Fill Me In

This week, Brian plays Ryan for a bit, an unnamed visitor mumbles in the background, and there's more musical theater and sports than anyone wanted. All that plus a contest crossword at https://www.dropbox.com/s/uiv5fladppg2s01/fmi344con.puz?dl=1 Stuff to click: These Puzzles Fund Abortion Too Inkubator's "100 Audacious Puzzles" Joe "Blanket Baby" O'Brien's puzzle debut ! Sticks Nix Hick Picks If...

THE STORY: Ryan Hecht is a published crossword constructor. That's the show note. Okay, we also fail to pronounce things we've allegedly learned in the past, shout out our wonderful Patreon supporters, and have a new crossword contest at https://www.dropbox.com/s/uiv5fladppg2s01/fmi344con.puz?dl=1 Stuff to click: The horrible "Sports Section" not-a-crossword Will Nediger's Twitch Stream (check it...

This week, Ryan and Brian learn a bunch about the Easter season holidays, ponder the pronunciation of Qatar, and get the hot tea on a 53-second solve. All that plus a contest crossword at https://www.dropbox.com/s/bzp48gkqhc0xtq9/fmi342con.puz?dl=1 If you get bored, write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our  Patreon . Do you enjoy our show? Actua...

This week, Ryan and Brian edit out a bunch of nonsense about synth books, but leave behind a bit of Learned League cryptic clues, a deep dive into the use of IRA as a crossword entry, and fail to name two constructors in one take. All that plus a new contest crossword at http://ow.ly/ZjiS50IMq1M   If you get bored, write something for the  Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, don...

It was just a matter of time. Brian's got the 'vid, but we stumble along nevertheless, bringing you puzzles, food, and a relatively decent amount of two guys being doofuses. All that plus a contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi340con If you get bored, 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...

It's the ACPT recap! Ryan is on vacation, so Rachel Fabi joins Brian in the Syracuse studio for this thorough exploration into the past weekend's tournament. Spoilers abound -- we warn you now! All that plus a brand new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi340con Stuff to click: Rachel Fabi's twitter , blog , and her stuff at the Wordplay column These Puzzles Fund Abortion Too DJMeatDaddy's  twi...

This week, Ryan and Brian explore the Erdös number of dining clubs, can't find an authentic Standing Room Only sign to save their lives, and thunder their way through a week of New York Times crosswords. All that plus a contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi338con Stuff to click: Article about word frequency in English vs. the New York Times crossword New news at the New Yorker crossword LA Times...

This week, Ryan and Brian discuss pasta salad, clubs within clubs, the etymology of the obviously Latin word "ante," and lay down the final predictive word on who will win the ACPT. All that plus a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi338con If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We shout out the names of our p...

This week, Ryan and Brian visit the spa, compare chicken fingers, and throw down some serious pi knowledge (not really). All that plus a contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi336con If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We shout out the names of our patrons on the first new episode of each month -- including today!...

This week, Ryan and Brian cover the diverse topics of hot sauce, #enigmarch , solving streaks, and a bit about a crossword constructor from the 1950s. All that plus a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi336con Other stuff to click: These Puzzles Fund Abortion Too , a fundraiser + crossword set Scott Weiss's Anti-Match Quiz results Patrick Berry's A-Frame Games If you get bored, write someth...

This week, Ryan and Brian are joined in the studio by the illustrious  Rachel Fabi ! And it's not just an interview - she's here for the whole show! Rachel is the co-host of Just Gridding (both the blog and Twitch stream), columnist at Wordplay , and co-editor of These Puzzles Fund Abortion Too , a brand new set of puzzles available as part of The National Abortion Access Fund-a-Thon. And if you w...

Ryan's still sick, but he gives at least 42% during this newest episode of Fill Me In. Also within: ice cream (and a puzzle promo ), the 12 Guess Movie Game, and a beep. You'll know it when you hear it. All that, plus a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi334con . If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We shou...

Turns out it was Covid. But Ryan soldiers on and we bring you another week of Fill Me In. More news on Franklin, gluttonous ice cream joy , and a new Anti-Match Quiz courtesy of Scott Weiss ! All that, plus a contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi332con . If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We shout out the names...

This week, Ryan fights through some non-Covid illness LIKE A BOSS, and Brian plays along because what else is there to do? Lotsa Viewer Mail, including lessons on frosting, baseball, nicknames -- and the piece de resistance, some Where Are They Now? news from FMI's fake production studio. All that, plus a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi332con ! If you get bored, write something for the...

This week, Ryan and Brian get a bit deeper into some Hex history, learn a bunch about Hebrew crosswords, get some backstory on the use of "Ace" for baseball stars, take a tic tac toe lesson from a pro, and explore a deep dive into ADO clues. All that, plus a contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi330con ! If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthrop...

He's back! This week, Brian is thrilled to welcome Ryan back into the studio for a show full of stories Hawaiian, deep dives ACEd, and thundery puzzles NewYorkTimesed. All that, plus there's a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi330con ! If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We shout out the names of our patr...

While Ryan is still on vacation, Brian is once again joined by Ben "The Barnacle" Zimmer ! Coming in a smidge shorter than last week's show, Ben and Brian spend most of the episode talking all about cryptic crosswords -- history, evolution, Twitch streaming, and a Thunder Round of some of their favorites from the past week. Find more of Ben Zimmer on Twitter and on his other podcast, Spectacular V...

This week, Ryan is in Hawaii so Brian is joined by Ben "The Barnacle" Zimmer ! It's a super-sized episode jam-packed with Word of the Year reflections, New York Times crosswords in the Thunder Round, a little behind-the-scenes at Daily Crossword Links, Wordle (the wildest new word puzzle craze), and an assortment of nonsense including knitting, darning, and a soupçon of meat references. Find more...

This week, Ryan and Brian try out a new recipe, dabble in a few mini puzzles, and attempt to learn what a double dactyl is. The amount of sock talk is out of proportion with the prominence of this week's artwork. Oh, and there's a contest crossword as well, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi326con Stuff to click: Daily Crossword Links Peter Gordon's "all theme material" puzzle Buddig Bee...

This week, Ryan and Brian go diving with the EELs, ponder on life as an understudy, and rave about the MIT Mystery Hunt (which hasn't happen and which Brian is too scared to attend). There's a new contest crossword as well, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi326con If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon . We s...

This week -- look, it may seem (at the outset) that this is a sandwich-dominated show, but somewhere around the halfway point we do a big old Thunder Round, so stick with it. We've got our favorite Viewer Mail of the year, plus a contest crossword, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi324con If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropic, don...

This week, Ryan and Brian welcome crossword artist Quiara Vasquez to the show, and we talk up the current AVCXpansion Kickstarter ! If you have a few coins to spare, help out the AV folks with this wonderful venture. There's also a new contest crossword, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi324con If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling philanthropi...

This week, Ryan and Brian attempt to pronounce colors, German words, and the name of a cryptic crossword setter. There's also a deep dive into IRE clues and a new contest crossword, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi323con . Stuff to click: The AVCXpansion: Embiggening an Indie Puzzle Outlet Stephen Sondheim's "How to Do a Real Crossword Puzzle" The Erlkönig (Wikipedia) Perl Poetry Ali G...

This week, Ryan and Brian untangle a movie theater, learn about Tamil poetry, and question the economic motives of The Music Man . There's also a deep dive into ODE clues and a contest crossword, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi321con . Please note: this podcast references, but does not feature, Tyler "I Love Baseball" Hinman, pictured in the thumbnail.  Stuff to click: Amazing Carnati...

This week, Ryan and Brian hear a long German word pronounced, discuss the ingredients of an unfamiliar recipe, and thunder their way through the past week of New York Times crosswords. There's also a deep dive into ALA clues and a new contest crossword, which you can download at https://bit.ly/fmi321con . TTYL! If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki . And if you're feeling phila...