of the alphabet?
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So wait the next pillow, horseshoe and.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
The neck pillow, A horseshoe and a magnet all look
like what letter you? Yeah, so it's an Ed Shearing
song looks like you? Oh good, guess it's not that
one though.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Oh is it safe of you?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yes? Very good?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
All right?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
What about Katy Perry classic? Classic and it's an ode
to the people who labor for the FDN? Y I think.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
And you know the FDN? Why yes, I think I
have it. What do you got?
Speaker 7 (09:10):
The fire work?
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah? Firework? Nice, super working fire Yeah yeah yeah, that
is what it's about, isn't it? Baby firework? Yeah? Yeah? Okay,
all right. Frank Ocean this is the Frank Ocean song.
I know you listen to this one, Margo, but it
(09:32):
sounds like it's about the number. The Roman numeral for four.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do you know what the Roman numeral for four is?
Do you know what the Roman nuberle for five is?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah? Yeah, it's it's either.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
About the Roman nuble for four or it's about when
you're in the hospital and they have to put fluid
into use.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
What's the Roman nuble for four?
Speaker 7 (09:54):
Yea lucas yeah, ivy yes, ivy oh ivy all right.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
What about a Lizo hit? It's a Lizzo hit. Uh,
and it references when beavers build their houses, so it's
got it sounds like it's got the name of a
beaver house in it.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Oh, it's something about a damn Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yep, it's a Lizo song.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Like?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
You know, it's three words. Damn is the middle word?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Oh A damn time?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yeah, what's the first word? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, yeah, good damn time, about damn time.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
About damn time? Nice?
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Great teamwork?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
All right? I got two more, two more. Now I
might be hearing this wrong, but I think Lady Gaga
wants someone to prod a woman in the eyes or nose,
or cheeks or mouth.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Just Oh, is it poker face?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Yeah, poker Isn't that what you're singing poker face? Did
I get wrong? Good? All right? Last one?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
You're right, Greg, all your theories.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
This is a carry Underwood classic, and I think it
takes place in a bingo parlor because they call out
a letter in a number and then she accuses some
guy of not playing fair?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Is it before he cheats? Yes?
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Exactly. Isn't that That's what I thought it was about?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, Greg, seems I think you should go on the
website Genius because they explained lyrics. Explain the lyrics that
might be helpful.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I'm just saying I got it wrong, So sorry, I
thought I knew. Anyway, Well done you guys, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Good teamwork.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, this was so fun.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Well, you know, this reminds me of Manda Greens, which
are when you miss hear a lyric. Uh. So one
of the famous ones is uh Jimmi Hendrix Wheater. He says,
excuse me while I kissed the sky. But a lot
of people here excuse me while I kiss this guy?
So do you have do you have any lyrics that
(12:15):
you have heard over the years where you like totally
misheard the lyric.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
In blank space by Taylor Swift?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
She says, yeah, it's I forget what it is, but
it's just ex lovers, and I always thought that it
meant Starbucks lovers.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, it's something that I've got a long list. I've
got a long list of.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Ex lovers, right, long? Wait, and how does that relate
to Starbucks?
Speaker 3 (12:43):
It sounds like, yeah, oh.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
I say, I have a long list of X lovers,
So I have a long list of Starbucks that I
want to visit and have coffee.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Yet Starbucks, it sounds all.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
The lonely Starbucks lovers. I got you or something or
got a lot of Starbucks lovers and she got a
long list of a long list of ex lovers.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Can I boast for one second? Lucas Jacobs was customer
of the Week at Starbucks a couple of years ago, congratulating.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
This week of my life, and they forgot to take
it down. So it's more like a Starbucks the three
customer of the three weeks.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
What do you have to do the customer of the week,
Lucas give them a lot of money.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
But I was I became friendly with the Barisa and
she put me on the list.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
There was a list, and then oh wow.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
I got the text and my name was up there.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And it was great.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
You even realized that was it. Now I want to
do this.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You should put that on your resume.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Yeah, it was on my common app Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
But Lucas, you had a mond degree in as well. Yeah,
mine was.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
It's a little niche.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
I don't even remember the song name, but it's like,
I don't even know how it goes. It's it's something
like fire a Gun, and it was like popular in
like the twenty tens. But I always heard the buckets styrofoam.
There's a buckets styrophoam.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
But it was yeah, well it's very catchy. I prefer
those those lyrics, Greg, are.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You yeah, I would. I was gonna say, I prefer
buckets syrophoonm to fire again. Yeah, you're gonna just throw
buckets of styrofoam on.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yes, that's the kids version, good one.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Did you grow up with kids Bop too, Lucas.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Yeah, a little bit, but I tried to avoid it.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I feel like kids Bop was the thing Margo that
everyone you would get into and then you'd realize there
was another version of the song. You're like, oh, wait
a minute, you guys are messing with me here.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Well, it's like I love when they do in movies,
they do two takes, one for the airplanes at least
they used to, and one for the uh for the theater.
And I won't give you some examples, but.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, there's the snakes on the plane one right right?
Speaker 1 (15:04):
What is that?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Mother? Yeah, it's you know what the MF word is?
Hold on?
Speaker 4 (15:10):
So is it?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Mother fiddler? Isn't that something like that? Mother?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
I've had it with these monkey fighting snakes on this
on this Monday to Friday plane. No way that I've
had it with these monkey fighting sneak snakes on this
Monday to Friday plane.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I mean Monday Friday. It doesn't even make any sense
like monkey fighting. You're like, okay, maybe, but Monday to Friday.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
Is that like the plane doesn't work on weekends?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, very.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Oh man, that's fantastic. All right, Well, thank you Margot
and Lucas. You were excellent puzzlers. I'm very proud to
be one of your fathers and also to know the
other one.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Thank you, Thank you, Greg.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Do you have an extra credit for the puzzlers at home?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
This is another Taylor Swift song, and it's about when
your father's sister or your mother's sister is your idol?
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Okay, I got one of the words.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I think that's good, that's helpful, but you got to
pronounce it the right way. There's two ways people pronounce
that word, and if you have to do it with
the shorter sound, shorter vowel sound.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
All right, good to know, good hint. Well, come back
tomorrow for that and in the meantime, if you do
have one minute, we would love it if you would
rate the Puzzler on your favorite podcast platform because it
makes a huge difference in people finding us. And we
will meet you all here tomorrow for more puzzling puzzles
(16:49):
that will puzzle you puzzlingly.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Take puzzlers.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Greg Pliska hear from the Puzzle Lab. Extra credit answer
from our previous episode. Lucas Jacob joined us along with
my daughter Margot Pliska to play into the Woody.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Every answer is a Broadway musical with one.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Letter changed, and we gave you a clue to the
rewritten musical title. Your extra credit clue was this, this
is a show about an amphibian who works as a
murderous barber. Yes, everyone knows that's Stevensonhims, Great Sweeney Toad
one letter different from Sweeney Todd. Of course, no murderous
(17:31):
barber's here on the Puzzlers. Just puzzles all day, every day.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
So join us next time.
Hello puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. This one
is an I rhyme E y e rhyme. Longtime listeners
might remember the I rhyme puzzles. These are words that
look like they should rhyme, but they do not. These
are rhymes for your eyes but not your ears, such
as lemon demon. They both end an em o N,
(00:22):
but they do not rhyme. So I'm going to give
you a clue to an I rhyme two words that
should rhyme but don't, and the clue is female offspring chuckling.
So the answer is a two word phrase with similar
ending letters pronounced differently. Female offspring chuckling. The answer and
more puzzling goodness after the break, Hello puzzlers, Welcome back
(00:51):
to the Puzzler the excessive Muttzarella in your stuffed crust
puzzle pizza. I am your host, A J. Jacobs, and
I'm here, of course, puzzle Officer Greg Puliska Greg. Before
the break, we gave a clue to an I rhyme
two words that should rhyme but don't, and the clue
was female offspring chuckling. What might that be?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That is going to be daughter and lefter.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Correct daughter laughter, which we hope to hear today. Yeah,
very nice, because this is episode two of the Father's
Day Week on the Puzzler, the spawn of the Puzzlers,
and Lucas is not loving that. Well, that's all right. Yesterday,
(01:39):
yesterday we had my son Lucas assisted by Greg's daughter Margo,
and today we have Margo Pliska assisted by Lucas.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Welcome, Margo, thank you, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
We are delighted that you could come and hear both
sides of the puzzler because you were saying you only
hear one side in your room.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, now I'm really getting the full experience.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Yeah, I actually think it is better with both sides, natcha,
not as much as I love Greg's side.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I agree, it's a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Of dead air, you know, if you're just listening to
my side of it.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So, your dad has written you a puzzle that's all
about pop music, and we're going to dive into it
in a moment. But before we do, I thought you
were a country music fan. Are you also a pop
music fan? In addition?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Yes, I think kind of both. I was in the
country but also kind of more pop. Yeah, it depends,
I think both.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Who are some of your favorite pop artists? We used
to call them singers, remember Greg? Now the artists.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I love?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Beyonce of course, Trianna, Taylor Swift, Yeah a lot. Also
recently I've been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac.
I went on a road trip and it was all
we listened to.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah. Really, we had a whole Fleetwood Mac road trip. Yeah.
Perfect for dad and daughter and Margo.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Have you seen any of those artists in concert recently?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I saw Taylor Swift like nice two years ago.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I think it was from Paris.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, that was amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Well, I have to say, because you brought it up.
What was it three days ago? Lucas and I stood
in the rain for two and a half hours to
watch Beyonce's Cowboy Carter Tour?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Did you really you went?
Speaker 5 (03:31):
It was and it was frezy and it was so fun.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
I don't know how much my dad enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Though I loved it. I loved it. You know, I
am not unlike Greg and you two. I am not
a music aficionado, but this was a feast for the eyes.
She had like flaming pianos, and she's riding in cars
above the audience. So it is even for someone who's
a music idiot like me, couldn't well, And.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I feel like Ajake, things have evolved the concerts, like
I mean, these are these are the biggest artists of
our time, but still like the Beyonce Tour, the the
Eras Tour, they're not just a concert. They are a
huge theatrical spectacular and the event itself is a huge thing.
It's not like, you know, let's go see Steely Dan
at the Beacon, which was cool, right, it was fun,
but it wasn't a cultural moment the way some of
(04:25):
these tours are.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
And actually Lucas was my stylist, so I had a
cowboy hat and.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Jeans.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, I see that on the Puzzler Instagram.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Oh interesting, I don't know. All right, Well, speaking of
all this pop music, Greg, let me, I'm gonna turn
it over to your pop all right.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Good music, all right, Margo and Lucas, here we go.
This is a puzzle that we call pops music because
it's pop music as misunderstood by your pops. Right, Because
as hard as we try, us old guys just can't
quite understand the music you kids listen to and we
always get it a little bit wrong.
Speaker 7 (05:09):
So I don't think you try very hard too.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Good, Yes, you don't even try well. I'm going to
give you a clue to a well known pop song
of your era as it has been misheard or misunderstood
by us, guys, and you give us the name of
the song. So, for example, I might say, this is
a killer's song about a guy who looks normal from
the front and the back, but from another angle he's
(05:35):
really shiny, and that would be mister bright Side.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Got it. I didn't even know the name of the song, So.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Mister Bright's side, because in the front of the back
he's not bright, but on the sides he's bright.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I like the wordplay, if not, even if I don't
know the reference.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
All right, So you guys understand how this is gonna work. Yes, okay,
all right, all right, So here's your first one. This
is a Bruno Mars song where he says he wants
to give Dracula a piggyback ride. It could be Dracula.
It could be Dooku from Star Wars. It could be Chocula,
(06:13):
it could be think of a famous Bruno Mars.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Song the only one I know is billionaire. That literally so,
but it's not not it? Okay, well is it something
about vampires?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
No? No, but what is Dracula's title?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Count? Yeah, what's it called?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
It's like you can count on me?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yes, there you go, count count on me. That's what
it's about. He wants Dracula, no.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Piggyback ride, It's on you, all right?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
All right? This next one is a big Miley Cyrus hit,
and I think it's about either the Democrats or the Republicans,
or maybe the Green or the working families.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Lucas like, yeah, is it.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
USA?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yes, exactly, it's about the parties in the US. Okay, okay,
now right, all right, all right, let's go to Taylor Swift.
This is a great Taylor Swift song. One word title.
I think it's really a one word title, but to me,
it sounds like she's singing about how she wants you
(07:32):
to swipe your amex a second time.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Okay, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I mean, it might be about a sweater, but I
think it's.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
About card again. Yes, that's good. All right?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
What about what about this one? My name is really
Carly ray Jepson, but you can use this other name,
which is a month and a letter?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Maybe yes?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Right? Who was a character in Arrested Development? So oh
I remember that?
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Well I don't obviously in the clue. All right? What
about this Ed Shearing song about the way a magnet
and a horseshoe and a neck pillow all look like
one particular letter of the alphabet?
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So wait the next pillow, horseshoe and.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
The neck pillow, A horseshoe and a magnet all look
like what letter you? Yeah, so it's an Ed Shearing
song looks like you? Oh good, guess it's not that
one though.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Oh is it safe of you?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yes? Very good?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
All right?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
What about Katy Perry classic? Classic and it's an ode
to the people who labor for the FDN? Y I think.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
And you know the FDN? Why yes, I think I
have it. What do you got?
Speaker 7 (09:10):
The fire work?
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah? Firework? Nice, super working fire Yeah yeah yeah, that
is what it's about, isn't it? Baby firework? Yeah? Yeah? Okay,
all right. Frank Ocean this is the Frank Ocean song.
I know you listen to this one, Margo, but it
(09:32):
sounds like it's about the number. The Roman numeral for four.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do you know what the Roman numeral for four is?
Do you know what the Roman nuberle for five is?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah? Yeah, it's it's either.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
About the Roman nuble for four or it's about when
you're in the hospital and they have to put fluid
into use.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
What's the Roman nuble for four?
Speaker 7 (09:54):
Yea lucas yeah, ivy yes, ivy oh ivy all right.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
What about a Lizo hit? It's a Lizzo hit. Uh,
and it references when beavers build their houses, so it's
got it sounds like it's got the name of a
beaver house in it.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Oh, it's something about a damn Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yep, it's a Lizo song.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Like?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
You know, it's three words. Damn is the middle word?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Oh A damn time?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yeah, what's the first word? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, yeah, good damn time, about damn time.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
About damn time? Nice?
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Great teamwork?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
All right? I got two more, two more. Now I
might be hearing this wrong, but I think Lady Gaga
wants someone to prod a woman in the eyes or nose,
or cheeks or mouth.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Just Oh, is it poker face?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Yeah, poker Isn't that what you're singing poker face? Did
I get wrong? Good? All right? Last one?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
You're right, Greg, all your theories.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
This is a carry Underwood classic, and I think it
takes place in a bingo parlor because they call out
a letter in a number and then she accuses some
guy of not playing fair?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Is it before he cheats? Yes?
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Exactly. Isn't that That's what I thought it was about?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, Greg, seems I think you should go on the
website Genius because they explained lyrics. Explain the lyrics that
might be helpful.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I'm just saying I got it wrong, So sorry, I
thought I knew. Anyway, Well done you guys, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Good teamwork.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, this was so fun.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Well, you know, this reminds me of Manda Greens, which
are when you miss hear a lyric. Uh. So one
of the famous ones is uh Jimmi Hendrix Wheater. He says,
excuse me while I kissed the sky. But a lot
of people here excuse me while I kiss this guy?
So do you have do you have any lyrics that
(12:15):
you have heard over the years where you like totally
misheard the lyric.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
In blank space by Taylor Swift?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
She says, yeah, it's I forget what it is, but
it's just ex lovers, and I always thought that it
meant Starbucks lovers.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, it's something that I've got a long list. I've
got a long list of.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Ex lovers, right, long? Wait, and how does that relate
to Starbucks?
Speaker 3 (12:43):
It sounds like, yeah, oh.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
I say, I have a long list of X lovers,
So I have a long list of Starbucks that I
want to visit and have coffee.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Yet Starbucks, it sounds all.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
The lonely Starbucks lovers. I got you or something or
got a lot of Starbucks lovers and she got a
long list of a long list of ex lovers.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Can I boast for one second? Lucas Jacobs was customer
of the Week at Starbucks a couple of years ago, congratulating.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
This week of my life, and they forgot to take
it down. So it's more like a Starbucks the three
customer of the three weeks.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
What do you have to do the customer of the week,
Lucas give them a lot of money.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
But I was I became friendly with the Barisa and
she put me on the list.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
There was a list, and then oh wow.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
I got the text and my name was up there.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And it was great.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
You even realized that was it. Now I want to
do this.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You should put that on your resume.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Yeah, it was on my common app Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
But Lucas, you had a mond degree in as well. Yeah,
mine was.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
It's a little niche.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
I don't even remember the song name, but it's like,
I don't even know how it goes. It's it's something
like fire a Gun, and it was like popular in
like the twenty tens. But I always heard the buckets styrofoam.
There's a buckets styrophoam.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
But it was yeah, well it's very catchy. I prefer
those those lyrics, Greg, are.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You yeah, I would. I was gonna say, I prefer
buckets syrophoonm to fire again. Yeah, you're gonna just throw
buckets of styrofoam on.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yes, that's the kids version, good one.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Did you grow up with kids Bop too, Lucas.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Yeah, a little bit, but I tried to avoid it.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I feel like kids Bop was the thing Margo that
everyone you would get into and then you'd realize there
was another version of the song. You're like, oh, wait
a minute, you guys are messing with me here.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Well, it's like I love when they do in movies,
they do two takes, one for the airplanes at least
they used to, and one for the uh for the theater.
And I won't give you some examples, but.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, there's the snakes on the plane one right right?
Speaker 1 (15:04):
What is that?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Mother? Yeah, it's you know what the MF word is?
Hold on?
Speaker 4 (15:10):
So is it?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Mother fiddler? Isn't that something like that? Mother?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
I've had it with these monkey fighting snakes on this
on this Monday to Friday plane. No way that I've
had it with these monkey fighting sneak snakes on this
Monday to Friday plane.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I mean Monday Friday. It doesn't even make any sense
like monkey fighting. You're like, okay, maybe, but Monday to Friday.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
Is that like the plane doesn't work on weekends?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, very.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Oh man, that's fantastic. All right, Well, thank you Margot
and Lucas. You were excellent puzzlers. I'm very proud to
be one of your fathers and also to know the
other one.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Thank you, Thank you, Greg.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Do you have an extra credit for the puzzlers at home?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
This is another Taylor Swift song, and it's about when
your father's sister or your mother's sister is your idol?
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Okay, I got one of the words.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I think that's good, that's helpful, but you got to
pronounce it the right way. There's two ways people pronounce
that word, and if you have to do it with
the shorter sound, shorter vowel sound.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
All right, good to know, good hint. Well, come back
tomorrow for that and in the meantime, if you do
have one minute, we would love it if you would
rate the Puzzler on your favorite podcast platform because it
makes a huge difference in people finding us. And we
will meet you all here tomorrow for more puzzling puzzles
(16:49):
that will puzzle you puzzlingly.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Take puzzlers.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Greg Pliska hear from the Puzzle Lab. Extra credit answer
from our previous episode. Lucas Jacob joined us along with
my daughter Margot Pliska to play into the Woody.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Every answer is a Broadway musical with one.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Letter changed, and we gave you a clue to the
rewritten musical title. Your extra credit clue was this, this
is a show about an amphibian who works as a
murderous barber. Yes, everyone knows that's Stevensonhims, Great Sweeney Toad
one letter different from Sweeney Todd. Of course, no murderous
(17:31):
barber's here on the Puzzlers. Just puzzles all day, every day.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
So join us next time.
Hosts And Creators
Greg Pliska
A.J. Jacobs
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