Part-Time Genius

Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: hosts of the "Part-Time Genius" podcast, Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur! 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 originals such as “Ask AI” and audio rebuses. Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get your podcasts!  "The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is a co-production with Neuhaus Ideas.  Our executive producers are Neely Lohmann and Adam Neuhaus of Neuhaus Ideas, and Lindsay Hoffman of iHeart Podcasts. The show is produced by Jody Avirgan and Brittani Brown of Roulette Productions.  Our Chief Puzzle Officer is Greg Pliska. Our associate producer is Andrea Schoenberg.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guess what happens when we try to pick the top 8 U.S. museums to visit? (Spoiler: we accidentally end up with 11 on the list.) From a mecca of kazoos to a dinner theater in a mine, here are some wonderfully bizarre places you shouldn’t miss. Plus, facts about SPAM! Featuring Dylan Thuras. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2017. Photo by Kindel Media via Pexels.  Going someplace interesting this summer? Take a photo and tag us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We pull their strings and stick them on our hands, but puppets are so much more than toys! Today Mango and producer Mary are taking you on a whirlwind world tour of puppetry, from Indonesian puppet shows that run until dawn to an avant-garde French ice marionette to… emo puppets? That’s right, emo puppets.  Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Send an email or voice memo to higeniuses@gmail.com, and we might use it in an upcoming episode. Photo by Bruno Guerrero via Unsplash. Thanks, Bruno! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nowadays we often hear about fentanyl in the context of the opioid epidemic. But it began as a medical breakthrough, created by a pharmaceutical genius who was once ranked the second-best Belgian of all time. In this excerpt from the podcast Panic World, Mango and producer Mary explain fentanyl’s fascinating origin story—and the chemistry that makes it such a lucrative investment for cartels. Want to hear the full conversation? Look for Panic World wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, we've watched Pixar's Cars a few times. But that doesn't mean we know anything about racing. Will and Mango dive into the strangely boozy origins of NASCAR, why you might need a yacht to enjoy Formula One, and how driver Dick Trickle made sure every race got off to a smoking start. Spoiler: it involved drilling a couple holes in his helmet. This episode originally aired on March 19, 2018. Photo by Paolo Feser via Unsplash. Thanks, Paolo! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the floating gardens of Xochimilco, to the sinking sights of El Zócalo, Mango and Gabe explore some of the most fascinating, offbeat attractions in Mexico City. Along the way we'll dole out some helpful travel tips, including the best drink to beat the heat (and the altitude!), a must-try carb-on-carb breakfast sandwich, and the only subway station in the world with its very own woolly mammoth! Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Send an email or voice memo to higeniuses@gmail.com, and we might use it in an upcoming episode. Trajineras photo by Roberto Carlos Román Don via Unsplash. Thanks, Roberto! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2019, a new cache of works entered the public domain—from Charlie Chaplin to Jane Austen stories to Felix the Cat cartoons. But what does that really mean? Will and Mango dig into how Mickey Mouse changed copyright laws, why Woody Guthrie got foiled by his publishers, and why British clowns check a case of eggs before putting on their makeup. This episode originally aired on January 18, 2019. Photo by Ali Dashti via Pexels. Thanks, Ali! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today producers Gabe and Mary are opening the top-secret PTG fact vault to share bonus stories from recent episodes, including an international seagull incident, a pioneering artist who painted chickens with eggs, and a novelty space song that must be heard to be believed. Plus: Breaking news about pennies and government puns. Listen to “The Ballad of Balladonia Night,” the official PTG song of summer 2025, here! Check out Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s “Catching Chickens” here! Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Send an email or voice memo to higeniuses@gmail.com, and we might use it in an upcoming episode. Padlock photo by Yogesh Pedamkar via Unsplash. Thanks, Yogesh! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Nintendo's history with the Yakuza to its dabbling in the seedy motel business, the House of Mario has a much longer and stranger history than you might guess. Find out what happened when the company tried to make knitting popular, how America's obsession with robots helped them nudge their way into retailers, and why a grabber called the Ultra Hand was the breakthrough the company needed. Featuring Ramsey Yount. This episode originally aired on December 20, 2017. Photo by Cláudio Luiz Castro via Unsplash. Thanks, Cláudio! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do TV listings have to do with the arc of American history? Quite a lot, it turns out! From hard-hitting journalism that exposed fake news, to billion-dollar business deals, to a photo manipulation scandal that made Oprah very angry, Will and Mango uncover the many ways this little magazine has made a big impact on our lives. Thanks to Ken at TV Guidance Counselor for the inspo—and for having Mango on his podcast! Got a question you’d like us to answer? An obscure rabbit hole you think we should explore? Send an email or voice memo to higeniuses@gmail.com, and we might use it in an upcoming episode. TV photo by Diego González via Unsplash. Thanks, Diego! Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius!  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.