Two Thousand Years of Puzzling

BBC Radio 4 FM

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Documentaries

Factual: History

Chris Maslanka traces the history of mankind's seemingly insatiable delight in puzzles.

Chris Maslanka traces the history of puzzles and puzzling from the earliest mazes to the burgeoning puzzle industry of the 19th century and beyond.

Two Thousand Years of Puzzling: Series 1: On the Grid

On the Grid

Series 1

BBC Radio 4 - Two Thousand Years of Puzzling, Series 1, On the Grid

In the final programme of his series on the story of puzzles and puzzling, Chris Maslanka considers the cryptic clues crucial to crosswords with cruciverbalist Don Manley.

Of all the puzzles that burden the newsagent's shelves it's the Grid Puzzles that dominate. In the final programme of his series on the history of Puzzling Chris Maslanka takes a long hard look at the two across, blank a, blank i, blank a, blank i, blank (fascinating!) world of grids from Sudoku to the Cryptic crossword. He talks to Don Manley about the appeal of the shapes and restrictions of the grid and the language of the cryptic clue. They discuss the grid puzzle's future, future dimensions and how they thrive and survive in the digital age.

Producer: Tom Alban.

Two Thousand Years of Puzzling: Series 1

BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Two Thousand Years of Puzzling

Series 1

On the Grid

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4