wrong · 20 questions (8.2% of 245)
right (98)partly (108)wrong (20)unresolved (19)← all episodes
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Where does 'beyond the pale' come from?
Episode 209: So Much Milk · August 15, 2026 (00:38)
Our guess
Beyond pale in sickness or death, or a milk pail; Shakespeare-era
Beyond pale in sickness or death, or a milk pail; Shakespeare-era
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The answer
A 'pale' is a stake or fence (Latin palus); it referred to the English-controlled area around Dublin, with the Irish beyond it. Figurative use goes back to the 1300s-1400s, and Shakespeare used it.
A 'pale' is a stake or fence (Latin palus); it referred to the English-controlled area around Dublin, with the Irish beyond it. Figurative use goes back to the 1300s-1400s, and Shakespeare used it.
Verdict wrong
Where does 'rigmarole' come from?
Episode 203: Lost Fraction · May 23, 2026 (00:35)
Our guess
French, Italian, or WWI American-soldier slang; Shakespeare as a fallback
French, Italian, or WWI American-soldier slang; Shakespeare as a fallback
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The answer
A corruption of 'ragman roll', a Middle English word for a list or scroll, linked to the oaths of allegiance Edward I forced Scottish nobles to sign (1291). It resurfaced as 'rigmarole' in the 18th century.
A corruption of 'ragman roll', a Middle English word for a list or scroll, linked to the oaths of allegiance Edward I forced Scottish nobles to sign (1291). It resurfaced as 'rigmarole' in the 18th century.
Verdict wrong
Why do we say 'there's more than one way to skin a cat'?
Episode 197: Have Some Jaguar · May 31, 2025 (00:30)
Our guess
Big-game hunting of large cats (Hemingway, colonial era or the Romans)
Big-game hunting of large cats (Hemingway, colonial era or the Romans)
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The answer
No clear reason. Earliest print is Seba Smith in 1840 and Mark Twain popularized it in 1889; it may descend from 'more ways to kill a dog than hanging' (1678). One theory is domestic cat fur as a cheap substitute for pine marten; it was also a playground gymnastics move.
No clear reason. Earliest print is Seba Smith in 1840 and Mark Twain popularized it in 1889; it may descend from 'more ways to kill a dog than hanging' (1678). One theory is domestic cat fur as a cheap substitute for pine marten; it was also a playground gymnastics move.
Verdict wrong
Why is a piggyback ride called "piggyback"?
Episode 172: Lean In with the Bike · March 4, 2023 (01:05)
Our guess
Children riding on pigs, or jumping pigs on the farm, from the 1600s.
Children riding on pigs, or jumping pigs on the farm, from the 1600s.
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The answer
It has nothing to do with pigs. In the mid 16th century carrying goods on your back was called "pick pack" ("pick" can mean pitch), which became "pickaback" and then "piggyback" by folk etymology; "piggyback" appears in 1837 in a Devonshire dialect text and was used in the US by the 1800s.
It has nothing to do with pigs. In the mid 16th century carrying goods on your back was called "pick pack" ("pick" can mean pitch), which became "pickaback" and then "piggyback" by folk etymology; "piggyback" appears in 1837 in a Devonshire dialect text and was used in the US by the 1800s.
Verdict wrong
Where does the word "boycott" come from?
Episode 161: Smash Stuff · October 8, 2022 (00:38)
Our guess
A consumer tactic from the 20th century (civil rights era, post-WWII consumer economy), or from Gandhi.
A consumer tactic from the 20th century (civil rights era, post-WWII consumer economy), or from Gandhi.
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The answer
It is named for Captain Charles Boycott, the land agent of an absentee landlord in Ireland, who was ostracized by the Irish Land League in 1880 (workers, businesses and the postman refused to deal with him). The Times used it in print that year. The practice of boycotts goes back to the 1790s free produce movement against slave-produced sugar.
It is named for Captain Charles Boycott, the land agent of an absentee landlord in Ireland, who was ostracized by the Irish Land League in 1880 (workers, businesses and the postman refused to deal with him). The Times used it in print that year. The practice of boycotts goes back to the 1790s free produce movement against slave-produced sugar.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "throw someone under the bus" come from?
Episode 149: Pure Passion Project · July 16, 2022 (00:00)
Our guess
A mob-era (1930s-50s) reference to pushing someone in front of a bus, or luggage compartments or double-decker buses.
A mob-era (1930s-50s) reference to pushing someone in front of a bus, or luggage compartments or double-decker buses.
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The answer
It is recent. The earliest known written use is from 1980-82 in British politics (a Times of London article), where "under a bus" was already a metaphor for a conveniently timed accident. It has also been attributed to minor-league baseball, Cyndi Lauper (1984) and used-car salesmen, but the origin is uncertain.
It is recent. The earliest known written use is from 1980-82 in British politics (a Times of London article), where "under a bus" was already a metaphor for a conveniently timed accident. It has also been attributed to minor-league baseball, Cyndi Lauper (1984) and used-car salesmen, but the origin is uncertain.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "bumper crop" come from?
Episode 147: Get Me My Pipes · July 2, 2022 (01:08)
Our guess
A crop spilling over the bumper of a wagon, or a buffer against a bad year, from medieval England.
A crop spilling over the bumper of a wagon, or a buffer against a bad year, from medieval England.
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The answer
A "bumper" was a large wine cup filled to the brim in the 1600s, and by the 1700s it meant a large amount of anything. "Bumper crop" appears around 1830 (a 1836 Scottish newspaper item about grouse), and the car bumper dates to 1839 railway cars.
A "bumper" was a large wine cup filled to the brim in the 1600s, and by the 1700s it meant a large amount of anything. "Bumper crop" appears around 1830 (a 1836 Scottish newspaper item about grouse), and the car bumper dates to 1839 railway cars.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "the die is cast" come from?
Episode 145: Crossed the Rubicon · June 11, 2022 (01:02)
Our guess
Metal die casting (a mold) or dye cast into cloth, meaning something is set and unchangeable.
Metal die casting (a mold) or dye cast into cloth, meaning something is set and unchangeable.
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The answer
From the Latin "alea iacta est" ("the dice have been thrown"), said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC. "Die" is a single die, and the phrase entered English in the early 1600s.
From the Latin "alea iacta est" ("the dice have been thrown"), said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC. "Die" is a single die, and the phrase entered English in the early 1600s.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "that's the way the cookie crumbles" come from?
Episode 141: Easy Access · May 14, 2022 (00:37)
Our guess
British, Victorian or Shakespearean, perhaps related to fortune cookies or fate.
British, Victorian or Shakespearean, perhaps related to fortune cookies or fate.
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The answer
It is chiefly American and has been used since the mid-1900s, with a 1955 newspaper column as an early example. Urban Dictionary suggests it was slang from the 1920s with an unknown origin.
It is chiefly American and has been used since the mid-1900s, with a 1955 newspaper column as an early example. Urban Dictionary suggests it was slang from the 1920s with an unknown origin.
Verdict wrong
What is the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Episode 120: Feeling Yammy · November 20, 2021 (00:45)
Our guess
They are the same animal or very closely related, with different horns, humps and geography.
They are the same animal or very closely related, with different horns, humps and geography.
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The answer
They are different animals and not closely related. True buffalo (Cape and water buffalo) are native to Africa and Asia, while bison are native to North America; early European explorers mislabeled American bison as "buffalo". Britannica distinguishes them by the three H's: home, hump and horn.
They are different animals and not closely related. True buffalo (Cape and water buffalo) are native to Africa and Asia, while bison are native to North America; early European explorers mislabeled American bison as "buffalo". Britannica distinguishes them by the three H's: home, hump and horn.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "egged on" come from?
Episode 114: Opposite of Neglect · October 9, 2021 (00:32)
Our guess
Throwing eggs at performers, feeding someone eggs for energy, or sitting on eggs, in medieval times.
Throwing eggs at performers, feeding someone eggs for energy, or sitting on eggs, in medieval times.
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The answer
It has nothing to do with eggs. The verb is from the Old Norse "eggja", to incite, related to "edge" (the sharp edge of a sword), and has been in English since about 1200.
It has nothing to do with eggs. The verb is from the Old Norse "eggja", to incite, related to "edge" (the sharp edge of a sword), and has been in English since about 1200.
Verdict wrong
Where does the term "shoo-in" come from and how is it spelled?
Episode 111: Grow a Tail Like a Horse · September 18, 2021 (01:16)
Our guess
Shoe-in: a shoe that fits like a cobbler's or Cinderella's shoe, or being "shooed" past obstacles.
Shoe-in: a shoe that fits like a cobbler's or Cinderella's shoe, or being "shooed" past obstacles.
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The answer
It's spelled "shoo-in" ("shoe-in" is a misspelling). It comes from horse racing, where a corrupt jockey would shoo a preselected winner across the finish line. Around 1900 the verb phrase "shoo in" was used in racing, and the earliest noun use found is 1937.
It's spelled "shoo-in" ("shoe-in" is a misspelling). It comes from horse racing, where a corrupt jockey would shoo a preselected winner across the finish line. Around 1900 the verb phrase "shoo in" was used in racing, and the earliest noun use found is 1937.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "souped up" come from?
Episode 103: Vegetable Bones · July 24, 2021 (01:42)
Our guess
From "supered up" or superchargers (cars, 1920s-30s), or from making a boring soup tastier.
From "supered up" or superchargers (cars, 1920s-30s), or from making a boring soup tastier.
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The answer
From "soup" as slang for any substance injected into a racehorse to change its speed or temperament (Webster's 1911), including drugs and even nitroglycerin. It predates superchargers and was later applied to cars.
From "soup" as slang for any substance injected into a racehorse to change its speed or temperament (Webster's 1911), including drugs and even nitroglycerin. It predates superchargers and was later applied to cars.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "pleased as punch" come from?
Episode 96: Magic of the Game · June 5, 2021 (01:06)
Our guess
Being happily drunk on punch, with pirates or the 1700s involved.
Being happily drunk on punch, with pirates or the 1700s involved.
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The answer
From Punch, the puppet in Punch and Judy shows, who was always delighted with himself after committing violent acts ("That's the way to do it!"). The first recorded appearance in England was in 1662, and the character derives from the Italian Pulcinella.
From Punch, the puppet in Punch and Judy shows, who was always delighted with himself after committing violent acts ("That's the way to do it!"). The first recorded appearance in England was in 1662, and the character derives from the Italian Pulcinella.
Verdict wrong
Where does the word "punch" (the drink) come from?
Episode 86: Blow My Skull · March 27, 2021 (00:33)
Our guess
From a strong rum drink that packed a punch, from Victorian England or the Caribbean.
From a strong rum drink that packed a punch, from Victorian England or the Caribbean.
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The answer
It's a loanword from Hindi, "panch" (five), for a drink with five ingredients (spirit, sugar, lemon, water or tea, and spices), brought from India to England in the early 17th century. It is first recorded in 1632, with Jamaican rum entering around 1655. A second theory ties it to a barrel size.
It's a loanword from Hindi, "panch" (five), for a drink with five ingredients (spirit, sugar, lemon, water or tea, and spices), brought from India to England in the early 17th century. It is first recorded in 1632, with Jamaican rum entering around 1655. A second theory ties it to a barrel size.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "let the cat out of the bag" come from?
Episode 39: Livestock Fraud Law · May 2, 2020 (01:37)
Our guess
A dangerous large cat, such as a puma, kept in a sack by 19th-century frontiersmen.
A dangerous large cat, such as a puma, kept in a sack by 19th-century frontiersmen.
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The answer
The first documented use is in a 1760 London Magazine review. Leading theories are the Royal Navy's cat o' nine tails kept in a bag, or livestock fraud at market, where a cat was swapped for a pig in a bag (cf. "pig in a poke"). Neither is certain.
The first documented use is in a 1760 London Magazine review. Leading theories are the Royal Navy's cat o' nine tails kept in a bag, or livestock fraud at market, where a cat was swapped for a pig in a bag (cf. "pig in a poke"). Neither is certain.
Verdict wrong
Where does the word "juke" (as in juke joint and a juke move) come from?
Episode 30: Scuffle Hoe · February 29, 2020 (01:33)
Our guess
A dance term from juke joints that was later applied to a fake-out move in sports.
A dance term from juke joints that was later applied to a fake-out move in sports.
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The answer
"Juke" in juke joint comes from Gullah (a West African-derived language), meaning disorderly or wicked. The sports sense of a feint is a separate word, a variant of "duck" first recorded around 1510, so the two are unrelated.
"Juke" in juke joint comes from Gullah (a West African-derived language), meaning disorderly or wicked. The sports sense of a feint is a separate word, a variant of "duck" first recorded around 1510, so the two are unrelated.
Verdict wrong
Who are the kids in the game-of-the-week jingle?
Episode 21: Old Lasagne · December 28, 2019 (01:04)
Our guess
A host's neglected children forced into podcast labor (a joke).
A host's neglected children forced into podcast labor (a joke).
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The answer
Two young daughters of a close friend of the host, recorded during a visit.
Two young daughters of a close friend of the host, recorded during a visit.
Verdict wrong
What is the difference between a Denver omelette and a Western omelette?
Episode 1: Avocados and Marijuana · July 28, 2019 (02:14)
Our guess
The Western has pepper jack cheese and possibly tomatoes; the Denver has cheddar.
The Western has pepper jack cheese and possibly tomatoes; the Denver has cheddar.
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The answer
There are no firm rules; both are ham, onion and green pepper builds with many variations.
There are no firm rules; both are ham, onion and green pepper builds with many variations.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "tongue in cheek" come from?
Episode 1: Avocados and Marijuana · July 28, 2019 (07:04)
Our guess
A silent code for sarcasm, possibly medieval, or from the 1950s.
A silent code for sarcasm, possibly medieval, or from the 1950s.
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The answer
It first appeared in print in 1828, well before the guessed dates.
It first appeared in print in 1828, well before the guessed dates.
Verdict wrong