Desperate and Appauling

Irish Words, Latin Words and the 25 Horses Puzzle

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

What do you call a grumpy person with a PhD in Palindromes? How can you find the 3 fastest horses among 25 horses if all you can do is race five at a time? We also dive into some Irish and Latin words in use in English. Based on our book, 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words.

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AI - Friend or Foe?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:20:41 GMT

Des received an AI assessment of one of his papers and was not pleased. We discuss AI, consciousness, humour, driverless cars and whether computers can really think..

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Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:35:24 GMT

One of our most popular books is Mathematical Lateral thinking Puzzles. Here we review some of our favourite puzzles from the book.

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Favourite Quotes

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 12:55:14 GMT

We share our selections of favourite quotes from Mark Twain, William Shakepeare, Woody Allen, Oscar Wilde, Yogi Berra and many more. Prepare for some laughs and insights.

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Fiendish Facts and Querolous Questions

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:38:14 GMT

Which country has the most pyramids? What is a mountweazel? How can you always have a beautiful girl on your arm? Some of the crazy questions that Paul and Des pose in this podcast.

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Paul Sloane Interview on BBC Radio London 23 April 2024

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:27:01 GMT

Shay Grewal on BBC Radio London chats to Paul Sloane about 1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice (co-authored with Des MacHale) and lateral thinking topics.

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1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:36:46 GMT

We talk about our new book, 1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice. It is packed with atrocious advice, juvenile jokes and terrible tips. Listen to this short podcast to hear many, many examples.

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Things that annoy us

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 18:12:39 GMT

We chat about things that annoy us from tattoos to cancel culture, onions to ballet.

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What word has 6 letters but if you take away 1 you are left with 12?

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:37:35 GMT

Paul is in Cork in Ireland visiting Des and they chat about words and language. There are some puzzles from their book, World's Best Word Puzzles.

What word has a triple letter with no hyphens?
What word has three double letters in a row?

Answers in the episode

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Why do People Love Puzzles but Hate Mathematics?

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:28:50 GMT

Paul and Des meet in Cork and chat about why puzzles are so popular yet mathematics is not. They also cover; What games promote thinking? Questions of morality and ethics, Lateral thinking puzzles, Assumptions, Questions and much more.

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Wonderful Words and Notable Numbers

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:42:18 GMT

Des and Paul chew over some favourite words from their book, 1234 Wacky Witty and Wonderful Words. They discuss some remarkable numbers and go on a lateral wander around some fascinating trivia.

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Lateral Thinking for Every Day

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 10:44:28 GMT

We discuss everyday examples of lateral thinking, set a lateral thinking puzzle, describe a clever idea to deter speeding in Estonia and review a proposal to increase fitness and generate electricity. Plus comments on Paul's new book, Lateral Thinking for Every Day.

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Favourite Poems

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 17:19:37 GMT

Des and Paul choose and recite some of their favourite poems - tragic, heroic and funny.. Do you agree with their selections?

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Six Great Lateral Thinkers

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:19:01 GMT

Paul reveals his selection of the greatest lateral thinkers in history. Some of the choices surprise Des. All the stories are taken from the book, Think Like an Innovator, published by Pearson. Also the solution to the previous puzzle and a new lateral thinking puzzle.

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The Six Most Outstanding Mathematicians

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 13:18:09 GMT

Professor of Mathematics Des MacHale chooses his six top mathematicians. He tells why he chose them, their impact on the world and some human stories about them. We set a puzzzle from Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles - Can you list 100 consecutive integers, none of which is prime?

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Coincidences

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:12:21 GMT

We discuss the strange world of coincidences ranging from births and deaths to dreams and meetings. Is it just chance or are there mysterious forces at work? We give the answers to the puzzles in the last episode and we set a lovely new puzzle - If I have a bee in my hand, what do I have in my eye?

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Language and Words of Irish Origin

Thu, 27 May 2021 12:38:46 GMT

We examine some words of Irish origin in the English language including trousers, tory, kibosh and craic. Taken from 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words. Also two puzzles. What is the only English word ending in MT? What word has six letters but if you take away one letter you are left with twelve?

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1001 Silly Questions, Boris Johnson Jokes and More Puzzles

Thu, 13 May 2021 13:35:21 GMT

Des introduces three recent books. 1001 Silly Questions features funny, provocative or silly questions. The Official Boris Johnson Joke Book is hot off the press. Number and Letter Puzzles includes many puzzles of the 26 L of the EA type. There is a solution to the vanishing town puzzle. And a new puzzle; what is 59 B on an R?

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How to be a Brilliant Thinker

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 15:57:14 GMT

We discuss Paul's books, How to be a Brilliant Thinker, Think Like an Innovator and The Leader's Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills. There are also solutions to previous puzzles, a joke and a new puzzle about a vanishing town.

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Kick Yourself Puzzles

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 12:16:57 GMT

Des and Paul share some super riddles from the book, Kick Yourself Puzzles, published by Sterling Publishing.

A riddle for listeners:

Moses was the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter,

He was also the daughter of the Pharaoh’s son.

How can this be?

Answer in the next podcast.

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Wonderful Words and a Lateral Thinking Puzzle

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:24:53 GMT

Paul and Des discuss some wonderful words ranging from banshee to crepuscular. They tell a couple of jokes and Des poses a new lateral thinking puzzle for Paul to chew over. Puzzle for listeners, find an anagram for THE CLASSROOM.

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World's Best Word Puzzles

Sat, 27 Mar 2021 14:03:31 GMT

Des and Paul chat about unusual words, palindromes, anagrams, jokes and much more. It features items from their book, World's Best Word Puzzles, which is a delight for word lovers everywhere. The book has some 320 quiz questions and word puzzles.

Puzzle for listeners. Which word starts with seven consonants and ends with nine?

Answer in next podcast.

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Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 15:17:28 GMT

Our two co-conspirators, Des and Paul, discuss some fiendish lateral puzzles. Drawn from the book Remarkable Lateral Thinking Puzzles and from the website www.lateralpuzzles.com where you can set and solve such puzzles in a forum.

Puzzle for listeners. A couple bought something nice but looked at it only once or twice a year. Why?

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Some Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:48:28 GMT

Des MacHale and Paul Sloane discuss the joy of mathematics and review some puzzles from their popular book, Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles, published by Sterling Publishing.

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Des and Paul discuss 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:37:32 GMT

Des MacHale and Paul Sloane talk about their new book, 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words. It is a lexicon of funny and fascinating words and it helps raise money for the charity Step by Step which supports disadvantaged young people. Here the authors consider some of the words beginning with A.

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Desperate and Appauling

Irish Words, Latin Words and the 25 Horses Puzzle

AI - Friend or Foe?

Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Favourite Quotes

Fiendish Facts and Querolous Questions

Paul Sloane Interview on BBC Radio London 23 April 2024

1001 Pieces of Absolutely Useless Advice

Things that annoy us

What word has 6 letters but if you take away 1 you are left with 12?

Why do People Love Puzzles but Hate Mathematics?

Wonderful Words and Notable Numbers

Lateral Thinking for Every Day

Favourite Poems

Recommended Reading for Lateral Listeners

Six Great Lateral Thinkers

The Six Most Outstanding Mathematicians

Coincidences

Language and Words of Irish Origin

1001 Silly Questions, Boris Johnson Jokes and More Puzzles

How to be a Brilliant Thinker

Kick Yourself Puzzles

Wonderful Words and a Lateral Thinking Puzzle

World's Best Word Puzzles

Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Some Mathematical Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Des and Paul discuss 1234 Wacky, Witty and Wonderful Words