Fill Me In

This week, Ryan and Brian get existentialist about technology, time travel, and driving on the other side of the road. Also, Lollapuzzoola 19 is happening on Saturday, August 15, and tickets are available now ! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matt...

This week, Ryan and Brian investigate mustard , theme parks , and calendars -- and still, Ryan has no confidence over the security of his crossword streak as he travels back in time to New Zealand. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matter! Please co...

This week, Ryan and Brian make no progress in understanding international travel, cultural holidays, or the distinctions between two playwrights. Thanks to a mouse, this week's show was recorded on a Friday, so it'll be up to the viewers to tell the hosts all about the Saturday and Sunday puzzles. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling...

This week, Ryan and Brian revisit Manet/Monet mnemonics, make an effort to self-educate on Jewish holidays, question the powers of various fruit juices, and get an abundance of antipodal advice on maintaining crossword streaks. All that plus annoying the crap out of Ryan with another Kealoa. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philan...

This week, Ryan and Brian delve back into food curiosities through no fault of their own! It was you, gentle viewers, who sent this stuff in! That, plus the usual junk (including an arboreal Kealoa). Stuff to click: Grid Prix, a new crossword tournament in Michigan (March 19) The Breakfast Simplex Garson O'Toole discusses an alleged Groucho Marx quote Burgerittoville [sic] If you get bored (how co...

This week, Ryan and Brian ponder Manet/Monet mnemonics (say that ten times fast), feel ancient when faced with allegedly comedic "memes" and "other internet lore," and realize they don't actually understand how groundhogs determine the weather. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy o...

This week, Ryan and Brian discuss levels of pain (some of which they inflict on each other), listen to 50-year-old music, and dismiss potentially quality sandwiches by virtue of poor personal relationships. Stuff to click: The Globe and Mail Puzzles and Games "Cover of the Rolling Stone" Manet & Morisot a cat eating salami, as a treat (it looks like bologna, but whatever) a Weltanschauung If you g...

This week, Ryan and Brian plan on matching dinners, nearly break records, and appreciate that an overseas listener wants America to find more positive new vocabulary. Go watch some Catherine O'Hara movies this week. She was a legend. (This has nothing to do with the podcast, we're just fans.) If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philan...

This week, it's truly the highlight of any Fill Me In Season, because Ben Zimmer joins Ryan and Brian to talk about the 2025 Word of the Year! There's still plenty of the same slop there's always been, but jump ahead to about the 31-minute mark if you're just here for The Barnacle. Stuff to click: Ben Zimmer on BlueSky , Facebook , and Slate The American Dialect Society Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe S...

This week, Ryan is off doing Ryan things, so Shannon Rapp (aka Norah Sharpe, an expert in sconces; the name is fake but the puzzles are real) steps in for discussions of crosswords, sandwiches, and thunder gods -- yup, even without Ryan, the topics still don't really change. Stuff to click: Daily Crossword Links Shannon on BlueSky Gioia's Deli Big Top Deli The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament...

This week, Ryan and Brian continue to suffer from bronchial ailments despite having both gotten all the appropriate vaccines. To be clear, we still believe in vaccines! Things we don't necessarily believe in: whether we should move to Malta, whether Hello Kitty is a cat, and whether the host of a murder mystery party should be a critical part of the story. If you get bored (how could you?!), write...

This week, Ryan and Brian attempt to launch into 2026, but Brian is exhausted from a trip to Portugal and Ryan has "a throat thing." All that plus recording the show on a Friday just means that the year is off to a stumblier start than anyone expected. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you...

This week, Ryan and Brian don't really recap 2025 -- but it is the last show of the year. With that, we all wish you a happy holiday season, and look forward to continuing our weekly delivery of top*-tier, high*-quality, information-packed* podcast content in 2026! *not any of those things If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthr...

This week, Ryan and Brian dig deep into butts, shoulders, clams, and Caesars. How do you take yours? Try out the  Contest of Still Going On (a standard crossword) , and win either a puzzle subscription or a brand new car*. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it d...

This week, Ryan and Brian dive into Lucky Charms , question the motivations of the Kingston Trio , and discuss a challenge to the "get what it's called" rule. All that, plus there's a brand new Contest of Now (a standard crossword) . If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Act...

This week, Ryan and Brian don't know which cities are fictional, which currencies are spelled which way, or how much a baseball is worth. There's a  Contest of Still Going On (which is a Rows Garden puzzle) , and here's a link to the next season of Fireball Newsflash Crosswords . If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, dona...

This week, Ryan and Brian learn about nicknames, heavy metal music, and history from 1981. All that, plus a new Fandom Feast , a new Anti-Match Quiz from Scott Weiss, and a brand new Contest of Now, which is a Rows Garden puzzle! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actual...

This week, Ryan and Brian talk about vacations and children and fanfic, oh my! This is your reminder to always get what it's called ... plus, there's a  Contest of Still Going On  (it's a standard crossword)! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matter...

Ryan is in Sweden with all the furniture and meatballs, Brian is in Syracuse with all the recording equipment. More baseball than sandwiches this week, but not as much as you might think, all things considered. All that plus a new  Contest of Now (it's a standard crossword)! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate t...

Ryan struggles between his opposed needs of traveling the world and watching the World Series, while Brian just ... struggles. There's an active  Contest of Still Going On (it's a variety cryptic), and lest you thought the sandwich stories were a thing of the past -- they are not. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, do...

Go tell your plowman! This week, Ryan challenges Brian with Broadway history, Brian challenges everyone with a brand new Contest of Now (really!), and Alex Verdugo can't leave well enough alone. Things to click: The Contest of Now! Get the puzzle here . Submit your answer here . Read the PUZ file notes for instructions. Ryan's latest Fandom Feast .  If you get bored (how could you?!), write someth...

This week, Brian is joined by Shannon Rapp for a super-sized episode with an insider's recap of the Midwest Crossword Tournament, hefty sandwiches (including cheese preferences and Shannon's Mount Rushmore), and a non-NYT Thunder Round with puzzles from the LA Times, Apple News, Universal, USA Today, and Fireball! Stuff to click: Daily Crossword Links , for all the puzzles in the Thunder Round Mid...

This week, Ryan and Brian eat on the show. Sorry. Also: Blue Jays, Buckwheat Boyz, Bakers, and a Brinck Report. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matter! Please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. This will help new listeners find...

This week, Ryan and Brian sound like a couple of grumpy middle aged men -- but maybe that's what you're here for. It's almost October, which for some listeners, bears the bad news of it being baseball post-season. With any luck, everyone will lose this week and it can all be over. If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, do...

This week, the Thunder Round features Ryan and Brian attempting to unravel everything about the Wall Street Journal meta-week of contest puzzles. In addition, there's at least 6.022x10^23 sardines, bananas, and beets, as well as a battle of classic literature. Shana tova! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to o...