Answer Me This!

Today’s questioneers want to know whether to hide bawdy home decor when kids visit, how one comes to own a cemetery, why cities are full of artist-decorated animals, whether you can eat slugs, what to do with three unwanted sets of boules, and what the most ordered item is from the enormous menu at Cheesecake Factory. For more information about this episode, and pics of the very special furniture we mention, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode409. Got questions for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, OR - thanks to Adam of SocialComms.uk who has revived our phone number - you can call 0208 123 5877. Next episode will be in your podfeed 25 September 2025. Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT, and to get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material culled from the show, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems - you can catch up on previous editions too. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s questioneers want to know, among other things, what private investigators actually do, what happened to Deely Boppers (Deely Bobbers?), how to greet your spouse when you’re attending the same business meeting, how to steer someone to not want to work for you, and how to persuade someone to GTFO of the massage chair at the airport that they’re not getting massaged in. For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode408. Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 28 August 2025. Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT, and to get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material culled from the show, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems, the next edition of which is happening 23 August 2025. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s questioneers want to know why a coffee shop will have either good coffee or good chairs but not both, WTF Judi Dench’s voice is doing at Disney World, how to stop their coworkers pushing MLMs onto them, how to get their wife to like their malepolish, and why Phoebe from Friends would say lobsters mate for life when actually lobsters just want a quick hot fling and no commitment.  For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode407. Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 31 July 2025. Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT, and to get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material culled from the show, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. 🎧 Olly's new BBC Sounds series about the building of a new Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire is here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do Danes slice up the bride’s veil and the groom’s socks at a wedding? Is it OK to take pats of butter from a cafe? How/when do Popes learn Italian? And what happens if you drop your phone into the toilet at a festival? (Spoiler: nothing good.) Questioneers want to know all these things and more in AMT406.  For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode406 Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 26 June 2025. Before that, AMT patrons will be getting a new feature: Petty Problems, a live YouTube version of the show where we only deal with questions that are trivial, unserious, minor. And because it’s live, you can interact with us in real time! The first edition will be 10pm UK time on Sunday 15th June. Patrons also get bonus cuts from the show, an ad-free version of the episode, and the glow of satisfaction of bringing this podcast back to life; so for all that, go to patreon.com/answermethis. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's one of those fantasy questions that gets batted around when "Who would you want at your fantasy dinner party?" has been wrung dry: what would you spend the money on if you won the lottery? Except one questioneer has actually done it, and now they need to figure out what to spend the money on in a way that doesn't tip anyone off that they won the lottery.  Plus, questioneers want to know: what do pretzels mean, when did sports winners start kissing trophies, who had the incredible idea to make biscuits into spread, what do you do with your late spouse's underpants, and how to do you stop being given gifts of toe socks. For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode405. Got questions for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 29 May 2025. AMT patrons will be getting bonus material before that, as well as an ad-free version of the episode, and the glow of satisfaction of bringing this podcast back to life; so to become a patron, go to patreon.com/answermethis. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In AMT404, listeners want to know where to go to see the northern lights, why Jesus's official birthday and deathday aren't on the same calendar, and who is being weird: them, or their family? We also learn about sand heists, leaving your body to science/Disneyland, and werewolf menstruation. For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode404. Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 1 May 2025. Our patrons will be getting bonus material before that, as well as an ad-free version of the episode, so to become one, go to patreon.com/answermethis. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've been making this show for a long time. We have had SO many questions about weddings. And yet, in AMT403, we get a whole fresh spin on the Wedding WTFery genre of question. Plus, questioneers ask about understudies' pay, popcorn's popularity, and who has to clear out your shed after you die. For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode403. Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 27 March 2025. Our patrons will be getting bonus material  before that, so to become one, go to patreon.com/answermethis This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you bloody well believe it? New AMT in your ears in the year 2025?? Well, it's real! In AMT402, listeners ask about roller derby names, baked bean beans, shopping on planes, and the danger of bagpipes.  For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode402.  Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 27 February 2025.  Our patrons will be hearing from us before that, so to become one, go to patreon.com/answermethis.  This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. To build an online home for your side hustle, or front hustle, or underhustle, go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy birthday to AMT, turning 18 years old today! Which means our baby is now an adult, and we are celebrating by.... 🎉 BRINGING THE PODCAST BACK! 🎉 We're going to try it out with new monthly episodes on the last Thursday of the month, for the next three months.  So the show will return with AMT402 on 30 January 2025, 403 on 27 February, 404 on 27 March...  And after that? Well, if we're enjoying it, and you're enjoying it, we hope to continue. We need your help, though, in the following three ways: Send us your questions. This podcast depends on them! Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com - ideally including the formula "Helen and/or Olly, answer me this", and let us know a name (pseudonyms are fine) and pronouns to use for you. As always, your questions can be about all sorts of things: pop culture, history, moral dilemmas, romance, workplace feuds, etiquette, myths, whatever is causing your brow to furrow. Also, if you want to fill us in on how you are and what's been happening in your life in our absence, please do. a) Tell people the show is back. Social media? Great! Old media? Fantastic. Writing it across your face and running around the supermarket? Could work. We'd love for listeners old and new to hear that AMT is returning. b) Resubscribe in your podcast app: follow the links at https://pod.link/208516732. And set to auto-download new episodes while you're there. (Nowadays a lot of the podcast-listening apps will stop updating you with new episodes if you haven't recently listened to one. Don't let 'em!) Fund the show at patreon.com/answermethis. Your contributions will help keep it going. And we have some sweet extra perks for you coming up just as soon as the show is up and running again. That's all our demands! For now. We're excited to answer your questions again, and to witter in your ears while you commute or work out or do the gardening or nurse the baby or fall asleep. Happy New Year! x H & O Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back AMT for one special new episode! So much has changed since we retired nearly two years ago, but what remains is our desire to answer your questions. Today, questioneers wonder about what to say about working in a world-famous place, romantic bacon competitions, unromantic but important kebab competitions, Danielle Steel's sleeping habits, and looking at their own semen through a microscope. Find out more about this episode at answermethispodcast.com/episode401. We don't know whether/when we will pop up in your feed again, so stay subscribed! And follow us on facebook.com/answermethis and twitter.com/helenandolly. Hear our other work: Olly Mann has a daily podcast, Today in History with the Retrospectors, and his monthly magazine show The Modern Mann, both of which you can find along with his other work at ollymann.com. Helen Zaltzman makes the The Allusionist, an entertainment podcast about language, which you can find at the podplaces and at theallusionist.org. Martin Austwick's music is available at palebirdmusic.com, his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at songbysongpodcast.com, and his experimental fiction podcast Neutrino Watch at neutrinowatch.org. This episode is sponsored by: • Wondrium, the streaming library of tutorials, lectures, documentaries, how-to videos, travel, craft and much more! AMT listeners get a month of free access to the whole library at wondrium.com/answer. • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to squarespace.com/answer, and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well this is it, listeners. After 14 years and 8 months and many thousands of questions, AMT400 is the last episode of the show. But we go out on some terrific inquiries, about pigeon navigation, saving Joni Mitchell's childhood home/destroying Shakespeare's final home, the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes, diamond skulls, and eating brunch dangling 150 feet up in the air. Huge thanks to all of you who sent in lovely messages - and songs! - with your AMT-related emotions and memories. We only included a tiny fraction of your affection in the episode, but know that we read/listened to everything. And maybe wept over it a bit too. Find more about this episode, including a mega bonus episode of all the extra answers we didn't have room for, at answermethispodcast.com/episode400. Keep in touch! Here's how to find the three of us: Olly Mann is @ollymann on Twitter. His podcasts include The Retrospectors and The Modern Mann, and you can find all of his shows at ollymann.com. Helen Zaltzman is @helenzaltzman on Twitter and Instagram. Her podcasts include The Allusionist and Veronica Mars Investigations. Martin The Sound Man Austwick is @martinaustwick on Twitter and Instagram. His podcasts include Song By Song, Neutrino Watch and Maddie's Sound Explorers - and you can hear his songs via palebirdmusic.com. This episode is sponsored by: • Manscaped, a full range of grooming products for your furry parts. Get 20% off plus free shipping with the code ANSWER at Manscaped.com. • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to squarespace.com/answer, and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Stay subscribed to this feed, cos you never know what the future holds. Until the unknown future happens: bye!!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our very last retro AMT, we returned to a favourite from December 2011: AMT200, where we enlisted our families to answer your questions. And, well, it's a novelty not to be embarrassed just by our own past selves this time. This episode originally appeared at . Episodes 1-200 are available at , where you can also get our six special albums. Tweet us Facebook Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Hear Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at , Olly Mann's The Retrospectors, The Modern Mann and more at , and Martin Austwick's Song By Song at . This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'answer'.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In AMT399, we find out about tuning church bells, cheetahs being given pet dogs, Olly getting lost in SeaWorld, how pickled onions inspired soft play, and which ways you might be most likely to be killed by a ball pit. We also have a Big Announcement ahead of episode 400. Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to answermethisstore.com, where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for episode 400, as well as your precious AMT memories - whether our answers to your questions helped or hurt your life, whether you made any friends through the podcast, whether you started your own podcast, the weirdest place or oddest thing you were doing while listening to the show, we want to hear it all! Email written words or voice recordings to . Tweet us @, and follow us on Facebook . Hear our other work: Olly Mann has a new podcast, the Retrospectors, which you can find along with his other shows at ollymann.com; Helen Zaltzman makes the podcasts The Allusionist - theallusionist.org - and Veronica Mars Investigations VMIpod.com; and Martin Austwick's music is available at palebirdmusic.com, his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at songbysongpodcast.com, and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • Wondrium, the streaming library of tutorials, lectures, documentaries, how-to videos, travel, craft and much more! AMT listeners get 14 days' free access to the whole library at . • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're settling a lot of couples' disputes in AMT398. Potato in tacos: Y/N? Did all animation used to be worse, or specifically just in Disney's straight to video sequels? And who's from the biggest village? Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to answermethisstore.com, where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for future episodes: email written words or voice recordings to . Tweet us @, and follow us on Facebook . Hear our other work: Olly Mann has a new podcast, the Retrospectors, which you can find along with his other shows at ollymann.com; Helen Zaltzman makes the podcasts The Allusionist - theallusionist.org - and Veronica Mars Investigations VMIpod.com; and Martin Austwick's music is available at palebirdmusic.com, his innovative new podcast Neutrino Watch at neutrinowatch.org, his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at songbysongpodcast.com, and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • Manscaped, a full range of grooming products for your furry parts. Get 20% off plus free shipping with the code ANSWER at Manscaped.com • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In AMT397, questioneers want to know when meerkats got so popular, why you'd wear an albatross around your neck, what you do when your friends think you're a pennypincher, and whether Mary Shelley had sex on her mother's grave. Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to answermethisstore.com, where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for future episodes: email written words or voice recordings to . Tweet us @, and follow us on Facebook . Hear our other work: Olly Mann has a new podcast, the Retrospectors, which you can find along with his other shows at ollymann.com; Helen Zaltzman makes the podcasts The Allusionist - theallusionist.org - and Veronica Mars Investigations VMIpod.com; and Martin Austwick's music is available at palebirdmusic.com, his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at songbysongpodcast.com, and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from piano to mystery-writing to formal logic to Italian. AMT listeners get a free fortnight at . • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In AMT396, questioneers are concerned about crabs eating their babies, The Addams Family, and whether their voodoo doll of their office nemesis worked out a little too well.  Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to , where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for future episodes: email written words or voice recordings to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Tweet us  Facebook Hear our other work: Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at ; Olly Mann's five podcasts including , The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought at ; and Martin Austwick's music at  his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at , and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from piano to mystery-writing to formal logic to Italian. AMT listeners get a free fortnight at . • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Put your arm out, palms up, now touch your biceps, cradle the back of your head, hand on hip, other hand on other hip, pat each buttock and JUMP because in AMT395 we're learning about the Macarena dance! As well as Rita Ora's hats, wearing sports merch for a team you don't support, and winning a car at the airport. Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to , where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for future episodes: email written words or voice recordings to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Tweet us Facebook Hear our other work: Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at ; Olly Mann's five podcasts including , The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought at ; and Martin Austwick's music at his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at , and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from piano to mystery-writing to formal logic to Italian. AMT listeners get a free fortnight at . • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In AMT394, listeners are struggling with questions about genies' feet, treadmills in shoe shops, and their own children's mediocrity. Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to , where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us your questions for future episodes: email written words or voice recordings to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Tweet us Facebook Hear our other work: Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at ; Olly Mann's five podcasts including , The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought at ; and Martin Austwick's music at his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at , and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: • The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from piano to mystery-writing to formal logic to Italian. AMT listeners get a free fortnight at . • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New year, new questions, about naming ravens at the Tower of London, how glow sticks work, did pirates really walk the plank, and how come prawn cocktail-flavour Pringles bring out one listener in the sweats. Find out more about this episode at . For more AMT stuff, head over to , where you can get our six special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us questions for 2021 episodes: email written words or voice recordings to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Tweet us Facebook Hear our other work: Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at ; Olly Mann's five podcasts including , The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought at ; and Martin Austwick's music at his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at , and the music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from chess to mystery fiction to yoga to formal logic to dog training. AMT listeners get a free month at . Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jingle those bells, it's festive AMT392, with questions about Elf on the Shelf, fancy advent calendars, CONTENT WARNING: the episode may not be suitable for children, as it contains contains information about parental deceit w.r.t. Christmas logistics, plus a thoroughly researched passage about Adult Material depicting Jesus. Find out more about this episode at . Tis the season for the AMT Christmas album, which you can get at , along with our other special albums, AMT episodes 1-200, and our Best Of compilations. Send us questions for 2021 episodes: email written words or voice recordings to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Tweet us Facebook Hear our other work: Helen Zaltzman's podcasts The Allusionist at and Veronica Mars Investigations at ; Olly Mann's five podcasts including , The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought at ; and Martin Austwick's music at his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at , and his new music'n'science podcast Maddie's Sound Explorers, hosted by Maddie Moate, at . This episode is sponsored by: The Great Courses Plus, the streaming library of courses on topics from chess to mystery fiction to yoga to formal logic to dog training. AMT listeners get a free month at . Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to , and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices