PG’s Playhouse: Puzzles, games, trivia, & general nerdery

Watching Rachel LaMont absolutely dominate the puzzles was one of the highlights of Survivor S47. She eventually won after spending most of her time as an underdog. One of her most iconic moments was when a starving Rachel decided to pocket some of the rice from a Survivor challenge, and Jeff Probst called her out on it. She tells us how it all went down, and she shares an interesting behind the scenes moment. After winning Survivor, Rachel combined her graphic design skills with her puzzling prowess to create Puzzle Hungry, a competitive jigsaw puzzle game. This inspired today's topic, Conveyor Belt Sushi. Our game today is Movie Mash Potatoes, where each answer is a mashup of foods and movie or song titles.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

Today's topic is a bit cheesy, but still divine. Throughout the ages, humans have always tried to foretell the future or discern the nature of being through different types of divination. These have included the more well-known types of fortune telling including tarot cards, palm reading, tea leaf reading and more. Today, we're talking tyromancy – divination by reading cheeses. Warhammer historian and YouTuber Jordan Sorcery joins us again. We chat about his podcast, In Conversation with Jordan Sorcery, which features interviews and chats with designers, writers, and artists creating Warhammer content. He also tells us about his newest podcast, Warhammer Film Club, which explores connections between classic cinema and Warhammer. Today's game is called Getting Shredded, where the players must solve clues ranging from riddles and jokes to cryptic crosswords to figure out the type of cheese. Later, we have a bonus game where they must guess the type of divination from the name.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"A very twist ending. I don't think we were expecting it to go quite that way." The scent of cedar and cloves drift through the air, and all around the lights are twinkling. Boughs of holly and mistletoe decorate the rafters, and you've gathered friends and loved ones to celebrate. It's our first REPOD and PG's Playhouse crossover Holiday Special! To celebrate, we've invited our Podcast Producer, Theresa Piazza, and Room Escape Artist Contributor, Andrew Reynolds to join us for games, trivia, and merriment. Today's game is "It's Not Elf on the Shelf", inspired by an actual toy Snoop on the Stoop. Each answer is a celebrity paired with a rhyming location in the house. We all share some recommendations for games, puzzles, and shows that we've been enjoying. Then David takes us down the rabbit hole of mistletoe trivia, which has sexier origins than any of us imagined. I hope you enjoyed this fun PG's Playhouse-style episode! We're grateful for all of our loyal listeners, and we're thrilled that you've stuck with us for so long. Happy holidays, everyone!   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

Much like the dinosaurs, what we know about them is still evolving on a yearly, if not monthly basis. Did you know that we're discovering new dinosaurs practically every week? Garret and Sabrina of the popular I Know Dino podcast join us to talk about these fascinating creatures. Their podcast is knowledgeable, fun, and easy to follow. We also talk about how birds evolved from dinosaurs, opalized fossils found in Australia, and The Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil show, where you can find opalized fossils and other interesting items for sale. If you want to see more images of Peih-Gee's jewelry, you can check out her Instagram @loradorjewelry. Today's game is called Animal Style where the players must figure out the animal that's hidden inside words and sentences. If you want to learn more about dinosaurs, make sure to check out I Know Dino!   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

" Apparently Kiki and Bouba is one of the few things that can pull us all together." If I showed you a sharp spikey object and a round blobby object and told you that one was named Kiki, and the other named was Bouba, which name would you assign to which object? In today's episode, we explore the linguistic phenomenon of "Kiki and Bouba." Almost universally, across many different cultures and languages, most people will associate these sounds to visual shapes the same way. Joining us today is seasoned improver and podcaster Adal Rifai, known for his podcasts Hey Riddle Riddle  and Gumshoes & Dragons that's a bit like an investigative murder mystery in a D&D fantasy setting. Today's game is called Common Grounds, where players are given 4 phrases and must find the common word that connects them all.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war." In a dark, grim world, forty thousand years in the future, goblins, ghouls, and elves are battling for supremacy. Their armor is polished, their muscles are bulging, and the paint is almost dry. This is the massive world of Warhammer. In episode 30, Jordan Sorcery joins us to dive down the rabbit hole of Warhammer's rich history. Jordan is a Warhammer historian, and he gives us a light overview of the game, both as a business and as The Hobby. It's a strategic war game played with miniatures, with a vast world of lore and story. He tells us about the concept of "grimdark," which is an aesthetic tone of a gritty, hopeless dystopia, inspired by the tagline of Warhammer 40K: "In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war." We also talk about the gameplay of Warhammer and some ways to get started in this hobby. If you want to learn more about Warhammer, check out Jordan's website www.jordansorcery.com or his YouTube Channel Jordan Sorcery, which covers not only Warhammer, but other tabletop games as well. Today's game is called What a Tool, where players must guess the idiom that contains a type of tool or hardware. In level two, the idiom has undergone a transformation, and the players must figure out the new phrase.   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

" Your memories can't be trusted." Everyone remembers that 90s movie called Shazam starring Sinbad as a genie, right? Was it Berenstein Bears or Berenstain Bears? Did Mandela die in prison, or is that just a glitch in our collective brain? In today's episode, we explore the Mandela Effect, a phenomenon where a large group of people collectively misremember an event or detail, often about pop culture, logos, or historical events. Tony Piluso from the Hack the Movies YouTube channel joins us again for a dive down some shared memories that definitely never happened. Today's game is called False Memory, where movies about memories have had their titles altered with a word that rhymes... or was that always the title?   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"I love it. It's so bad." At a glance, it's glove at first sight. But gamers in the 80s and 90s soon threw up their hands in disgust while trying to get The Power Glove to power anything besides their rage. Prolific podcaster Adal Rifai joins us to explore The Power Glove and play some games. Adal is certainly no stranger when it comes to puzzling podcasts. His podcast Hey Riddle Riddle features a trio of improvisers solving riddles and lateral puzzles. Adal has recently launched a new show called Gumshoes & Dragons that's a bit like Colombo meets D&D. Today's game is called Power Glove Box, where every answer will be a video game term mashed up with another common word or phrase.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"It's the bee's knees!" Today's topic is un-bee-lievable! Join us as we dive down the hive and explore the wonderful world of bees! David shares some fascinating facts about bees, their societal structures, and common myths, including their role in allergies. Jamie Gibbs of The Infinite Escape Room podcast joins us all the way from Wales to play along. We also have a great chat about their new podcast series focusing on controversial topics in puzzle design. Today's game is called A World Without Bees, where I've taken famous phrases containing either the word "be" or "bee" and replaced it with a word that rhymes. It felt right to talk about bees, because the last time that Jamie hosted David and me on his podcast, he locked us up in a giant Wickerman filled with bees. Listen to our episode, The Wicker Plan, and make sure to check out all the other episodes of the wonderful audio escape room podcast The Infinite Escape Room.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

Movie theaters were already going for full immersion in the 1970's with Sensurround. David breaks down this little known movie technology, which delivered an earth-shaking intensity to movies (literally). Tony Piluso from the Hack the Movies YouTube channel joins us for a dive into obsolete film tech. He also shares film lore about work prints and the crazy scenes that would get cut from movies aired on television and airplanes. Today's game is called "What Did They Say?" where the players take turns reading nonsense words, and the other must guess the movie title. Check the time stamps below to see the written clues and play along. If you're close to Croyden, PA, Tony will be appearing at the Found Footage Fest Sept. 27-28, 2025. Also, check out the Hack the Movies YouTube channel.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

The only thing better than an escape room is having infinite escape rooms! The Infinite Escape Room is a comedy podcast where a bunch of friends write escape rooms for each other to play while chatting over a cold one. Infinite Escape Room co-host Jamie Gibbs joins us as as we all collectively get our minds blown by the inconceivable concept of infinity. David guides us down this rabbit hole while we ponder questions like, what's larger? Infinity, or Infinity plus one? Today's game is called To Infinity and Beyond and Then Back Again, where our players must form a chain of words that wraps back around and reconnects at the top.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

The reality show Survivor loves to open with a splash—literally. The most famous opening episodes start by having contestants jumping off a ship while trying to grab anything useful they'll need to survive the next month stranded in a deserted locale. Survivor calls this a "marooning," but in today's episode of PG's Playhouse, David tells us about real life maroonings and what the term originally meant. David delves into the historical context and a specific case of marooning involving the pirate Edward England. All Star Survivor contestant, author, and blogger Stephen Fishbach joins us again. He tells us about his new novel Escape! which features a has-been reality TV star and a disgraced producer who gets one last shot at redemption on a show set on a remote island. We also talk about his YouTube series where Survivor contestants play Blood on the Clocktower. Our game today is "Blood on the Television" where Stephen must guess which Blood on the Clocktower character is on which reality TV show. Make sure to check out Stephen's new novel, Escape!, coming out this January. YouTube: Survivors Play Blood on the Clocktower   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

You're starving, sweaty, exhausted, and your best friend on the island just stabbed you in the back. Ahead, a giant obstacle course awaits, with a complex puzzle afterwards. And you've got to juggle all this while outmaneuvering a bunch of other contestants all hungry for the win. With over 49 seasons, Survivor is one of reality television's longest running shows. Steven Fishbach, runner-up on Survivor Tocantins and all-star returnee on Survivor Second Chance joins us to talk about his experiences on Survivor, co-hosting the Survivor Know-It-Alls podcast, and his upcoming book, Escape! We share insights into the evolution of Survivor, emphasizing how strategy, player dynamics, and game mechanics have transformed over the years. We also discuss some common misconceptions about Survivor. Today's game is called "The Tribe Has Spoken," where the group collaborates to vote out the word that doesn't belong. Make sure to check out Stephen's new novel, Escape!, coming out this January.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

Have you ever cooked with molasses? It's so gooey and sticky that it can literally pull the fillings out of your teeth if you're not careful. Now imagine a 15-foot wave of molasses coming towards you at a glacial but inevitable pace. Today, we're diving into one of the stickiest disasters in American history, The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 in Boston, MA. Special guest Emily Jillette joins us again for more puzzles and trivia. We chat about some of our favorite Broadway shows including Operation Mincemeat and Hamilton. Today's game is A Sticky Situation where a food item and a phrase have been stuck together so they'll share a common word. And there's a bonus lateral thinking puzzle about another real-life food disaster.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

Long before uranium became synonymous with weapons of mass destruction, it was mostly serving as a decorative function. Glassblowers and glass factories would add a tiny bit of uranium to their glass, which gave it that distinctive yellowish green color. It also created a fluorescent effect under blacklight. David explores the history and back ground of this collector's item. Emily Jillette, noted puzzler, escape room enthusiast, and wife of famous magician Penn Jillette joins us today. She shares some insights on the appeal of puzzles, especially to those who practice the stagecraft of magic. Today's game is With or Without U, where the players must add a "U" to a word to make a new word.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

" It might be an affront to the laws of physics." In this episode of PG's Playhouse, we're going vertical! Today's topic is Frank Lloyd Wright's Nuclear Powered Elevator. Why would you need nuclear power for an elevator? Well, because it was designed to service a skyscraper stretching a mile upwards. David breaks down this totally bonkers skyscraper design that never ended up being built. Guest Sandy Weisz joins us again to talk about his totally bonkers new game Raddle. Raddle has instantly became a fan favorite amongst daily puzzle lovers. He's taken a classic word ladder-style puzzle and added some interesting transformations. In today's game, Peih-Gee turns the tables back on Sandy with some word ladders of her own. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out our interview with Sandy Weisz on Reality Escape Pod.   Full Show Notes Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"Recycling or Wish Cycling?" The next time you go to toss that plastic container in the recycling bin, you might actually be doing more harm than good. In this episode, David gives us some cold hard facts about recycling correctly. As it turns out, the majority of objects we're chucking in the recycling bin require more consideration than you'd think. More often than not, we're just sending items on a trip to the dumpster, the long way. Renowned puzzle creator Sandy Weisz joins us to chat about The Mystery League, which specializes in designing and running puzzle games for corporate team-building activities. The game today is called Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, with puzzles based on classic slogans and jingles. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out our interview with Sandy Weisz on Reality Escape Pod. Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

"A very popular way to assassinate your rivals." What's a peasant to do when you're in the midst of an uprising and faced with armored knights and lords? Throw them out the windows! Apparently, this was such a popular way to assassinate your rivals that a term was coined to describe such an act: defenestration. David gives us a short lesson on the history of defenestration and why it was such a favored method in political uprisings. In this episode, we're joined by special guests Marcus Richardson and Nathan Hicken, co-hosts of the Aurelius Whitlock's Murder Museum podcast. We talk about how they ended up working on the popular mystery-solving video game The Rise of the Golden Idol. Then I turn the tables on them, and offer up a mystery of my own devising for them to solve. Today's game is called To the Windows where every answer is a word containing either the letters "WIN" or "DOW." If you enjoyed today’s episode and want to hear more, make sure to check out the Aurelius Whitlock’s Murder Museum podcast. And if you want to see Peih-Gee's jewelry line, you can check out Lo Rador Jewelry's website or Instagram.   If you enjoyed today's episode and want to hear more, make sure to check out the Aurelius Whitlock's Murder Museum podcast.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

In this sponsored episode, we're joined by puzzle writer John Bromels, who created the Hive: The Race to Save Time puzzle hunt, inspired by the new sci-fi novel Hive, book 1 of the Madders of Time series by best-selling author DL Orton. Check out the details below for dates and how to play. John shares all the details of how he crafted this puzzle hunt to accommodate puzzlers of all skill levels, and how he leveled the playing field when it comes to winning the puzzle hunt cash prizes. Making it a sweepstakes instead of a contest means you don't have to be the fastest to solve. He also tells us a bit about the book Hive, and all the pop culture references that make it appealing to puzzle hunt enthusiasts. Today's game is Sci-Fi Movie Mashups, where the titles of popular sci-fi movies have been combined with common phrases or names to create a new title. Then in a surprising twist, John reveals that he had prepared a puzzle for us, but it was stolen, and he recruits our help to figure out the culprit behind the stolen puzzles. Thank you again to our episode sponsor DL Orton and Hive: The Race to Save Time puzzle hunt. Hive: The Race To Save Time Puzzle Hunt Based on the new Madders of Time series by bestselling author DL Orton. Registration opens May 1, 2025 Hive: The Race to Save Time runs from May 16-26, 2025 Over $1,000 in Prizes, winners determined by sweepstakes. Purchase of the book or free alternative method of entry registration is required to participate, but the e-book will be available for just 99 cents while the hunt is running. Visit Full Show Notes Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner

" Is there a whole lot of murdering going on?" This week, we're talking Assassination by Umbrella, a slightly morbid topic inspired by our guests, Marcus Richardson and Nathan Hicken, co-hosts of the Aurelius Whitlock's Murder Museum podcast. Researching the game takes a dark and surprising turn when Peih-Gee, acting upon David's suggestion, finds herself in a shadowy corner of the internet. David gives us a fascinating historical recount of the assassination of Bulgarian activist Georgi Markov using a poison-tipped umbrella. Today's game is called Morbid Mottos, which centers around some dark phrases. If you enjoyed today's episode and want to hear more, make sure to check out the Aurelius Whitlock's Murder Museum podcast.   Full Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by Peih-Gee Law & David Spira Puzzles by Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Peih-Gee Law Music by Matt Farthing Logo by Theresa Wagner