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Hello, Puzzlers!

Neuhaus Ideas
Puzzles
Language
Comedy
Wordplay
Crossword Puzzles
Games
Stephen Sondheim
Writing
New York Times
Anagrams
Trivia
Scrabble
How I Met Your Mother
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Etymology
Part-Time Genius
John Green
English Language
Podcasting
Humor

Your puzzle diet just got an upgrade! On this season of Hello, Puzzlers! (the podcast formerly known as The Puzzler), New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs and Chief Puzzle Officer Greg Pliska bring you celebrity puzzle showdowns, head-to-head word battles, and insider news straight from the Puzzle Lab. Expect anagrams, palindromes, quirky originals–and plenty of laughs.

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PublishesDailyEpisodes674Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesHobbiesLeisure

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Artwork for Hello, Puzzlers!

Latest Episodes

Hello, Puzzlers! Today: A.J. & Greg experiment in the puzzle lab with some extra spicy geography-themed puzzles.

Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindrome... more

Hello, Puzzlers! Today: A.J. talks with game designer Mike Selinker about designing one of the craziest puzzle hunts of all time, and later they are joined by the winner to discuss what it was like obsessing over Mike's puzzles for a month!

Join hos... more

Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: author of Math for English Majors, Ben Orlin!

Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky origi... more

Hello, Puzzlers! Today: A.J. & Greg answer an age-old question: is it a Pokémon, a latin phrase, or a spell from Harry Potter?

Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Ben Orlin
Author of Math with Bad Drawings; educator and writer
Author, Math with Bad Drawings; Math for English Majors
Episode: Ben Orlin plays "Fermi Mania"
Greg Karber
Creator of Murdle, GT Karber pen name
Murdle books
Episode: G.T. Karber plays "Murdle Hurdle"
Jess Zafarris
Author of Useless Etymology; Co-host of Words Unraveled
Author, Words Unraveled
Episode: Jess Zafarris plays "Catching Colds"
Will Shortz
NPR Puzzle Master and NYT Crossword Editor
New York Times
Episode: The Will Shortz Interview
Emily Devlin
VIP Patreon member joining the community puzzle discussions
Hello, Puzzlers! Patreon
Episode: Highbrow meets Lowbrow, Odd One Out, and Clerihews
Stephen Dubner
Co-creator of Freakonomics; author and podcast host
Freakonomics (authoring and media work)
Episode: Stephen J. Dubner plays "Geekonomics" [Best-Of Episode]
Erika Ettin
Dating expert, founder of A Little Nudge (dating coaching company)
A Little Nudge
Episode: Erika Ettin plays "Dating Oops"
Erica Hernandez
Actress and star of Company Retreat
Company Retreat (and Other Entertainments)
Episode: Erica Hernandez plays "Re-Treat at the Retreat"
Tara DeFrancisco
Improv superstar, creator of Here, the Improvised Musical, and Instagram humorist
Self/Improv community
Episode: Tara DeFrancisco plays "Yes and And"

Hosts

A. J. Jacobs
Author and puzzle host, co-creator of show, frequent host across episodes.
Greg Pliska
Chief Puzzle Officer and co-host, backbone of puzzle game segments and banter.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 434 ratings
  • Horrible Ads

    I love this podcast but can’t stand the 2+ minute ad segments! Sometimes with inappropriate ads too

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Leopold P Bloom
    United States5 months ago
  • Kindness

    After almost 600 episodes, what really stands out to me is the kindness of both the hosts. That has kept me coming back as much as the puzzles themselves.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ????@!?!?!?!
    United States8 months ago
  • There used to be guests on this podcast, which I found preferable because it gave listeners more voices. I am not very happy with this season's retool.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    CapeCodDJFred
    9 months ago
  • Out-Pedant the Pedant

    You didn't do the third statement :(

    See You Later Alligator

    In a While Crocodile

    Not Too Soon, You Big Baboon

    When I googled to get the spellings right, I found that there is a song:

    See you later, alligator

    In a while, crocodile

    Give a hug, ladybug

    Blow a kiss, jellyfish!

    See you soon, big baboon

    Out the door, dinosaur

    Take care, polar bear

    Wave goodbye, butterfly!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LostAgain
    United Statesa year ago
  • Ads Galore

    Most of the podcast seems to be ads

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bmgk2
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans note heavy ad breaks and ads impact flow.
Listeners enjoy quick puzzles and guest diversity.
Listeners praise kindness and banter between hosts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#15
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#98
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#69
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#59
Italy/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#69
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#166
France/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

G.T. Karber plays "Murdle Hurdle"
Q: What inspires the puzzle design and the themes you use in Murdle?
GT explains drawing from Agatha Christie, classic logic grids, and the storytelling around characters and weapons; he emphasizes the joy of designing puzzles and the process of translating logic grids into engaging mystery-like narratives.
G.T. Karber plays "Murdle Hurdle"
Q: How did Murdle become a publishing project rather than just a game?
An agent and editor saw potential, pushing for a book proposal; within a month a proposal was ready and Macmillan offered a three-book series, propelling the puzzle concept into a broader narrative world beyond the original puzzles.
G.T. Karber plays "Murdle Hurdle"
Q: Tell us the origin story of Murdle.
The origin story starts when Greg Karber, at a coffee shop, created a word puzzle and shared it with his friend Daniel Donahue; after iterating puzzles, he drafted the first Murdle on a napkin, which then evolved into a text version that worked, leading to online sharing, interest from an agent, and eventually a three-book deal with Macmillan.
Ben Orlin plays "Fermi Mania"
Q: What is the significance of translating large numbers into relatable units, like per American or per household?
It's a method to ground abstract magnitudes in everyday experience, helping people grasp scale without getting lost in sheer numerosity.
Ben Orlin plays "Fermi Mania"
Q: Now imagine if Abe Lincoln were giving the Gettysburg Address today, what would be the updated introduction in terms of score and years ago?
Ben suggests starting from the known 87 years and then converting to scores and years, concluding with a modern version that still preserves the poetic cadence, such as 'twelve score and ten years' under a hypothetical update.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Hello, Puzzlers!

What is Hello, Puzzlers! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A fast-paced, puzzle-centric show that blends wordplay challenges, linguistics, and trivia with banter between two regular hosts and a rotating cast of guests. Episodes typically feature rapid-fire rounds, category games, etymology deep-dives, and themed puzzle segments, often bookending with sponsor breaks and behind-the-scenes production chatter. The mix leans toward lighthearted, highly consumable puzzle content sprinkled with celebrity appearances and cross-promotions that emphasize community with Patreon perks. It's likely to appeal to listeners who love word games, language curiosities, and approachable brain teasers delivered in a playful, conversational style.

Where can I find podcast stats for Hello, Puzzlers!?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Hello, Puzzlers!. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Hello, Puzzlers! and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Hello, Puzzlers! get?

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What are the audience demographics for Hello, Puzzlers!?

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How many subscribers and views does Hello, Puzzlers! have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Hello, Puzzlers! has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Hello, Puzzlers!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Hello, Puzzlers!:

1. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
2. Go Fact Yourself
3. A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
4. 99% Invisible
5. This American Life

How many episodes of Hello, Puzzlers! are there?

Hello, Puzzlers! launched 3 years ago and published 674 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Hello, Puzzlers!?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Hello, Puzzlers!?

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What guests have appeared on Hello, Puzzlers!?

Recent guests on Hello, Puzzlers! include:

1. Ben Orlin
2. Greg Karber
3. Jess Zafarris
4. Will Shortz
5. Emily Devlin
6. Stephen Dubner
7. Erika Ettin
8. Erica Hernandez

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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