
Tomtit & Baobab: A Bee-Inspired Podcast (Tomtit and Baobab)
Explore every episode of Tomtit & Baobab: A Bee-Inspired Podcast
Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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13 May 2023 | Bonus: Major Jackson Orchestrates Language | 00:02:17 | |
Major Jackson, host of APMstudio's The Slowdown, considers the relationship between music and language and his own role as poet-composer. | |||
09 Dec 2024 | PHONY Baloney | 00:36:04 | |
It's been an ANTICLIMATIC Bee week, but that won't stop us! On this episode of T&B, we tout the TOWHEE, extol the EGGHEAD, and call PHONY baloney on DOGTROT! Join in the convo and send us your "Bees ALEE" jingles while there's still time! | |||
02 Oct 2023 | Hive Hoorah! | 00:17:05 | |
With C & Jenn on a well-deserved holiday, they called in the reinforcements: two-time T&B guest/unofficial T&B fan club president Jared Goodman to host. He covers all your favorite segments, from the Week in Bees to Word of the Week to Strange Words (or is there another name in the works?) and a Wildcard that has to be listened to at 2x speed to bee-lieve. But don't get your hayforks out, just yet. C & Jenn are back next week! | |||
14 Oct 2024 | The Best Season Yet | 00:40:51 | |
Tomtit & Baobab is back for Season 6 and we're slaying episode 1 like a couple of MATADORas! Come for the JOGGLING, stick around for the LOAF, and get ready for a few October surprises. If you're looking for joy, optimism, and friends who share your obsession with the NYTimes Spelling Bee, you've come to the right place. | |||
09 Oct 2023 | Pod O' Gold | 00:41:54 | |
What do you get when you throw two jet-lagged word nerds in a room, take away their usual recording equipment, and ask them to say the longest place name in the world? A pod o’ gold, of course! Just returned from our jaunt through England, Wales, and Ireland, we’re back with Spelling Bee banter, lighthearted HECKLING, and a lesson in how to pronounce Welsh all kinds of wrong. So put on your woolly jumpers, make yourself a cuppa, and settle in for some T&B fun! | |||
03 Oct 2022 | The Not So Mini Mini | 00:33:31 | |
While you're listening to this episode, we are on VACAY! We tried to make a "mini" episode, but we like to talk so...Enjoy this regular sized episode featuring a super fast Saturday review, a TUTU interesting deep dive, and a travel-themed interview with Bee doer, #Hivemind member, and author of "Flight of the Spelling Bee Solver" Nancy Pfeffer! | |||
29 May 2022 | Another BEE Bights the Dust | 00:36:45 | |
The episode in which we acknowledge the suckiness, beef about bight, and find out about foodies. Extra-long for an extra-long weekend. Boffo! | |||
16 Dec 2024 | Word WONKs | 00:44:45 | |
This week on T&B, C just got her wisdom teeth pulled, nothing makes sense to Jenn, and the jinglizing continues! Listen to learn about the meaning of TRACKWAY, the deal with CARAT vs. KARAT, and the fate of the Philly jeweler who had a diamond in his beard. We promise we'll have you in stitches! | |||
12 Feb 2024 | BALLYARD BROADs | 00:45:38 | |
In this episode, Valentine’s Day meets the Super Bowl meets the NYTimes Spelling Bee. The result? AGELONG entertainment and BALLYARD (sem)antics! It doesn’t matter whether you go LONGAN or go wide, with T&B hitting play is the winning play every time. | |||
20 Nov 2023 | Birds Like Us | 00:39:14 | |
This week’s episode of T&B is TEETOTALLY for the birds--and we mean that in the most literal possible way! We’re talking about the puteketeke, the gooney, and the LINNET. But don’t get your tailfeatherses ruffled if winged words aren’t your thing. MEATLOAF, PANDITs, and NOOGIEs are also in the mix, along with a wild card that Scrabble-lovers will fall over laughing for. | |||
23 Dec 2024 | Winter B(EE)reak | 00:39:25 | |
It's the final episode of T&B Season 6 and we're not being scrooges about it! Or MOOCHes for that matter! Find a hunky Santa, jump on the UNfun bandwagon, and join us for carol singing, #BeeTheChange scheming, and, as always, laughs galore. Happy holidays, Hivemind! | |||
01 May 2023 | XX | 00:38:02 | |
X-tra! X-tra! Hear all about it! Double Xs, double Ns, and two-for-one words mean twice as much fun here at T&B. This week we're BENEFIT(T)ING from alt spellings; leading the way on LEITMOTIFs; and getting the LOWDOWN on compounds. Oh, and Sam, we accept your apology. | |||
31 Oct 2022 | Trash Words | 00:40:58 | |
If you're looking for treats not tricks, you're knocking on the right door! This episode we're treating you to an OFFAL-ly good review of the week, an entertaining exposition on EMCEE, and some hilarious trash talk with C's mom. Happy Halloween and happy listening, #Hivemind! | |||
25 Nov 2024 | Microcrack Me Up | 00:32:02 | |
On T&B we don't just MICROCRACK each other up, we macrocrack each other up! This week we reject UNMAN, rejoice in CARIOCA, and recap where we are with the #BeeTheChange campaign to..."ALEE-viate the injustice"? So skip the BACKTALK, take the CLICKBAIT, and get on board! | |||
24 Apr 2023 | Books & Bees with Sarah S. Brannen | 00:55:10 | |
What do you get when you mix together a few HOMOPHONEs, a bit of MACADAM, and an interview with a picture book author/illustrator? A brand new episode of T&B, of course! This week, we're arghing about AARGH, uncovering the history of HIRAGANA, and talking with Sarah S. Brannen about everything from banned books to Bee peeves. Learn more about Sarah's work at sarahbrannen.com. | |||
20 May 2024 | What's It All MIEN? | 00:36:24 | |
PFFT, PISH, HMPF, HAH! Not sure what that all MIENs? Come find out. This week on T&B EMCEE C and DEEJAY J are in the PALAPA and they want you to MAKE. SOME. NOISE! | |||
13 Mar 2022 | Auspicious Bee-ginnings | 00:34:41 | |
The episode in which we introduce the show and ourselves, puzzle over the word "epode," and explain our podcast title choice (spoiler alert: it's totally arbitrary).
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07 Nov 2022 | One PHAT Episode | 00:37:43 | |
Still wondering whether flies have PHALLI? We've got an answer to that and so much more! In this extra PHAT episode, we're cranking about LARRUP, throwing a MANHATTAN into the mix, and doing some old episode housekeeping. | |||
18 Apr 2022 | A Bee for the Birds | 00:29:06 | |
The episode in which we take on travail, say bye-bye to boo-boo, and give ourselves an exciting challenge! | |||
27 Jun 2022 | One Duff Bee | 00:35:19 | |
The episode in which we learn what makes the piper pied, ululate about the Bee, and find out the average salary of a lexicographer. | |||
20 Mar 2023 | What the HEYDAY! | 00:43:04 | |
It's the one-year anniversary of T&B and we're not here to PUTZ around. In this fan-FIXIN'-tastic episode, we're expressing EMOTIVITY, belting Broadway tunes, and having a NONILLION laughs. So pass the Mane Man, grab a slice of pi, and get ready for some wordplay, GRAMMA! | |||
19 Feb 2024 | Step up to the BEE | 00:20:56 | |
C & Jenn are on holiday (yet again), so it's up to self-styled super guest host extraordinaire Jared Goodman to take y'all through the bee this week. Come for the Week in Bees, the Word of the Week & UNBEELIEVABLE WORDS™, stay for the ridiculous tangents, including Tutankhamun: His Tomb & His Treasures and the Step Up film franchise. Don't ask. Just go with it. | |||
22 Apr 2024 | At the Boomer Bar | 00:47:38 | |
What's the difference between BONK and BOINK? Why should you know BOBOLINK? And what is Vintage Vocab anyway?? Grab a seat at the Boomer Bar with C, Jenn, and Jenn's mom, Bonnie. We're about to spill everything we know about Spelling Bee words! | |||
11 Sep 2023 | Back to School with T&B | 00:36:31 | |
Pick out your first day OUTFIT, grab your backpack (or your BARBACK), and come get schooled T&B style! This fall Tomtit & Baobab is back to the NYTimes Spelling Bee and back to the basics: the Week in Bees (“It was hmmm...”), the Word of the Week (CHECKMATE!), and the Wild Card (a look back at our favorite summer words and games). | |||
20 Jun 2022 | B.E.E. (Best Entertainment Ever) | 00:31:43 | |
The episode in which we keep C happy, noodle on neocon, and learn the long and short of abbreviations. | |||
27 Feb 2023 | The Agony and the Extra Bee | 00:30:54 | |
The struggle is real. Jenn has COVID, C has a POULT problem, and Sam has a MONOMYNY issue. But we won't be BEDIMMED! On this episode, we're finding poetry in the taste of sun-baked garbage, seeking out AGONY's not so miserable origins, and learning how to get more out of every Bee from our friend Leslie. | |||
04 Nov 2024 | Two Ghouls Talkin' Tom | 00:38:15 | |
It's scary times in the #NYTSpellingBee and beyond! Join us for some BULLHEADED TOMMYROT, spooky monster talk, and an update on our #BeeTheChange campaign. We're not HOTFOOTing you when we say this election is heating up! Cast your vote for ALEE, NUTRIA, or BENNE on FB, IG, or Tiktok (or by emailing us at tomtitandbaobab@gmail.com) this week. And cast your vote for democracy this Tuesday, Nov. 5th! For info on voting in the US election, visit iwillvote.com. | |||
06 Nov 2023 | A Whole Lotta IJBOL | 00:38:42 | |
Whether you had a problem with PAPAW, forgot how to spell FETTUCCINE, or didn’t have a clue about DAPHNE, T&B has something to lift every Bee player’s spirits…and it's probably a COCKTAIL! On this week’s episode, we’re serving up funny words, fabulous ducks, and old-fashioned attitudes about informal talk in the workplace. Warning: you might just burst out laughing ;) | |||
03 Apr 2023 | We Bee Like | 00:40:09 | |
On this week's episode of T&B, we BEE like wha-huh?! We're questioning everything: Why isn't it CAKEABLE? Who wore the first TUXEDO? And how does Merriam-Webster's 7-letter word game stack up to the competition? Think you have the answers? Tag @tomtitbaobab on social and let us know! | |||
18 Dec 2023 | Gift of the MAGI | 00:44:44 | |
♫ It’s the most wonderful time of the year. ♫ We're wrapping up 2023--and Season 4 of Tomtit &Baobab--with a show full of gifts, cheer, and of course, words! We’ve got a list of best pangrams for C, limerick singing for Jenn, ETYMOLOGY for everybody, and Nearly Twelve Christmas Pangrams for Tim Alborn! We also have a special appearance from Jenn’s dad, the Rev. Dr. James Hallam, who boasts a big vocabulary and believes we can create a kinder, more peaceful, more just world through the cultivation of our "human gifts." T&B will BEE back in February. Until then, catch up past seasons, follow us on Facebook or Instagram, or drop us a line at tomtitandbaobab@gmail.com. | |||
24 Apr 2022 | Where the Bee Meets the Green | 00:28:05 | |
The episode in which we skip the Bee, puzzle with Bob, and play the field with some other great word games. | |||
19 Sep 2022 | Bee Devotees | 00:44:16 | |
We're so EXCITED and we just can't hide it! In episode 2, we PHIAL our complaints, get to know the head HONCHO, and pick up where we left off with writer, programmer, Spelling Bee Solver mastermind, and our new BEE.F.F., Mr. William Shunn. | |||
23 May 2022 | Don't BEE Basic | 00:32:18 | |
The episode in which we chitchat about chihuahua, sing do re me(me), and share our not so jejune opinions about politics in word games. | |||
18 Nov 2024 | The Bee is Back in Town | 00:35:10 | |
Now that the NYT Tech Guild strike is over, we're back on our game! On this week's episode, C's going nuts for AQUANAUTS, Jenn's delighting in DITTO, and we're both shouting, "Bees ALEE"! If you know how to get Ed Helms on board (puns fully intended) for #BeeTheChange, write us ASAP. | |||
23 Oct 2023 | Ancient Times | 00:35:53 | |
Remember the carefree days of youth, when all seemed right with the world and the only bodily pains you had were growing pains? Nope, we don’t either! On this episode of T&B, we are officially claiming the status of ANCIENT, distracting ourselves from reality with a GIGUE, and delving into the realms of fantasy and Facebook, where anyone can be a god and everyone has an AVATAR to prove it. To top it all off, we’re using our ancient brains to solve the NYTimes word game, Connections…live! If you’re looking for escapism, you’ve come to the right place. | |||
26 Sep 2022 | Bazoo Bonanza | 00:34:56 | |
It's a BONANZA! In episode three, we’re talking trash words, highlighting HENGEs, and learning when to shut our big BAZOOs. We're also trying out Dispensers, a new online game by our pal across the pond, puzzlemaker Graham Smith. | |||
13 Mar 2023 | Trial by Spelling Bee | 00:43:01 | |
We're so excited not even QUAALUDEs can get us down! This week we're celebrating the promise of spring with a kicky grande BATTEMENT, a long but social QUEUE, and an extra wild Wild Card. | |||
13 May 2023 | Bonus: Becoming a Poet with Major Jackson | 00:02:36 | |
Major Jackson, host of APMstudio's The Slowdown, remembers the early encounters that led him to poetry. | |||
29 Apr 2024 | NOCK NOCK | 00:46:43 | |
Who’s there? Jenn and C are live from NYC with two special guests, one unfunny NOCK NOCK joke and exactly zero LILLIPUTIANs! If you’re wondering whether you’re a DUMDUM for not knowing NUMBAT or tanking on TANTALUM...you're not. But take a listen and you'll never miss them again! | |||
15 May 2023 | Long Live the Bea! | 00:31:58 | |
A week full of queens, coronations, birthdays and Bea, has us in a royally good mood! Laugh along with us as we give Sam some TEFF love, remember the CABALs of our youth, and come up with a BEVY of ways to make your Bee game feel brand new. | |||
27 Nov 2023 | TALKIN’ TURKEY WITH THE FAM | 00:32:45 | |
It’s our second annual live, mostly unedited, Thanksgiving show! In this week’s extraORDINARY episode of T&B, our families are gathered ‘round the table to give thanks for “word things and language stuff”. We’re sharing some of our favorite word-related apps, places, and games; dishing out un-BEE-lievable words; and serving up a second helping of hilarity. It’s loud, it’s crazy, and…it’s just like being with us for the holidays. (Listen to the end for a musical TUQUE surprise!)
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19 Dec 2022 | A Holiday Extravaganza | 00:46:35 | |
We're wrapping up T&B Season 2 in style with this very special, sugarplum of an episode! Joined by our smart and funny friend Jared Goodman, we're putting Sam on the naughty list, taking a rollicking romp through a winter Worderland, and suggesting gift ideas for the word lovers in your life. We'll BEE back with Season 3 in the new year. Until then, wishing you happy, healthy holidays. **Note to parents and sensitive listeners: This episode contains some raunchy content and discloses the truth about Santa. Listen with care.** | |||
28 Nov 2022 | Gobble Talk | 00:28:52 | |
In this very special, "live" Thanksgiving episode, we gathered our families around the table to talk turkey and share some of our favorite words. It's a riotous Bee feast replete with trash words, jerk words, spontaneous singing, and whole lot of fun. | |||
26 Feb 2024 | Life’s a BEE-ach | 00:40:20 | |
We’re back from Puerto Rico and freezing cold! So bear with us as we reminisce about the beach, fruity cocktails, and…BURGOO? From LIVIDITY-producing words for gruel to big ideas like GOOGOL, we’re covering more ground than a MANKINI. Jared joins us for surf speak in an extra wild Wild Card. | |||
11 Feb 2023 | Bonus: Favorite Words with Simon Sinek | 00:05:03 | |
Special guest Simon Sinek joins us for a sesquipedalian chat about some of our favorite words. No superciliousness intended! We want to hear about your favs, too. Let us know on social with the tags @tomtitbaobab @simonsinek, or drop us a line at tomtitandbaobab@gmail.com. | |||
25 Sep 2023 | Standing NOVATION | 00:37:33 | |
There’s Spelling Bee level genius, and then there’s Mensa level genius—which are we? Listen and find out! In this episode of T&B, we’re soaring on an UPDRAFT, getting the VITAMIN Bee backstory, and challenging ourselves to an online I.Q. workout. If you’re smart you’ll stick around to the end! | |||
10 Apr 2023 | ODDBALLs | 00:51:22 | |
Land can be FECUND, balls can be ODD, it's always fun times with the T&B pod! This week on T&B, National Poetry Month inspires us, Sam CONFOUNDs us, and some teens remind that us that we may not be young, but we'll always be extra! | |||
13 Jun 2022 | We BEE at the Beach | 00:33:14 | |
The episode in which we contemplate cooties with Jenn's mom; review some no-tech, new-to-us word games; and fail miserably at our own challenge, dammit! (Recorded, with uneven results, on location "down the shore".) | |||
08 May 2022 | Rated BEE-G 13 | 00:29:24 | |
The episode in which we hate on donee, love on little donuts, and learn why everyone needs a loofa. | |||
27 Mar 2023 | B.E.E. (Best Entertainment Ever) (RECAST) | 00:32:25 | |
The episode in which we keep C happy, noodle on NEOCON, and learn the long and short of abbreviations. | |||
14 May 2024 | The LEMMA Dilemma | 00:46:30 | |
Put on your seatbelt, grab hold of the ROLLBAR, and get ready for a wild ride! This week on T&B we’re celebrating Beatrice’s sixth birthday, taking stock of what we’ve learned from the Bee, wondering if LEMMA should count, and doing some much needed housekeeping. | |||
17 Apr 2023 | Everything is CECILIA!!! | 00:41:54 | |
METONYMs, MACADAMs, eponyms, and cardigans. In this episode, we're going down every rabbit hole we can find and ENJOYing every second of it. So pull up your TATAMI, grab your NYT Spelling Bee Buddy, and get ready for awesomeness. | |||
28 Mar 2022 | #BeeBrag | 00:29:12 | |
The episode in which we learn about science, ponder minikinis, and shout out to Steve Martin! (Also the episode in which we desperately needed a sound-mixer.) | |||
04 Mar 2024 | Effanineffable | 00:41:34 | |
It’s March madness on T&B this week! What are we mad about? Oh, you know, only the exclusion of EFFABLE, the inclusion of NUDIE, all the Bee ARGOT, and the terrible results of our NYTimes’ Puzzle Personality Quiz! Join us for spontaneous PLAUDITs and linguistic BEDIZENMENT, then head over to @TomtitBaobab on Facebook to see our INEFFABLE Puzzle Quiz avatars and share yours! | |||
02 Dec 2024 | Thanks Bee for Family | 00:36:30 | |
It's our annual family Thanksgiving episode, and spoiler: it's low-key awesome! But don't quote us on that (we prefer to remain UNQUOTED.) Join us to talk "hard climb" spellings (C-H-L-O-R-O-P-H-Y-L-L ), share "wow-worthy" words, and break out into spontaneous ALEE jingles. There's always more fun to bee had on T&B! | |||
20 Mar 2022 | Whoa…BEE-tide? | 00:29:00 | |
The episode in which we call the whippoorwills, loll about, and have a very merry un-conversation. | |||
14 Nov 2022 | A Bee without C | 00:41:01 | |
C conveniently lost her voice this week. So we're re-running a classic episode from Season 1. We'd tell you which one, but that would be a spoiler and we know how the #Hivemind feels about those! | |||
10 Apr 2022 | On Our Best Bee-Haver | 00:29:40 | |
The episode in which we get musical, meet C's mom, and learn the language of the Bee. #BeeKeepers | |||
11 Dec 2023 | To HOB and to NOB | 00:46:31 | |
If your HOBBY is the NYTimes Spelling Bee, come HOBNOB with us! On this penultimate episode of T&B Season 4, we’re tackling crucial questions like: What the heck happened with HAMACHI? Who wouldn’t want a CHIA bee? When is a PINNY not a penny? And why is “Pop Goes the Weasel” a perfect tune for word puzzle enthusiasts? We may have limited rizz, but we’ve got risibility galore…and a rousing performance inspired by Tim Alborn, if you can make it to the end.
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11 Nov 2024 | There's No B in Solidarity | 00:32:17 | |
On T&B when times are hard, you can be sure we have things to say about the word PRIAPIC! This week on the show, we're taking stock of the CRAP that happened on Tuesday, CARPing about dicks, and standing in solidarity with the striking NYTimes Tech Guild workers. We're also revealing the final results of the #BeeTheChange polls. You'll have to listen to find out what word won, but let's just say that here on T&B, we still believe in democracy! | |||
06 May 2024 | CHOCK Full O' Nuts | 00:38:11 | |
We prefer to think of ourselves as ECLECTIC, but if you wanted to call us nuts, we wouldn’t care a TITTLE! Don’t be CHARY, it’s nothing but a good time on this episode of T & B. We’re going to the Bee-Ball game, breaking down WORRYWART, and generally YUCCA-ing it up. | |||
12 Sep 2022 | Poopy Grandpapa | 00:54:15 | |
It wouldn't be T&B without a little B.S. and S#!T talk, right? In this poopy-packed first episode of Season 2, we're catching up on summer, getting the lowdown on doornails, and hanging with writer, programmer, and puzzler, William Shunn, A.K.A. @beesolved, A.K.A. the brains behind Spelling Bee Solver! | |||
16 Oct 2023 | We BEE Long | 00:35:44 | |
To paraphrase J.R.R. Tolkien, not all those who stravaig are lost! On this episode of T&B, we’re taking the long way, going ERRANT, and branching off as the roads RAMIFY. So, embrace your inner HOBBIT and join us for a TANTARA-filled adventure that stretches from Wales to New Zealand to New England and back again. | |||
20 Feb 2023 | Bee Mine | 00:43:45 | |
Here at T&B we love a week that starts with a visit from CUPID and ends with an extra day off! In this OOEY GOOEY episode, our hearts are in the Bee, our heads are in the clouds, and C's mom is back for a KICKY Wild Card live from New York. It's the whole kit and CABOODLE! | |||
25 Mar 2024 | Special Edi-SHUNN | 00:33:51 | |
T&B is having a wild time this week--we're breaking all our own rules and dedicating the entire episode to one very special guest. William Shunn, the mastermind behind Spelling Bee Solver, is back and we couldn't BEE happier. | |||
05 Feb 2024 | Season 5: Back to the Hive | 00:43:51 | |
C and Jenn are back for a whole new season of #NYTimesSpellingBee banter! This episode we’re running through the best and worst Bees of our winter break, boondoggling our way into the hearts of all Americans, and learning a very fancy word for the study of flags. No hoodwinkery or mountebankery here! T&B is the real deal for #WordNerds. | |||
10 Oct 2022 | Alive and Headkicking | 00:29:19 | |
Hey there, CHICKADEEs, we're back from VACAY! In this quick, fun, unedited episode of T&B, we're marveling at the apian abundance of Greece, enjoying the GNOCCHI, and exploring the negative side of a few familiar BEE words. Nine-year-old NYT Spelling Bee genius Gus joins us for a jet-lagged, song-filled, somewhat ill-considered game...which is perfectly safe to try at home yourself! | |||
15 Apr 2024 | Total Eclipse of the Bee | 00:46:11 | |
It's an episode full of bouquets, BRICKBATs, SYZYGY, and BACCARAT. So shut your PIEHOLE, wipe your mouth on a NAPKIN, and put on your eclipse glasses. It's show time! Content Warning: We talk about a word related to sexual violence in this episode. Take care while listening. | |||
16 May 2022 | Disco Demimonde (The place to BEE) | 00:40:34 | |
The episode in which we celebrate our 10th podcast with a little razzing, a lot ranking, and an extra 10 minutes of fun! | |||
06 Jun 2022 | A BEE to Remember | 00:35:41 | |
The episode in which we commit cloaca to memory, talk about teddies, and take on a game worthy of the Scripps Spelling Bee. | |||
21 Nov 2022 | The HOURLONG | 00:54:11 | |
You say PINATA, we say PIÑATA! In this extra long episode, we're calling out for consistency, exploring Mexican arts and letters, and chatting with the #Hivemind's own Peggy Robin! [Check out Peggy's blog, "All Life is Local", here and follow her on Twitter @StillLifewRobin.] | |||
27 May 2024 | A Special Treat | 00:43:32 | |
It’s the final episode of Season 5, and do we have a treat for you! We’re being BATTY, talking TUBBY, WHINGEING about ARBITRARY words, and serving up just desserts. Join us for a fun summer send-off and subscribe to be the first to know when T&B returns this fall. K.I.T. on FB and IG or email TomtitAndBaobab@gmail.com. | |||
02 Apr 2024 | April Fool's Bee (re-air) | 00:30:28 | |
We're away this week, but don't worry. We've picked out the perfect episode to re-air: the April Fool's show from our very first season! The deep dive on "HOODWINK" is a T&B classic. Come back next Monday for an all new episode. | |||
30 Oct 2023 | Halloween AMBIENCE | 00:37:51 | |
If you like your Halloween silly, spooky, and full of word candy, Tomtit & Baobab is the place to Bee! This week on T&B, we’re counting up the tricks and treats from last week’s puzzles, unmasking the meaning of HORROR, and just about laughing our heads off talking Trash Words with C’s mom. When you knock on this door, we hand out FIVEFOLD the fun. | |||
18 Mar 2024 | Bee Fuddled | 00:38:41 | |
This week on T&B we’re revisiting a few “strands” from last week’s episode, rehashing an old conversation about FILLIP, taking another look at those GLUTEI, and having feelings about MICROMINI. Are we VICTIMs of the Bee’s befuddling ways…or are we active agents in the experience of our own game play? There’s only one way to find out. | |||
18 Sep 2023 | ChatG(Bee)T | 00:34:35 | |
AI is all the buzz. But who needs Artificial Intelligence when you're a NYTimes Spelling Bee genius?! On this episode we're reviewing a veritable BLIZZARD of words, learning why BAA and BOWWOW don't translate, and having a wild time compliments of ChatGPT. | |||
13 Nov 2023 | HOMETOWN Pride | 00:38:30 | |
Do foot bones count in the NYTimes Spelling Bee? What’s the deal with New England donuts? And what the heck is Gen Z talking about?? This week we’re going back to answer these and other burning questions from previous episodes. But it’s not all housekeeping: We’re also checking the LOOKBOOK, attending the LUNCHEON, and loading up the BOOKMOBILE. It’s an episode of BIBLICAL proportions! | |||
04 Jul 2022 | O Say, Can You BEE | 00:40:50 | |
The episode in which we come to grips with facticity, announce our summer break, and assess the national anthem, spangles and all! (Tomtit & Baobab will return with Season 2 in September. Bee with us on Twitter while you wait!) | |||
24 Oct 2022 | All About the Swag | 00:31:12 | |
In Season 2, Episode 7, you will surely find us trying! Jenn tries to kiss up to Sam for Bee swag; C tries to explain TOMAHAWK; and we both try to figure out a puzzle of pangrams posed by Gus. Do we succeed? Take a listen and find out! | |||
06 Mar 2023 | Well Played! | 00:44:29 | |
It's time to LEVEL up, Hivemind! In this episode, we're getting our game on, having an AWKWARD conversation, and getting answers to some outstanding questions, like "Is TENTING British?", "What's the deal with pirate speak?", and "Did Bill ever make a Bee playlist"? (Spoiler: Bill did make a playlist...and so did Jenn! Listen to Bill's here. Listen to Jenn's here. And post yours here!) | |||
02 May 2022 | Cry BaBees | 00:30:31 | |
The episode in which we praise the puli, waul about words, and play a game that ends in tears. | |||
06 Feb 2023 | Simon Sinek Starts with Bee | 00:56:15 | |
It's a new year, and T&B is back for a whole new season. We're thrilled to be kicking off Season 3 with optimist, author, and fellow word nerd Simon Sinek! Join us as we call for an upheaval of UPHEAVE, get fired up about DRAGOON, and chat with Simon about why the Bee is infinitely enjoyable, despite its finite frustrations. | |||
08 May 2023 | Relishing Words with Major Jackson | 00:58:59 | |
On today's episode, we're showing up with ÉCLAT, celebrating CINQUAIN, and tying it all up with an AGLET. Poet Major Jackson, host of APM Studios' The Slowdown, joins us for a reflective Wild Card full of runnels, relish, and really good conversation. Learn more about Major at majorjackson.com and listen to The Slowdown wherever you get your podcasts. | |||
21 Oct 2024 | #BeeTheChange | 00:37:13 | |
With age comes wisdom and as usual, C and Jenn are acting like a couple of wise asses on this week’s episode of T&B! We’re talking lemon laws, TYCOONs, and the origins of FAKE in 18th century Thieves’ Cant. We’re also reviewing your candidates and plotting next steps for our #BeeTheChange Campaign. Have ideas about words that should count in the #NYTSpellingBee? Have thoughts about what factors will sway Sam to make a change? Let us know! Email us at tomtitandbaobab@gmail.com or message @tomtitbaobab on FB and IG. | |||
28 Oct 2024 | The Great Debate | 00:43:33 | |
If you're looking for HORROR, you've come to the wrong ROOM! On this week's episode of T&B, we're DOLLOPING out the laughs, finding a COLONEL of truth, and debated whether ALEE is truly the strongest candidate to carry our #BeTheChange campaign. ENJOY the show! | |||
08 Apr 2024 | KAPOK and Other Bee Trees | 00:44:38 | |
This show has TITs. This show has COCKs. But if you think we're talking about anything other than words, you are barking up the wrong tree, PUPPY! Join us for YIPPEEs, YODELs, a bit of LOLLYGAGGing and a lot of excitement over a wild card discovery so good, we can't stop saying DAG. | |||
05 Dec 2023 | Well Versed with Tim Alborn | 00:55:46 | |
Here at T&B, we like our TAMARI on a TATAMI and our belly laughs by the BOTTLEFUL. We also like a good interview with a NYTimes Spelling Bee-inspired limerick writer! That’s right, fellow Word Nerds, we’re talking with the very poetic Tim Alborn, and all INDICIA suggest this is one hu-MUNG-ous episode you won’t want to miss. | |||
13 Dec 2022 | B33 Speak | 00:41:36 | |
w00t w00t! In this episode, we're talking words of the year, world cup communication, and the language of the Internet circa 1995. We're also introducing Leslie, who is a NOOB when it comes to the Bee but a pro on social media. While C is watching fútbol, Leslie will be helping Jenn up our social game! | |||
22 May 2023 | BEEing Social with the NYTimes SpellingBee FB Group | 00:53:51 | |
Turn up the DANCEHALL and get ready to CANCAN. There's no time to be tired on this week's episode of T&B! Janis joins us for BUGLING; Jenn anatomizes the APPENDIX; and NYTimes SpellingBee group admins Pat and Keith show up for a very social CONVO that might just get C back on Facebook. | |||
11 Mar 2024 | Tangent-o-rama | 00:45:02 | |
This week on T&B we’re figuring out how to play the new NYTimes game, Strands, and following the strands of conversation wherever they take us! It’s an episode full of tangents, PENTATHLETEs, ARMADILLOs, and ARANCINI that might just serve as a NEPENTHE for your troubles. Step into the DIORAMA and enjoy the show!
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17 Oct 2022 | Welcome to the Familect | 00:42:20 | |
With T&B every day is a BEE-day! This episode we preach to the COIR about LINGUAL, AUGUR in a new age of pirate speak, and explore the fascinating phenomenon that is "home slang". (Our Wild Card segment is inspired by Kathryn Hymes' article "Why We Speak More Weirdly At Home", which you can read in full here.) | |||
05 Dec 2022 | DORKs | 00:41:27 | |
Everybody jump for joy! This week we're EXING out AMEBIC, DORKing out on WALLAROOs, and playing a fun game we learned from our new social media happy place, Mastodon (find us there at @tomtitbaobab@universeodon.com). | |||
29 May 2023 | Here Comes the Shunn | 00:53:06 | |
It's summertime, the sun is shining, and T&B is ready for VACAY! In this final episode of Season 3, we're going BANANAs over CIVETs, putting NANOBOTs under the microscope, and having a grand old time with Spelling Bee Solver's William Shunn. We'll BEE back in the fall. Until then, visit us on social, keep in touch at tomtitandbaobab@gmail.com, and catch up on old episodes wherever you get your podcasts. | |||
13 Feb 2023 | FANFIC & Other FANCIFUL Words | 00:41:19 | |
One word: MAHIMAHI. This week on T&B we're talking about that missing hyphen, that DOOMY Bee day (2/8), and that most FANCIFUL (i.e. made-up) word: FANFIC. Buckle up for a wild ride. If you'd like to make a donation to earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria, we suggest checking out Bridge to Türkiye Fund, The White Helmets, AKUT Search & Rescue Association, Turkey Mosaik Foundation, or World Central Kitchen. | |||
04 Apr 2022 | April Fool's Bee | 00:29:52 | |
The episode in which we categorize coati, learn about hoodwinkery, and run out the clock! |