Odds and Evenings

A podcast about mathematics, puzzles, numbers and games

About the show

Playing around with maths and puzzles was something that the two hosts spent their time at university doing together. Now in their late twenties with proper grown up jobs, Alaric and Alex carve out the occasional evening to sit back and smell the numbers. Not all of the mathematics is entry level, but they envisioned this podcast for those people whose science degrees may be long behind them, but who still get a kick out of recreational numbering.

If this is your first time listening, episode 4 is a good representation of the show as a whole and can be used as a jumping on point.

All episodes can be played in browser here or you can subscribe on all major podcast apps.

Odds and Evenings on social media

Episodes

  • #32 - Quiz Shows, Queues and Quavers

    15 June 2020  |  1 hr 5 mins
    math, mathematics, maths, music, simulation

    Topics Discussed:

    • Only Connect Loops
    • Adding a Teller
    • Alternative Tunings
  •

    #31 - Cards, Competitions and Celebrations (w/ Matthew Scroggs)

    9 November 2019  |  1 hr 16 mins
    card games, prime day, quantum, tennis, tournaments

    Topics Discussed:

    • Quantum Go Fish
    • Amateur-Professional Tennis Tournament Problem
    • Prime Day
  •

    #30 - Delta-Y, Diversity and Dynamics

    14 July 2019  |  53 mins 37 secs
    electricity, graph theory, math, mathematics, maths, physics

    Topics Discussed:

    • Resistor Mathematics
    • How to Measure Diversity
    • Balloon in a Car
  •

    Mini Episode: Bidding Game

    5 July 2019  |  12 mins 12 secs
    #bigmathoff, aperiodical, game theory, maths, probability

    A Bonus Episode made for the Big Internet Math Off

  •

    #29 - Pyramids, Pitches and Pumps

    10 June 2019  |  1 hr 7 mins
    math, mathematics, maths, number theory, pascal, physics

    Topics Discussed:

    • Pascal's Pyramid
    • Sound Quality
    • Fish Tank Siphoning
  •

    #28 - Rugby, Rolling and Robots

    16 March 2019  |  1 hr 33 mins
    cellular automata, computing, math, mathematics, maths, number theory, probability, turing machine

    Topics Discussed:

    • Rugby Training Problem
    • Busy Beavers
    • Gamble Shambles
  •

    #27 - Strangers, Scaling and Scores

    14 February 2019  |  1 hr 9 mins
    applied maths, books, games, graph theory

    Topics Discussed:

    • Ramsey's Theorem
    • Scaling
    • Sports and Games Rating
  •

    #26 - Geometry, Goblins and Getting to Pubs

    28 January 2019  |  1 hr 12 mins
    game theory, geometry, history of maths, math, mathematics, maths, optimisation

    Topics Discussed:

    • Rational Geometry
    • Goblin Game
    • Car Pool Problem
  •

    #25 - Codes, Coins and Criss-Crosses

    24 December 2018  |  1 hr 11 mins
    christmas, ciphers, codes, cryptography, game theory, math, mathematics, maths

    Topics Discussed:

    • Wythoff's Game
    • A Christmas Cipher
    • Zig Zag Lights
  •

    #24 - Shamir's, Sums and Seatings

    15 December 2018  |  1 hr 5 mins
    information theory, math, mathematics, maths, number theory, numbers, puzzles, sequences

    Topics Discussed:

    • Trapezium Numbers
    • Shamir's Shared Secrets
    • Vampire and Werewolf Lies
  •

    #23 - Ants, Arcs and Awkward Patterns

    26 November 2018  |  55 mins 46 secs
    3d shapes, math, mathematics, maths, number theory, numbers, puzzles, sequences, topology

    Topics Discussed:

    • Factorial Terminating Digits
    • Making Polyhedra with your Limbs
    • Spiders and an Ant Pursuit Puzzle
  •

    #22 - Pandemics, Padovan’s and Pumpkins

    31 October 2018  |  1 hr 5 mins
    cellular automata, halloween, knot theory, math, mathematics, maths, music, number theory, numbers, puzzles, topology

    Topics Discussed:

    • Zombies and Vampires
    • The Maths of Conversations
    • Brunnian Pumpkin Carving
  •

    #21 - Torque, Truth and Time Signatures

    19 October 2018  |  1 hr 12 mins
    math, mathematics, maths, music, number theory, numbers, physics, puzzles

    Topics Discussed:

    • Bike Pedals
    • Time Signatures
    • Taking an Offer Puzzles
  •

    #20 - Tangles, Twists and Trots

    26 September 2018  |  1 hr 1 min
    algorithms, calculus, geometry, graph theory, juggling, math, mathematics, maths, podcast

    Topics Discussed:

    • Untangling Planar Graphs
    • The Length of Spirals
    • Juggling and Horse Gaits
  •

    #19 - Probability, Pubs and Power

    10 September 2018  |  54 mins 49 secs
    game theory, math, mathematics, maths, podcast, probability, statistics

    Topics Discussed:

    • Dominion Probabilities
    • The Cheapest Beer in Prague
    • The Angel Problem
  •

    #18 - Pads, Plato and Pirates

    15 August 2018  |  57 mins 48 secs
    graph theory, math, mathematics, maths, number theory, philosophy, podcast, puzzles

    Topics Discussed:

    • Keypad Code Guessing
    • Platonism vs Formalism
    • Pirate Plunder Puzzle