Episodes

  • 131 = Microwave Conventions and Pythagoral Dimensions
    Mar 30 2026

    👋 When microwaving food, should you place it in the centre, or off to the side?

    📐 Does the longest diagonal in a 1m sided cube in 4D square equal root 4?

    🐨 And there’s some Bonus Other Business.


    Head to our socials to see Bec’s Photographic Exhibition of Australian Wildlife, Cubie the Moon Rover, Bec’s Poppadom Experiment, Matt’s Pythagorean Whiteboard Action, and the first glimpse of the most confusing game of Connect 4 ever to be played. A surprisingly visual audio podcast… so it’s all happening over on BlueSky / Twitter / Instagram


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!

    If you’re already 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.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 130 = Sly Skittles Claim and Why Sniffles Name?
    Mar 16 2026

    🌈 Is it true that "No Two Packs Of Skittles Are The Same?”

    🤧 Why a cold called cold?

    🤫 And there’s some ASMROB


    Head to our socials to see Matt’s Mission Patches, Matt’s Calculator, and the Skittles Combinatorics!


    The Liberation Laser Software by Seb Lee-Delisle

    https://liberationlaser.com/


    The Skittle Maths by Clare Wallace

    https://www.clarewallace.co.uk/skittles


    And some Norfolk Punch, if you’re so inclined

    https://www.norfolkpunch.com/


    If you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here:

    http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!

    If you’re already 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.


    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • 129 = People off Ground and Pound for Pound
    Mar 2 2026

    🛫 How many people are flying in the air at any given moment?

    ⚖️ What weighs a pound and costs a pound?

    🏈 And there’s some Any Other (Foot)Ballness


    Head to our socials to see Bec’s glasses 🤓Pat Patriot 🇺🇲and our Pound for Pound items!


    Here is a link to the book Flying With Confidence (which helped Producer Laura with her fear of flying and also helped her answer the problem correctly!)

    https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/415543/flying-with-confidence-by-patricia-furness-smith-and-captain-steve-allright/9780091947859


    They Did The Math, They Did The Monster Math on Reddit

    https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/

    https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemonstermath/


    Flight Radar 24: https://www.flightradar24.com/


    If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026


    And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard! If you’re already 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.


    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • 128 = AMA 2^7 Special
    Feb 16 2026

    ❓ Have you sent in a question for our AMA episode?

    ❔ Have Matt and Bec answered it in this AMA episode?

    ⁉️ Here are your AMA questions, answered!


    We’ll be back solving your problems as normal in Episode 129!


    If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026


    And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!

    If you’re already 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.




    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • 127 = Labelling Consumables and Conceivable Numerals
    Feb 2 2026

    🫘 Can we come up with some fun names for common pantry items?

    🔢 What's the smallest number that has never been written down in human history?

    🧂 And there’s a sprinkling of Any Other Business.


    Numberphile’s take on a number NOBODY has thought of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdZrxkix9Mk


    Every Time "67" Has Been Said on Numberphile, if you dare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlJMJfPPnVA


    Googolplex Written Out: http://www.googolplexwrittenout.com/


    If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026


    And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard! If you’re already 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.

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • 126 = Temperature Levels and Special Vessels
    Jan 19 2026

    🧊 Why doesn’t the coldest day fall on the shortest day?

    🥂 If you don’t drink, what can you use fancy drinking glasses for?

    🏊 And we take the plunge into some Any Other Brrrrrrrness.


    If you’d like to read about defibrillator testing using a turkey, here’s the paper sent in by Hans: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12879378/


    If you’d like to see Matt and Bec - alongside Steve Mould and Helen Arney and more - at An Evening Of Unnecessary Detail in London on Monday 26th January, you can get tickets here:

    https://www.universe.com/events/an-evening-of-unnecessary-detail-tickets-TFK426?ref=ticketmaster


    If you’d like to see Bec at the Adelaide Fringe in March, you can get tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bec-hill-creates-the-perfect-show-work-in-progress-af2026


    And if you’d like to see Matt on tour, all the dates, venues and tickets can be found here: http://standupmaths.com/shows


    If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode in February go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA! Please get your AMA questions in by Friday 23rd January 2026!


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!

    If you’re already 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.




    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • 125 = Toots from Bums and Attitude Sums
    Jan 5 2026

    💨 How many people are needed to guarantee that there is always someone farting somewhere?

    🔠 If you match each letter with the corresponding number in the alphabet and add them together, which words add up to 100.

    🏁 And there is some unfinished business.


    Head to our socials for pictures of Matt’s Homemade Sea Salt and Bec’s Brilliant Branding, an assortment of Massive Hourglasses, the beautiful sketch of Bec, and a smiley jerk on the beach in the sunshine 🌅


    Here is the full list of words that add up to 100 (and do be warned that it contains some words that may not be suitable for young eyes)

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r0u9hnx0c63ma3ovky3gp/100_letter_sum_shuffled.txt?rlkey=n62ik3j22tnwujod53wqrf4cc&e=1&dl=0



    If you have a suggestion of dates for us to do a Rock Special and a Tooth Special,, go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com and select ‘Solution’ and do mention ‘International Teeth Day’


    See Matt on tour in 2026!

    http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:

    https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths


    And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard!

    If you’re already 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.


    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • 124 = Dangerous Angling and Harmonious Wrangling
    Dec 22 2025

    👼 What is the Angle of Death?

    🎼 What is the best filing system for sheet music?

    🎄And there’ll be some A-ho-ho-ho-B



    If you have any maths-studio-based-names for the Newdio, go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com and select ‘Solution’ and be as funny and punny as possible!


    If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec anything for our special 2^7 episode in February go to the Problem Posing Page at aproblemsquared.com - select ‘Problem’ and start your message with AMA!


    See Matt on tour in 2026! http://standupmaths.com/shows


    Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths


    And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt: https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6


    Join us on Patreon for early releases and our monthly bonus podcast I’m A Wizard - and a special APS Christmas Card!

    If you’re already 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.


    Show More Show Less
    55 mins