This is the illusionist in which I, Helen Zaltzman, am checkmated by language.
This episode and the next couple are about word games fun today, well hear from game makers who've come up with very different approaches to making games about language.
In a way, this is a sequel to the episode featuring Leslie Scott, who invented Jenga when she was a teen and has since made dozens of other games including the word games Xlibris, anagram and Flummoxed.
That was episode 16 of the show, so were operating on a before sunset sequel.
Speed.
By the way, if youre in the UK you can listen to this show on BBC Sounds and you know who else is on there.
The Infinite Monkey cage.
The show hosted by Brian Cox, the celebrity physicist one, not the succession and manhunter one, and comedian Robin Ince.
And guess what?
My first ever professional radio recording was with none other than Robin Ince 19 years ago.
Wow.
And just look at him now.
Okay, listen to him now on the infinite monkey cage, the show wherein scientists and comedians look at science in a comedic way and consider matter dark and non dark, like the creatures that live in the deepest depths of the oceans, and how illusions work on our credulous human minds.
And whether fish can count.
And how big is big data?
Exactly.
And why do we laugh?
And what do astronauts really get up to in space?
Episodes are released on Wednesdays wherever you get your podcasts, but if you're in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes a week early on BBC Sounds.
Speaking of astronauts, on the 18 April 2024, there is a special illusionist live show happening in the planetarium at the HR McMillan Space Centre in Vancouver, BC.