Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us this week: comedian and host of "Parenting is a Joke" Ophira Eisenberg!
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 Chat GPT” and audio rebuses.
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"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.
Hello, Puzzlers, Welcome to the Puzzler Podcast The Beetlejuice in Your Puzzles Oriyan Constellation. I am your host, A J. Jacobs, and I am here with today's guest, the awesome O Fira Eisenberg, stand up comedian, author and host of the iHeart podcast Parenting Is a Joke. Welcome, Oh Fira, Hello AJ, how are you? I am delightful and especially delighted because I have Greg Pliska, your friend and the puzzlers Chief puzzle Officer.
Hello Greg, Hello Aj, and hello Fira.
Hi Greg.
Now, before I turn it over to Greg, I just want to point out that I used the constellation Oriyan in the introduction, which is a little foreshadowing of this great puzzle by Greg Pliska. Take it away, Greg, Yes.
The puzzle is all about naming the stars that are in which constellation. No horrifyingly difficult buzzle Vega twelve right no No. In fact, this game is inspired by the Canadian national anthem Okay, okay. We played a version of this at our live event earlier this year, and we had so much fun and a bunch of leftover clues that we thought we'd reprise it for our listeners. So it's true you think you were confirming. Now it does require you to be able to sing Oh Canada, I can do that?
Which version?
So like French versus English?
Oh No, there's an updated one too. There was one that I honestly sang in elementary school, and then they changed the lyrics slightly, and I feel like recently they've changed the lyrics again and it's it's all about less religious, more inclusivity. As they've changed like that.
I like that's a that's a good step, but it still starts the same way.
Yeah, okay, some there, Okay.
Good aj Do you want to demonstrate how it starts? Should I do that? Afira? Who wants to be ill?
I have? I did get a lot of criticism for the last singing episode, with some support.
Mail that said more singing please.
Well, yes that was the exception to the rule. So maybe I'll let you one of you two do a sing can home man.
You're correct, that is how it starts, and it's really only those first two words you need to know. Okay, Okay, got it, Because every answer in this puzzle is a word or phrase that starts with oh that can be sung in place of the opening words of.
The anthem, Got it right? Okay?
If I gave you the clue adjective describe being someone who follows orders, you would sing, oh, beediant.
Got it?
Yeah right? Okay, to the tune of O Canada. And I expect all the listeners wherever they are to be singing out loud in their cars, on the bus, walking the dog, whatever they're doing. When I have a cold chorus across the country. Here we go. Your first clue. What a stereotypical tiger mom expects her children to do?
Oh?
Obay, that is not wrong, not the answer. We're looking for a four syllable words, so you don't have to repeat a syllable over all the notes.
You can just you know, you can expect her children to do.
Yeah, okay, what do I mean? We all kind of expect our children to obey.
No, they're not supposed to obey, supposed to break in mind? Are is it a be like? Is it? Oh?
Beian? No? That was the that was the example.
Oh, that's right, okay, it.
Has nothing to do with obeying what.
Obviously, I'm not a tiger mom because I'm not even partying this.
You don't want them to just get by in school. You want them to if you're a.
Tiger mom, okay, right, get by. I mean I'm going to go with outstanding. But that's not doesn't make sense within the context of the of the phrase.
Well, you don't want them to underachieve.
You might, Oh, it's achievement, thank you.
That makes over.
Yes, very good, overachieve. We want them to overachieve, very good. Okay. Is another one that is not Canadian centric. The clue is not Oklahoma City, but the other US state capital that starts with.
Oh, what is the other You a state capital that starts with oh? Is it? Let me think that's a good one.
Is it Cland isn't this part of the citizenship tests, like you.
Have to know you don't have to do capitals. But I've been trying to learn them, honestly, but I don't. I don't know all of them. I've been trying to learn them. Don't be mad at me, everybody, but let me try to think what it could be. Oakland is not you're right, No, what's this? Is it Florida Bay?
No, it's the state on the diagonal that's continental United States on the other northwestern side. Of the country.
I think I can give her the state.
The state is, in fact, Washington, Washington State. Oh oh, look at that. You are an American.
Sorry, sorry, all Americans are being mad at me.
You know, not can name that? I bet, I bet you know, all the state capitals get drinking. Okay, next clue the state of being completely unknown and also a twenty thirteen film starring Tom Cruise as a drone repairman.
Wow, U obscure.
Yes it is. You know it wasn't a bad film. A friend of mine scored the film, but it it. Yeah, I just thought the idea of Tom Cruise is a drone repair man was funny to mention.
It's hilarious.
It's like it's like, you know, no more, it's like blenders did a lot of blenders, Yeah, exact, and then I did this to diversify.
It's the state of being completely unknown, or or what you might drink yourself into.
Oh okay, if you want, like, yeah, I'm thinking of a words. You drink yourself into oblivion?
Oh yes, oblivion.
That's why oblivion?
Oh right, right right, oblivion or oblivion? I guess yeah, very good, Yeah, very good. Okay, all right, a few more the gauge, the tracks. How far you've driven your car? Oh, dumnor, Yes, very good, well done. I think that.
Hey, now we're in my wheelhouse. I've been canceled from the show.
Canceled. No, no, the spice in the mint family that is common in Italian cuisine. Oh you know, yes, brilliant. I think there should be a new version of the anthem with that as the opening.
Sort of mixed Scarborough fare with the anthem, so we can get some Parsley some stage time. Everyone's always mad. That wasn't in that group?
Oh yeah, therego. Partisans are very upset.
Don't even get me started with the soilanial lovers, small, mighty and man.
Well, there are a lot of cilantro haters. It's a very polarizing herb.
That's right.
That's why there's so many lovers, because only the lovers. The lover community, as you know, started in response to the haters.
That will be on our next podcast talks about spices are your last one. The first part of the Christian Bible, the one containing the twenty four books that make up the Hebrew Bible.
Is this two words. Yeah, okay, good, It's gonna be like wow, This is really gonna be embarrassing when I can't find this word. Do you mean old testument?
Yea, I do mean that exactly.
Well done, thanks excellent, thank you.
You did great. By the way, quick update, there was a movement in nineteen ninety to change our native land our home in native Land to our home and Cherished Land, because there are Canadians who are not Native. But I don't think it took so there you got it.
I can admit that that pleasant land actually comes from the Him Jerusalem in our green and pleasant Land. That's where that got came to my brain.
So well, I'd have to say it's a very appropriate adjective for Canada. Very pleasant people. I feel they're pleasant.
True, that's what sometimes I feel like so often people will say. I mean, I have had people say, oh, you're so nice. I get it now, it's because you're Canadian, and I was like, you've just insulted both.
Of us, right exactly.
By the way, what's the capital of New Brunswick.
Oh, boy, uh b new Brunswick City.
It is it? Saint George, Saint John Wow.
Is the capital?
Okay, I'm not far far away geographically.
I just wanted to point out that maybe if you did not grow up in a country, you don't know all.
The true.
I was never going to guess Fredericton, but as a call back to an early episode, I didn't know Regina I would have gotten of course, for all the obvious.
Reasons, Greg, do you have a de rated extra credit?
I do?
I do? Your clue is like film that got too much light or a celebrity with too much attention.
Okay, great, and listeners, please sing that at home if you get it, or in the car. And uh and by the way, if you have thirty seconds, please go rate the puzzler on your favorite podcast platform because it really makes a difference in helping people find us. And while you're there, listen to Ofira's awesome podcast Parenting as a Joke. Also, our stand up specials are online and and for purchase. Would I want to add because she's got to make a living.
She's got to make a living people, And.
Thank you, Ofia. It was a joy to have you back. You'll come back again.
At anytime, anytime. Thank you, Greg. Great puzzles, great puzzles and a joy. Thank you so much, aj our pleasure.
It was very pleasant and thank you puzzlers, We'll meet you here tomorrow for more puzzling puzzles that will puzzle you puzzlingly.
Hey, puzzlers, this is Greg Pliska, your chief puzzle Officer, here with the extra credit answer from our previous show. We had our favorite guest o Fiah Eisenberg back to play off the cuff where we spelled off Oph like the beginning of her name. Every answer is a word with an oph somewhere in it. Your extracretit clue is an absolute disaster or a calamity that of course is a catastrophe. Well, hopefully the Puzzler is your daily anti catastrophe and we'll see you here for more non catastrophe tomorrow