#401 The World Before Wordle: Talking Puzzles With AJ Jacobs

Crosswords, jigsaws, mazes, rebuses, Rubik's cubes, Myst, Words With Friends -- and now Wordle? Not only have people loved puzzles for centuries, they've actually gone wild for them. Every few years, a new tantalizing puzzle comes along to captivate the nation.

But each of these little games has an extraordinary history and for this special show, we have the "the puzzler" himself to help us unravel these unique mysteries.

Joining the show today is AJ Jacobs, author of The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life, who leads Greg and Tom down a maze of fascinating origins for the world's most popular puzzles -- many with a connection to New York City.

FEATURING:

-- Sam Loyd, the ultimate puzzle huckster
-- The utterly madcap Rebus Craze of 1937
-- The Secret and the possible treasure buried underneath New York's very streets
-- Stephen Sondheim's glorious contributions to the puzzling world

Visit the website for more information and images

Podcasts mentioned on this show:'

The Straw Hat Riots of 1922

Nellie Bly: Undercover in the Madhouse

Pulitzer vs Hearst: The Rise of Yellow Journalism

PLUS: A special New York City-themed anagram game!