Episode 027 = Postcode Tray Score and Mesh Mask Decor

2022-01-31
00:44:12

News: Bec has moved (things around in her flat)
00:03:34–00:06:25

Bec previously had her office in the kitchen. She convinced her husband to merge the lounge and bedroom into a "blounge". The ex-bedroom now houses a walk-in wardrobe and Bec's office. It can also double as a spare room for visitors. Bec has also put her life-like copy of her own head on a shelf in her room. [Editor's note: That's one solution to problem 010-3.]

News: Matt's 15000th birthday
00:06:46–00:09:06

At the time of recording, Matt is 14998 days old. In two days will be his 15000th day-birthday (on a Sunday). In comparison, Bec is 12855 days old.

Matt notes that 2022-02-22 is Two's Day Tuesday, for which he's planning to release a video.

Problem 027-1 = How do you reuse an old radiotherapy mask?
00:09:09–00:19:22

Problem poser: Chris, via Problem Posing Page
Problem solver: Bec

Problem statement

I love the podcast. It has been keeping me sane whilst I've been going through radiotherapy for a brain tumor. I've now finished my therapy and received a mesh mask of my face/head that was needed to hold my head still throughout my radiotherapy sessions. What should I do with the mask? My wife is an artist and I've thought about asking her to paint it like a popular arachnid-based superhero, but I think there could be a more creative answer out there.

Solution attempt

Bec, who has a copy of her own head — 027 (news) — notes the difference between a mask and a head. People commonly do cool stuff with their radiotherapy masks.

Bec's ideas: Wastepaper basket, novelty basketball hoop, use it for fencing, pop it into a hot bath and remold it, ice sculpting, make a massive jelly/jello (and serve it in the blounge room), papier-mâché it and make it look like somebody is pressing their face through the wall, a planter, place a light bulb behind it, use it to paint your own face through the holes, use it to stamp makeup onto your face. Also, Chris should ask his wife, the artist, for ideas.

Problem 027-2 = What's the optimal way to utilise postcodes in Scrabble?
00:19:26–00:34:58

Problem poser: Daniel
Problem solver: Matt

Problem statement

What UK postcode has the highest Scrabble value? Does this change if you include the actual digits in the postcode?

Solution attempt

Matt tells some postcode related anecdotes. Compared to other countries, UK postcodes are very detailed. They include both letters and numbers. Technically, there are enough postcodes that you could have a postcode for your cupboard.

Matt downloaded all UK postcodes and wrote some Python code to compute their Scrabble values. Of the postcodes with the maximum value of 35 points (ignoring digits), WC1X 9QZ in London is Matt's favourite. If you include digits individually, BN99 8ZZ and EX39 9ZZ are tied for 50 points. If you combine the digits, BN99 8ZZ wins with 131 points. Using 1337-speak (i.e. swapping numbers into their corresponding characters), EH22 2QQ and EH22 2QZ are tied on 55 points.

Ding

A "d1ng" from Matt

Update for problem 026-2
00:35:17–00:37:28

A listener suggests having kids, and a second listener with night shifts suggests biphasic instead of monophasic sleep: Sleep a shorter time during the night, then take a nap in the middle of your day, and finally go to sleep at the new time.

Update for problem 022-2
00:37:29–00:38:02

Lois is dinging the Pyrenees-to-Alps answer, which seems impressively long compared to the others.

Ding

The longest ding the hosts have ever seen

Note: Listener survey results
00:38:03–00:40:53

Answers by 128 people are in. Most of them have seen a penguin, but only 15% have seen one outside a zoo. There is a tie between the two fan-favourite problems, which are 017-2 and 021-1. 019-2 is in third place. Matt again did not provide a drop-down menu, and Bec mentions they need a wiki that explains all problems [Editor's note: Well...].