A Problem Squared

🌞 How far away from the Sun do we have to travel before we can look at it without damaging our eyes?📆 Is there an off by one error with anniversaries?🍝 And AOB has been slow cooked and packed up in tupperware for safe storageThe starting point for Matt’s theory:https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-maximum-light-intensity-that-a-human-eye-can-withstand-without-being-damaged Astroid Mattparker: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=mattparker Distance to Voyager 1: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/where-are-voyager-1-and-voyager-2-now/ Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarterhttps://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here:https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/And you can get tickets to see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsIf you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🎶 Why are songs easier to remember than sentences?⚙️ Can we come up with new names (that meet strict criteria) for leader/follower motors?🌟 And it’s a glitzy, toothy, clackety AOB As discussed in the intro, here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://youtu.be/nGtVej1Qx5YAnd here's the link:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/standupmaths/moon-pi-were-going-to-calculate-on-the-moonAnd head to our socials to see the Corris Railway Traverser! For tickets to Bec Hill’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at the Museum of Comedy, London on 19/06/2025, go here: https://museumofcomedy.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873654374  For some glittery further reading, here’s that NYT article https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/style/glitter-factory.html If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Bec here: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/ And you can get tickets to see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-maths If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!   If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.  Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord. 

🎲What’s the best design for non-traditional dice?📄 What should you call paperwork that doesn’t involve paper?🙋And it’s more a comment than a question in AOBHead to our socials to see Matt’s excellent Angry Man In Local Newspaper photos.If you’d like to peruse and purchase more dice variations, head here:https://mathsgear.co.uk/collections/dice If you have any paperlesspaperwork suggestions, join in here!https://www.reddit.com/r/AProblemSquared/If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsAnd you can get tickets see Bec here:https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

4️⃣ What would it look like to be trapped in a 4D world?🥰 What is the meaning of marriage?✨Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get AOBusyHead to our socials to see some fantastic representations of 2D meets 3D meets 4D in fiction, some magical magic, and an alphabetically perfect travel route (for 40 days in 1990).If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can get tickets to see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsAnd you can get tickets see Bec here:https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5884/If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🍻What’s the best way to politely tell a friend that they’ve had too much to drink?🗞️ Is there a way to prove that something existed before a certain date?❌And AOB brings us some friendly corrections…A useful menu of alcoholic choices…https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/ A hash of a DING!1f2b352be3c09872b3e38083ec6f0d2b22615a99c5a446a03abf24430187c484If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsAnd Bec’s show will be onsale soon!If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared - including the pictures mentioned herein! - you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🧱How many megabytes are actually in a gigabyte?🌕There have been some Moon Developments…😎And AOB will bring a little sunshine into your lifeHere is NASA’s Press Release about navigation on the moon:https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/space-communications-navigation-program/nasa-successfully-acquires-gps-signals-on-moon/And some further reading from Matt: https://www.gpsworld.com/lugre-receiver-captures-gnss-signals-in-lunar-orbit/https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/icg/2024/WG-B_Lunar_PNT_Jun24/LunarPNT_Jun24_01_03.pdfThe Biggest Bike!https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG4Gbrys3NL/?igsh=dTBqeG0wZGVpcXhsPrawn News!https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/cyclone-alfred-live-updates-brisbane-south-east-queensland-braces-for-first-direct-impact-from-storm-in-50-years-northern-nsw-prepares-for-flooding-20250305-p5lh6c.html?post=p58aa2If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsAnd Bec’s show will be onsale soon!Make sure you look after your teeth, kids...If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🗺️ Is there an alphabetically perfect travel route?🪵 What can be done with karate chopped wood?🤙 And we ride the crest of the Any Other Business waveYou can find the data-basis for the alphabetically perfect travel route here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_number_of_land_bordersHere are some of Bec’s aesthetically pleasing solutions:https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=JubeLHRYl80https://www.myveryeducatedmother.com/2015/12/turn-broken-karate-boards-into-coat-rack.htmlhttps://www.ellemariehome.com/upcycle-karate-break-boards-into-wood-signs/#google_vignetteAnd you can find Brendan’s magical web app here:https://bren.app/podcasteveryday/If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, you can see Matt here:https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/getting-triggy-it-matt-parker-does-mathsAnd Bec’s show will be onsale soon!If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

📆 When is the next Prime Number Day?🤣 What is the oldest joke?🪨 And we get to the rock bottom of Any Other BusinessYou can find Matt’s Divisibility Rules video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pLz8wEQYkAYou can read more about the world’s oldest joke here:https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2022/08/05/sumerian-joke-oneAnd you can get your Philogelols right here:https://archive.org/details/philogelos-the-laugh-addict-the-worlds-oldest-joke-book/page/n21/mode/2upIf you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

📃 Is a sheet of A-45 paper big enough to wrap the earth? ✏️ Why do we still call pencil graphite lead?👔 There’s business to attend to. You can find Matt and Hannah’s protractor up the shard video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcdqlo3pYc&ab_channel=Stand-upMathsHere’s Matt’s Truncatable Prime Pencil: https://mathsgear.co.uk/products/truncatable-prime-pencil?srsltid=AfmBOorhZ6qk_IAhKnCjtjoVM3wM-GXMTaFporL13aTjdOokjGG_hkxYAnd the oldest known pencil in the world: https://www.penciltalk.org/2021/02/worlds-oldest-pencilIf you want to know more about that 1889 World Fair and that luxury yellow pencil you can do that here: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-little-known-reason-pencils-yellowHere is the link to David’s MIT Maze turned Sudoku, Go check it out, it’s very cool: https://sudokupad.app/arbp91du01If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!  If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🤫 Which synonyms are Caesar ciphers of each other?🎨 Bec and Matt attempt to help a listener decorate their home. 💼 The tax business briefcase is wide open. ⚔️ And battleships heats up.  It’s time to go see ‘Bec Hill: Guess Who's Bec, Bec Again?’ at The Adelaide Fringe! https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-guess-who-s-bec-bec-again-bec-hill-s-bec-tell-a-friend-af2025You can see Matt Live! https://festivalofthespokennerd.com/tickets/ Here are just some of the sources that inspired Bec’s answer to Paul’s problem:​https://www.geekwire.com/2018/tiny-seattle-apartment-bed-ceiling-thats-part-makes-smart-home/​https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/saving-space-4-5e43ab2209c96-jpeg__700.jpg​https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1552627931/laptop-desk-designed-for-lying-down?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_au_en_au_a-electronics_and_accessories&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3h029YOcWlhpb2hPKJIRRlzC875u1Xd05jQ5wcB1pKVfiPHBIgyWSBoCSsAQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_22104612603_176942312567_728668009637_pla-315906365651_c__1552627931enau_102845289&utm_custom2=22104612603&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3h029YOcWlhpb2hPKJIRRlzC875u1Xd05jQ5wcB1pKVfiPHBIgyWSBoCSsAQAvD_BwE​https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/N4OkvQNSSYkvAIQvyEpZjg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjAw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/architectural_digest_422/b0e714e92e546a10087be8044b839f94And The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things: http://www.worldslargestthings.com/mobilemuseum.htmIf you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!  If you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

✅ What’s the best way to leave your mark? 🗓️ Can Saturday Night Live be on Every Day? 📍 And there are some big locations in AOB Top Marks: https://neatnik.net/steganographr/#results SNL Spreadsheet: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i9leqlafx0orjfp6l8a6t/weekend_whatdate.xlsx?rlkey=vetpi2qg9etbb35jq0zculjt1&e=1&st=q5vl7052&dl=0 Big Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8kf2XcYPXWnqGqn88 See Matt Live! https://festivalofthespokennerd.com/tickets/  See Bec Live! https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-guess-who-s-bec-bec-again-bec-hill-s-bec-tell-a-friend-af2025 If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!   And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.  Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

🔺 What are the most “interesting” years? 🍌 Bec goes big on Big Things 🎉 When Party Tricks Go Wrong 🔢 And there's some numerical AOB Here’s Max-matics’ video that Matt mentioned - Turning a 2024 Ball Pyramid in to a 2025 Ball Square for NYE 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXUlKCIgV8U Some further reading on the 2025 maths https://aperiodical.com/2025/01/numerical-coincidences-for-2025/ It’s a banger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJS3xnD7Mus Some further reading on BIG THINGS -  https://www.spottobooks.com.au/shop/p/bigthings https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/figure/10.1080/14443058.2022.2144928  If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!   And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.  Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

Hello you wonderful listener, Welcome to a new year. 2025 - has a nice ring to it doesn't it? This is a short announcement to say that there will be a very short feed break - just an episode or two, don't worry - to allow us all rest for the first two weeks of January. Matt will tell you everything you need to know in his very organised PSA. Have a listen. Thank you for your continuted support and understanding. We love you very much. Bec and Matt.

To celebrate A Problem Squared’s 100th episode… 🎼 What is the least popular instrument in an orchestra?  🍎 Matt is appalled.  🔮 Another unplanned, unexpected mystery segment!  💼 And the business briefcase is (briefly) open.  A big thank you to Katie Steckles for her brilliant contributions to this episode. You can find more from her on her website: https://www.katiesteckles.co.uk/index.html, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stecks?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor,  or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/katiesteckles.  If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post!   And if you want (we’re not forcing anyone) to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps.  Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.

099 = Most Watched Films and Homonyms ✍️ What single word in the English Language has the most different meanings?  📺 Is the most consumed media of all time a holiday movie or song? 🗞 There’s some Any Other Business!  ⚔️ Battleships continues.   If you want to find out more about the Royal Flying Doctor Service, do that here:  https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/nswact/visit/broken-hill-visitor-centre/ You can see the full contents of Bec’s new outback first aid kit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPuwoOtTFV8  If you want to learn more about WordNet (as mentioned in Matt’s problem) follow this link here: https://wordnet.princeton.edu/ If you’d like to see the trailer for what is apparently the most watched film of all time, you can do that here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXqjcDchr14 And if you’d like to hear the most streamed song of all time, you can do that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHI8X4OXluQ&ab_channel=TheWeekndVEVO Finally, IF you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer for Bec and Matt, please comment on the ‘Sup ‘Zards’ pinned post! Perhaps you want to leave us a review, show the podcast to a friend or give us a rating? If you’d like to, please do that. It really helps.  AND if you want even more from A Problem Squared (and who doesn’t) you can connect with us and other fantastic listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.