Lateral with Tom Scott - 116: 7 inches apart

Episode Date: December 27, 2024

Lucy Rogers, Molly Edwards and Trace Dominguez face questions about helpful handles, game show gambits and relevant roads. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answers, hosted by Tom Scott. For business enquiries, contestant appearances or question submissions, visit https://lateralcast.com. HOST: Tom Scott. QUESTION PRODUCER: David Bodycombe. EDITED BY: Julie Hassett at The Podcast Studios, Dublin. MUSIC: Karl-Ola Kjellholm ('Private Detective'/'Agrumes', courtesy of epidemicsound.com). ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS: Dorian Lidell, Leonie Mercedes, Matthew, Jay, Erik. FORMAT: Pad 26 Limited/Labyrinth Games Ltd. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: David Bodycombe and Tom Scott. © Pad 26 Limited (https://www.pad26.com) / Labyrinth Games Ltd. 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am so dreading groceries this week. Why? You can skip it. Oh, what? Just like that? Just like that. How about dinner with my third cousin? Skip it. Prince Fluffy's favorite treats? Skippable.

Midnight snacks? Skip. My neighbor's nightly saxophone practices? Er, nope. You're on your own there. Could have skipped it. Should have skipped it. Skip to the good part and get groceries, meals and more delivered right to your door on skip. In a Japanese ceremony, who walks down the Virgin Road?

The answer to that at the end of the show. My name's Tom Scott and this is LATTRAL. Roll up, roll up, welcome one and all to the lateral circus. I am your ringmaster of riddles. Gaze in amazement as the acrobats of acuity dazzle you with their mental gymnastics. Gasp as they inch their way along the high wire of reasoning and all without a safety net. Apart from the button on the screens that lets them leave the call if they need to. Raring to go in their sparkly leotard, first we have, from That's Absurd, Please Elaborate, and from PBS Stargazers, Trace Dominguez. Welcome back to the show.

Hello! Of course, yes, I'm in the one in the sparkly leotard. I'm not surprised by that. I would. I would. I would do it. I'm always wary of which order to introduce people in, and I just love love seeing, you know what? I'm going to go with Trace. I've got the intro that says Sparkly Leotard. I would definitely do it. Fringe, sparkles, give it to me. I'll do, yeah, for sure. How are you doing these days, Trace?

It's been a few weeks since you're on the show. What have you been up to? Oh man, just making podcasts and trying to settle into this new studio space. It's fun to design a new studio, but it means lots of mood boards. And what sort of things can we expect from the podcast? What have you been working on?

We've just released an episode with Ceri Reilly from SciShow Tangents. We've got an episode from you a few weeks back, which was really good. And then we have coming up an episode with Rohan Francis from Midlife Crisis. So we're trying to get a few different guests and give Julie and my podcast partner a break and then, you know, motor into the holidays. Also returning to the show, Dr Molly Edwards from Science IRL and from quite a lot of other things. We have Plant Biologist down here.

And the question I had is, is there a difference between botanist and plant biologist? Because I feel like there is, and I feel like no one's ever told me about that. Oh, yeah, I think there is a little bit. I feel like botanists are, they know all about plants. They're really enamored with classifying plants and describing them and understanding their evolutionary relationships. And then plant biologist, I think,

can be more of a catchall phrase for people doing some molecular biology, genetics, functional stuff, that kind of thing. But there's a lot of overlap in the botany plant biology event diagram. And what are you working on at the minute for Science IRL and all your other projects? What can we expect to see? Yeah, lots of plant videos. I just went back to my grad school lab and got like 10 years of closure from an experiment that we wanted to do my entire time in grad school. But the experiment hadn't been invented yet, and they finally figured out how to do it, and I got to go back to the lab and see it, and it really, like, it was a full circle moment for me.

Well, very best of luck on the show today. The third member of our panel is Dr Lucy Rogers, author, engineer, and... So, last time I did say, you know, former judge on robot wars, but the last time we met, I was hosting a deliberately terrible robot competition about six years ago, and you were judging that. It was epic. It was zero-budget robots put together that day, wasn't it? Hebo-con, I think.

Mainly by children. Yes. And they were fantastic. They had little clockwork things going on, or the little motors that were taking them around and, yep. I think it was who lasted longest on the table? One. They were great.

What are you working on at the minute, then? What are we going to be seeing from you soon? Well, coming out, I'm handing in next year, so it's not going to come out until 2026, but I'm now writing a popular science book that explains a whole lot from the ground all the way up into space, so touching on butterflies and aeroplanes and rockets and planets. Your last book was its only rocket science, right? It's kind of demystifying complicated things.

Yes, the whole of how a rocket works, how you can design it, but without maths or formula in it. So you can actually just read it and hopefully understand it. Well, very best of luck, because that is, to be honest, kind of all the panellists' job here today. We have some strange questions for you to demystify. So as the circus continues, let's see if you can juggle with what our team has put together as we tumble in to question one. This has been sent in by Jay, thank you very much. Since 1956, they have been seven inches apart

on all US passenger vehicles, regardless of make or model. What are they? I'll say that one more time. Since 1956, they have been seven inches apart on all US passenger vehicles, regardless of make or model. What are they? Well, I drive a US passenger vehicle. What's in there? Are they two of the same thing that are seven inches apart, or are they two different things?

I'm thinking seatbelts and then thinking, my butt is not seven inches. Yeah, that's interesting. That's a bit tight. That's a bit tight. Within the instrument panel, there's all sorts of things. That's quite compact, perhaps, you know, but now they're all screens. And I've seen some where they're all in different places and they're not universal. Because my first thought was maybe like turn signal lights or something. Seven inches isn't that far.

It's not that far. It's not even the width between the two front seats, right? That's more than that. How far are your hands apart on the steering wheel? The indicator stalks or something, but no, they're Vena. On various buttons in different places. Yes, it doesn't matter what vehicle it is, these will be seven inches apart. And only in the US? Only in the US.

Well, the seven inches is only in the US. But in other countries, they exist obviously in other countries, but they might be in different widths. Okay, so what's different from US that we have to change if we're coming to the UK? So you've only got front number plates. We've got both. You've got front and back. Yeah, it depends on the state. Most require back. The spacing of the letters on the plate, like the first and last letter on the plate? That's not seven inches, but you're very close. Oh, is it height? The height of the plate is about ... Well, seven is still quite small. The screws on the plate. The screws on your number plate are seven inches apart on an American passenger vehicle.

You know what, I'm going to give you it. Technically it says the mounting holes for the license plate. But yes, you are absolutely right. You together got that very quickly. Every US passenger vehicle has two mounting holes for the license plate, and they must be seven inches apart. You know what? I'm going to ask you, why? Because.

Yeah. Someone decided. Well, we transfer our plates when we get new cars, right? So it would be really annoying to not... Yes. And that's a thing that doesn't happen in other countries. The UK... In the UK, the license plate stays with the car. I mean, you can get a custom one,

but generally the plate stays with the car, not the driver. Oh yeah, I just got new license plates for my cars because I moved from California to New York. Yep, and that's another thing that doesn't have to happen in the UK. Right. I wish, man. Yes, and actually, Trace, you basically gave the reason there. Yeah.

Why were they standardized? Because they have to be consistent across all 50 states. That's right. The Federal Department of Transportation must have said it's seven inches. Which kind of comes back to, because. Yes! Yes! It's actually the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators

agreed with the US states in 1956 to standardise the distance to 7 inches, and that the plates would be roughly 6 by 12 inches in size. So all this... the details differ a lot from state to state, but the mounting holes in the US must be 7 inches apart. The first time the states could agree on anything, probably. Yeah. Each of our guests has brought a question along, and we're going to start today with Molly, whenever you're ready.

A 2011 newspaper article claimed that Harrison Anastasio had the best summer job in the world. From his station on the 18th floor rooftop of the James New York Hotel, he texted guests every 20 to 30 minutes. What two words did he send? A 2011 newspaper article claimed that Harrison Anastasio had the best summer job in the world. From his station on the 18th floor rooftop of the James New York Hotel, he texted guests every 20 to 30 minutes. What two words did he send? Look now!

every 20 to 30 minutes. What two words did he send? Look now! Or alternatively, look out! 18th floor rooftop. They're here! The aliens are landing. The 18th floor is not that high in New York. Yeah, not really.

That's what I'm thinking. Like, there's been some super-tall stuff since then, but like, 2011, the 18th floor is not that far. You'd mostly see other buildings unless you specifically have a view of something. Something. Or you're looking for, like, there's a pool on the roof, which is pretty common. So maybe you're saying, like, weather's good! You know?

It's sunny! There's gotta be a sight line to, like, the Statue of Liberty or Central Park or something, where something is happening. Every 20 to 30 minutes. Yeah. And it's that to all guests. Every 20...

Every... The same guests get the same message every 20 minutes? Yes, the guests get the same text every 20 to 30 minutes. Every 20 to 30 minutes, they get a text. And it's the best job in the world, so... Best job in the world. Harrison is enjoying doing this job. Yes. Yeah, so I was thinking he was watching out for the queue at a temporary attraction or something.

Like, I think about 2011 there was the Christo thing in Central Park, the gates. Just a big art exhibition that had long queues. Is he on the rooftop watching for that? That was a great exhibit. But it's not an attraction. He's not looking out for it. Okay. Uh-huh. The best summer job in the world. That was a great exhibit, but it's not an attraction. He's not looking after it. Huh. The best summer job in the world. So what's a great summer job where you just text somebody every 20 minutes? Pool's still open.

I think this says something about you, Trace, that the pool, it seems to be... Look, that's great. I want to go to the... But Trace, you're onto something with the pool. Am I? Okay, got it. Oh. Got it. And it can't be like weather forecast, because you can just look outside for that. Is he counting whether there's people in the pool, whether there's space in the pool? We've got another towel!

He's the lifeguard. No one's dead! Yeah, everybody's good. Unfortunately, he's then distracted by his phone, which was ironic. It's a pop band playing different music. Oh, they're playing this song now. This song now. But it's the whole of the summer as well.

It's not like it's one event or one thing. Yeah. Yeah, then this is his thing. And it's two words. And it's important that the guests get updates on this. Yes. Is it the temperature of the pool? But that's an automated sense of thing.

Like, you don't need a human... It wasn't automated in 2011. They automated it with Harrison. That's Harrison's automated... No, no, that's an important thing, though. What requires human judgment? What sort of thing can you not fix with a camera that the guests can look at? Or... And what changes every 20 to 30 minutes? Right.

Yeah. That's why I thought weather initially, because it's like... Sunshine? Where the sunshine is? That would move every 20 to 30 minutes. On a rooftop in New York would be important. I feel like Tom is onto something with human judgment. How hot the people in the pool currently are. I was going to say. There's hot people.

I'm convinced that's it now. That he's literally just the... He's the hotness judge. He's the hot judge. Yeah. And he's like, how are the people up here? Eight out of ten. Ten out of ten.

He's providing a service. They're dolphins on the 18th floor. Cool. And they're now, okay, it's feeding time. It's feeding time. I was thinking we'd have some pretty fat dolphins every 30 minutes. Every 30 minutes. Well they say they're dolphins, they're just manatees.

Yeah. They're mermaids. They put mermaids in them. That would be fun. No, I think so. The pool is relevant. The weather is somewhat relevant. And yeah, he's providing a service.

We're dancing around. And I think, you know, this is a fancy hotel. People want things done for them. Is he texting someone to move the parasols for them, so the shade is moving? Oh, you're so close! You're on the right... you're on the right path, Tom. He just texts, change places! And everyone has to change places. Um... Ooh.

So close! So close! Oh, oh, um... Is it, you've had enough sunshine and you're now going to burn if you don't move? Turn over. He's texting them, roll over. Yeah, turn over. Yeah, turn over. Good job. Turn over. Oh, I guess. Well done, team. Because you need a human to know who's still there.

Because it's a fancy hotel, you could just tag in and tag out. Yeah. But you have you have a... What's the word? Not sommelier, not waiter, not maitre d' but you have you have a... Concierge. That's the word. Yep.

A son, a sonmolière. So it was how hot people are. Yeah. Yeah. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true.

It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true.

It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true.

It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true.

It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. So Harrison was the hotel's tanning concierge. This is a real job. And it also sounds pretty great. So yeah, every 20 to 30 minutes, he would send a text message saying

turn over to ensure that guests tan themselves evenly and didn't get sunburned. So well done Harrison. Oh, and also, I think what's really funny about this is that guests could opt into the texting. So they had an option of getting texted or getting a tap on the shoulder and most of them preferred to get texted. You've always wanted to be part of something bigger than yourself. You live for experience and lead by example. You want the most out of life and realize what you're looking for is already in you. This is for you. The Canadian Armed Forces.

A message from the Government of Canada. Get groceries delivered across the GTA from real Canadian Superstore with PC Express. Shop online for super prices and super savings. Try it today and get up to $75 in PC Optimum Points. Visit superstore.ca to get started. This question has been sent in by Eric, thank you very much. Marshall spends three weeks of this summer completing paintings of butterflies and owls that will be seen by millions of people worldwide. Why?

I'll say that again. Marshall spends three weeks of this summer completing paintings of butterflies and owls that will be seen by millions of people worldwide. Why? Because he's an artist. creating paintings of butterflies and owls that will be seen by millions of people worldwide. Why? Because he's an artist. Specifically butterflies and owls. I don't know, I have a kid so I'm like, wallpaper or some kind of art that you would

buy. But why in the summer? I'm thinking worldwide and if he puts them on aeroplanes, then they all travel worldwide. But we're not getting any good looks from Tom from that, so... We're on a video call, and you all have been on the show enough to start metagaming based on my reactions, if it happens to everyone, sooner or later. Definitely. Okay, so Marshall spends three weeks of the summer. Three weeks.

Yes. But the paintings, like, are they only seen for those three weeks, or that's how long it takes them to make the paintings and then they'll be seen by millions of people forever after that, I wonder. Marshall has the job for three weeks, along with a small team. Marshall must be painting something that's like a highly visible piece of art that needs to be refreshed annually. Or something.

Where like you're painting, I don't know, maybe the same butterflies and owls. I'm thinking of like the giant star on the side of the NASA building. It takes time to paint it. They're not that big, but they are big. Many meters in size. Are they visible from the sky? Are they a flyover type of art? Yes, they are.

Okay. Oooh. Of butterflies and owls? Mm-hm. There is a word in the question that you all skipped over there, which was completing. Where did that word come in the sentence? Marshall is completing the paintings. Oh, he didn't start them?

He did not start them. I'm now thinking of those Inca drawings, the ant paintings, the ground engravements. The Nazca lines. Yes. The Nazca lines. Yeah. The Nazca lines. Yeah, it's that kind of artwork. Think relevant about butterflies and owls. Are they football or sports something?

Or like mascots? So on the sports stadium in the middle where they run up and down playing their ball of sports. The pitch. The pitch or the field, yes. Oh, Lucy, you're super into sports, I can tell. Anytime we have a sports question on here, there's usually just three nerds who go, oh no, and then it turns out to be about something that is not about the rules of the game at all. Yeah. It is a sports question and it is nothing about the rules of the game at all. Yeah. It is a sports question and it is nothing about the rules of the game at all.

Oh my god. A butterfly mascot. So you're painting something that goes on the field. Field and pitch would not be the right word for this. A dome? Are they on a dome? Like an arena roof? Or a rink? No, that wouldn't be as cool from the sky. An ice rink, but that would be summer. That would have to be a big rink.

Yeah. And summertime, you're completing it. Oh, summer. But you're completing it in the summer, maybe it's used in the winter, but... It's three very specific weeks. Olympics? Oh. Not quite. I imagine there may be someone who does this for the Olympics as well, because this is an event in the Olympics.

But in this case, no. Everything's an event in the Olympics. It's the breakdancing arena. It's the breakdancing arena. Definitely breakdancing. I'm now thinking of the monarch butterflies that migrate 3,000 miles across in the summer. So yeah, long distance marathons. Now you're getting very close. Marshall does have to drive between these artworks.

Start and finish of something? And along the way. Oh, okay. It would be quite embarrassing if he didn't do this job. Are they toilets? Oh, okay. The owls are the gents and the butterflies are the ladies or...? So, no, but weirdly you are slightly closer than you might think with...

What? Toilet humour. Toilet humour? The butterflies and the owls... Everyone has to... Let's see. And not a long-distance marathon, but it's something very much like that. Cycling.

Yes. What is the Tour de France or something? Yes. Is that in the summer for three weeks? Absolutely right. Marshall works for the Tour de France. And there are butterflies and owls involved, but I don't watch the Tour de France. Is it the root?

Does it paint the root? Is it root markers? Not quite. Um, quite, kind of the opposite. Don't go this way. Marshall is finishing these paintings. Who might have started them? Children.

Mmm, some of them, certainly. So people do graffiti or something on the ground, and this is covering up the graffiti with butterflies and owls and things so that when the cameras that are following the bicyclists, they don't see... Yes. Marshall is an FSA, he's one of a team of people whose job is to drive the route in the morning and see what has been graffitied. The last question is, why might it be butterflies and owls quite often?

Oh, is it they like best cover the shape of what has been graffitied? Yes! Oh no. Okay. Great. Yes. has been graffiti. Yes! Oh no. Okay. Great. Yes. Because of the different types of anatomy that you can easily make. Into butterflies and owls!

Marshall's job is specifically to drive along the route to spot if anyone has put rude graffiti down and then adapt the various parts of the anatomy into butterflies, owls, and whatever else comes along. I love that. That is great. I now want that job. No, you know what? Harrison does not have the greatest job in the world, Marshall. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Lucy, we will go to you for the next question.

This question has been sent in by Matthew. During a solo take-off, some Navy pilots are trained to hold onto two handrails that do nothing. What is the situation, and why do they do this? During a solo take-off, some Navy pilots are trained to hold onto two handrails that do nothing. What is the situation, and why do they do this? I'm sitting out of this one. Molly and Trace, it's on you.

Ah! Hmm. I mean, I have flown in an F-18. Oh! Sorry. We're just going to drop in military flight experience here, are we? It wasn't military, I was just riding along. It was fun. An F-18. Did you grab any handlebars for no reason? I did, but I threw up. I definitely threw up in that plane.

They let me keep the flight suit. Pro tip. That's the most American thing. I flew an F-18. Was it military? No, some guys just got an F-18. Yeah. It was Boeing's.

It was theirs. Okay. Yeah. There weren't any handles that I held onto, but… That's my first thought, is it something about… So it's a Navy… so they're taking off from, like, aircraft… like, big aircraft carriers in the ocean, maybe? During a solo takeoff, some Navy pilots are trained to hold onto two handrails. Are the Navy pilots in the plane at the time they are taking off?

Maybe they're just watching. They are the only ones in the plane. Oh, but that is exactly how the question would be worded though, isn't it? It's someone else's solo launch, and you just gotta hold on, just so you don't accidentally do something. Right. Hmm. So there's two handrails that do nothing, and they're trained to hold onto them.

Things you're worried about during takeoff, if you're not holding onto the controls during a solo, I would think that would be something to worry about. So flip that. Somebody else is controlling the plane, or are you...? If something goes wrong during takeoff. Like during a good takeoff, the handlebars aren't doing anything, but maybe during a bad takeoff they would give you some sort of stability or something? No?

No. I'm going to check here, Lucy. These are specifically Navy pilots, right? This wouldn't happen much in the Air Force. No. Molly was on the right track earlier. So do the handrails connect to, like, an ejector seat in case of a botched takeoff? Nope. Do they position the pilot in a way that's, like, they're more visible to folks?

Ooh. Something to do with positioning, but It's ish to do with positioning. Ish. The two handrails are above their head. Hmm, do you have to keep the... canopy on? Ha ha ha! Okay, let's go! Like when you buy a mattress at the store and you have to get it home? Ha ha ha!

No, you don't, but those canopies have, like, explosives in them, if there's an ejector seat, because they need to blow the canopy first. And I assume you have an ejector seat briefing trace, which is terrifying. It was terrifying. There's lots of yellow and black loops, and they're like, do not grab any of these. For any reason. If you grab these, you will be unconscious and two inches shorter.

Yeah. I'm just thinking of, like, bearing down, but if they're above your head, you wouldn't use them to bear down, which is like when you squeeze the body so you don't lose blood. But you don't really need that during takeoff. Okay, so it's maybe vaguely related to positioning. Yeah. And as you said, Molly, yeah, they need to show that they're in that position. So you mentioned earlier, I was supposed to flip something. Are they putting their hands onto the handrails that do nothing to show someone that they're

not touching the controls? Exactly. Before the launch takeoff? Yes. Because it's that... Yeah. Yeah. When you say launch takeoff, Trace, what do you mean?

So you're being... I don't know if it's powered by steam or what, but you're being, like, the plane is being thrown off of an aircraft carrier at takeoff. Exactly. Exactly. Yep. Which means you have to show to the team that you are not accidentally going to use the controls and do something for that first few seconds? Or is it that, like, you're going to get yanked so hard that you're suddenly going to disrupt the controls? Like, which? Both? Both. So they're taking off from an aircraft carrier,

and it's important that they don't overreact with the controls. So the ship's catapult system, probably not steam, is so strong that... Some of them are. They are steam. Some of them are steam catapults. I take it back. If there's one thing that's available on nuclear-powered stuff, it's steam. Steam. A lot of it.

So I'm now thinking Wallace and Gromit and this whole elastic band, steam-powered. It's so strong that the pilot would sit there and actually pull back on the joystick if they had their hands on it while they're being pushed back in their seat, and that would lead to the plane becoming uncontrollable, stalling, or whatever. So before takeoff, the pilot signals all systems are good, salutes the shooter, the catapult operator, and places both hands on two handles above their head to show that their hands are not on the flight stick. Once they're clear of the aircraft carrier, they can fly as normal. Thank you to an anonymous listener for this next question. In the Mexican game show, Escape

Perfecto, contestants must drag prizes through a door before it closes, and aren't told how long they have left. Why did an adjudicator tell a contestant to stop looking towards the back of the set? And again, in the Mexican game show, Escape Perfecto, contestants must drag prizes through a door before it closes, and aren't told how long they have left. Why did an adjudicator tell a contestant to stop looking towards the back of the set? Because there was somebody there being like, They're closing it! They're closing it!

It's an inside job. Rabio! Was light being reflected in? In through the door? Or was there some, like, mechanic, like, if it's, I'm imagining, like, a big, complicated movie set with, like, lots of moving parts was, like, part of the door mechanism back there that was moving or something. Yeah, the PA.

Somebody's job would be pulling it. You can tell this was a bit on set where just, like, that's just Earl's job. He just pulls that rope. You can tell the door's not going to shut yet. He's still got a cigarette in his mouth. He's not even paying attention. God damn, Scott the person who grew up watching shows in the 90s

still got a cigarette in. He's still pulling on a vape. There we go. Yeah, there you go. There's these big lead weights, like they're using the curtains to open the curtains, and there's opening the doors, and if the weights are still up, it hasn't gone ka-chunk yet. So just to be clear on the rules of this, they do know that there is a time limit before they enter the prize room.

They do know what that time limit is. And the door is just going to slam shut and lock at some point. So it's not like a slowly descending door, it's just going to shut and lock at some point. So it's not like a slowly descending door, it's just gonna go clunk at some point. It still makes me think there's somebody back there being like... A countdown clock at the back of the set. Tells the Canberra people what to do. Because you know, like in F1, they were worried about

people being able to predict when the lights turn off. So it's always a person who pushes the button. But if you watch that person, that person is not visible from the field. Yeah, there wasn't really any sort of leak of the clocks or anything like that. There wasn't someone colluding. They weren't looking for a signal. Was there an accidental, like a tell? Like, we see what you were saying about, like, was there someone just accidentally giving something away in the back of the set?

There was definitely a tell, but it was someone clever who worked this out. This wasn't just the producers missing a thing. There's something like the lights on the camera start, there's a red light on the camera if you start filming. And so it's like, right, we'll now go to camera four, which is on the opposite side or on the door or something. And when that goes, they know that the door's going to close. Ooh, that's smart.

There is a certain kind of meta-game thing to this. There is definitely a tell somewhere at the back of the set. So the door is open. You can run in, you can pull stuff out of the prize room, whatever you can get out, you win. And at some point, the door's going to slam shut. And so they're telling them to not look at the back of the prize room, whatever you can get out, you win. And at some point, the door's going to slam shut. And so they're telling them to not look at the back of the set, because the set was built cheaply and it flexes or something

before the door goes down. This is a fairly modern show. Have a think about what game show sets are designed like these days. I don't watch a lot of game shows, but a lot of screens. Flames. More screens these days. Fighting robots. Slaves.

Ball pits. Basically every show is either Double Dare or Jeopardy these days. Is it a lot of green, are like a lot of game show sets green screens these days? Ooh, no. But it is a technology thing. It's just a man in a green outfit. Yeah. Closing the gate, closing the door, because they haven't got any money. Here comes Miguel, he's gotta get the door!

But you can see the green man, it doesn't matter, the audience at home can't— The audience can't see it. Trace, you said screens. Yeah. Screens. At the back of the't see. Trace, you said screens. Yeah, screens. At the back of the set. Yeah. Big, big LED screens. The remote control button for the door interfered with the screens.

It is something that's on the screens. The countdown clock is on the screen. The countdown clock isn't, but what might be there? The little twiggle things that used to be on the — I don't know if they still are — on analogue TV, there used to be a little mark before the adverts came on. The Q dot! That's a really British reference, yes. And that said, the, um, watch out electricity companies, because we're about to go to the adverts and you need to boost electricity because everyone's going to put the kettle on.

It's a very British thing. It is. Wow. In that case, that would have been added at the transmission end. That is, like, networks to queue in commercials and things like that. You wouldn't see that on the actual display of the screen. But what might a show put on a screen like that? Game show screens be showing.

Are they highlighting the... Is it something about the prizes? Like, they're highlighting the... It's actually just showing the show's logo. Maybe the logo is... stationary, and then it starts moving right before so that the audience can see what's happening. So it's like, you're starting something

that only the audience really needs to see. Or it needs to, if it's turning, it needs to come to this way round rather than this. Yeah, yeah. It needs to come to a flat on rather than sideways. They reset the logo so it was correct. Yeah. You're very close, Molly? Like they start their animation sequence or their closing title or something while the door closes.

It's just on a loop. So they reset the loop. We used to do that on DNews when we didn't have control over it, but it was a loop. Turned out it was looping backwards though and the meteor, like the Earth was rotating the wrong way, so it was always backwards. Dude, I'm going to give you a twit. Yeah, some commenter was like, your Earth is rotating backwards. So we just reversed the animation,

so a comet flies the wrong way, but that's fine. That's fine. How long was your loop, Trace? Oh. Oh, the loop is... It was like a minute. It was like one minute. So they counted the number of loops

because they timed the loop to when the door was going to close so they didn't make their show look bad. I will give you that. You are close enough. It was a ten-second loop. They just haven't bothered to make the loop any longer. And some of the contestants realised, well, if you've given us 60 seconds,

and we've got no clocks and no timers, we can just look back, and every time that logo goes round, that's ten seconds. Cunning. That is cunning. Their solution was to get the adjudicator to ask people to not look backwards until they fix the loop. Trace, it is over to you for the last big question of the show. This question has been sent in by, I hope I get this name right, Leonie Mercedes. In some Scrabble sets, unscrupulous players

could feel for the useful blank tiles as they had no engraving on them. However, 1940s editions permitted a hack that was even more game breaking. What was it? And then let me take it again. In some Scrabble sets, unscrupulous players could feel for the useful blank tiles

as they have no engraving on them. However, 1940s editions permitted a hack that was even more game breaking. What was it? So Scrabble has got letters and numbers on. And in the olden days, they used to be engraved. So you could tell the blank ones weren't engraved. So in 1940s, there was something else that you could still feel or some other way.

You put your hand in the bag. Were they heavier? I think they had gold plated numbers, letters. But 1940s, is there something... Could be a wartime thing. Yeah, I was going to say, like, is there a ration, like, was a material that was used in Scrabble Set's ration, and they had to retool it or something?

Also, I love the idea. Scrabble Set's aren't engraved anymore to reduce cheating and absolutely not to reduce production costs. Right. Lucy, you mentioned that they had a... that you put your hand in the bag. In the 1940s, they had no bag. Ooh.

So you wouldn't have a bag. So that is a hint. So would they be all upside down? Yeah, you'd have to just kind of put the tiles upside down and draw them off the table, I guess. Were they different heights or like, or widths, I guess? Like, if they were laying flat on a table with different... It's a wartime home edition and you just have to make... It's just taken on faith.

You just draw some letters, you come up with them in your head. It's just taken on faith. Just written on paper. It's just a crossword at that point. Like, how can you tell... Even if the letters are upside down, without a bag, how can you tell what letter you're pulling? Or maybe you're just looking for the blank ones. Yeah, if you're looking for anyone, specifically.

They were see-through because they were so thin. You could just make a bag. Like the Scrabble set might not have come with one, but you could just put them in a bag. Yeah, it doesn't... I wouldn't go in that direction. Okay. It's not necessarily about the bag. The tiles were selected typically face down, inside the box lid. It wasn't something necessarily about the placement of the tiles. Think more about

how when you're playing Scrabble, you've got your tiles in front of you, you have to play or pick a tile. And so you're trying to get to spell those words. What would you do? And if you wanted to break the game, so you wanted to pick the one you wanted. Do they make, um, were there like different types of, like, did they make different sounds as they clinked against each other? It's like acoustic. You're on the right track.

Not necessarily clinky. You're on the right track. That it does have to do with the material that the tile. Oh, did they, different grains? Like, could you feel the grains with your fingers, maybe? I think that's pretty darn close. So what's different to the 1940s? Is this a wartime thing?

Is this a set? It doesn't have to do with the wartime one. Oh, it's just bad design, okay. Yeah, it's just bad design, OK. Yeah, it's just bad design, really. And similar to the last question, very observant people. And Molly, you're like so close. It really is very close to what you just said. Softness of the wood?

Like, if you like… Was it wood? They were made of wood. Which means you can memorise the patterns on the back of the tiles? From the grain? Oh, from the grain. OK. And they're like fingerprints. Oh my god. The marked cards.

The marked cards. Right. Yes. That's exactly it. So Molly, you were so darn close. Yeah. I was like, did I give it? I don't know. Because you mentioned the wood grain, and that's exactly what it is. People would memorize the wood grain on their tile, their Scrabble sets, and then know which tiles were which ones they wanted.

So that way they could select the letters they needed. The technique, by the way, of feeling for engraved letters, which they no longer engrave them, they started printing them on the front so you couldn't feel them. That's called brailling. And so now they print the letters. In the 1940s, they were made of Bavarian maple wood. So you could see this like grain pattern on the back. Very good. So you had a real home field advantage if you were working with your own scrabble set, but not if you went and played at a friend's house.

Right. I wonder if they'd be like, we're going to open a brand new scrabble set, but not if you went and played at a friend's house. Right. I wonder if they'd be like, we're going to open a brand new Scrabble set every time we compete? The final order of business, then, is the question I asked at the start of the show. Thank you to Dorian and Liddell for sending this one in. In a Japanese ceremony, who walks down the Virgin Road? Anyone want to take a shot at that? We're clearly made to think that it's like, I don't know, a bride or something, because of our Western-ness.

Tracey, you are absolutely right. It is the two people in a wedding ceremony. The aisle in the church or the office or whatever is referred to as the Virgin Road. And I love that you just thought that was the obvious root one answer and said it. And you're right. Sometimes you get lucky. With that, thank you very much to all our players. And to trace, you solved that last one very quickly, so let's start with you. What's going on in your world? Where can people find you?

Yeah, still making a podcast called That's Absurd, Please Elaborate, where we answer ridiculous questions sent in by the audience with sciency-ish answers as best as we can sometimes. I'm working on one now about what could you feed a squirrel that would make it immortal? Ha ha ha! So that's been fun. Ha ha! Anyway... I was going to ask what the answer is, but you'll have to listen to the podcast. You have to listen. Yeah, you have to listen to find out.

Lucy, what's going on with you? I'm squirreling away, writing my book, which does feel like it's going on for eternity, and it'll be out in 2026. Molly, how about you? I'm making videos over on Science IRL. I just visited the world's largest robot, so that'll be on the channel soon,

which I'm really excited about. Might win some robot wars, I don't know, Lucy, you'll have to tell me. And I would ask where that is, but again, you'll have to watch the channel. And if you want to know more about this show, you can do that at lateralcast.com. You can also send in your own ideas for questions. We are at Lateral Cast basically everywhere,

and there are regular video highlights at youtube.com slash lateralcast. Thank you very much to Dr. Molly Edwards. Thanks. Dr. Lizzie Rogers. Thank you. And Trace Dominguez. Woohoo, that was fun.

I've been Tom Scott and that's been Lateral.