Episodes
Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
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20200222 | 20220919 (BBC7) | * This programme was to have been broadcast on Saturday 10th September but was postponed following the death of Her Majesty The Queen. * Dr Hannah Fry delves into the BBC Radio Archive to uncover a fascinating selection of programmes all about codes, secrets and ciphers. As a mathematician, Hannah specialises in understanding patterns of human behaviour. And nowhere does the human factor smash headlong into the reality of numbers than in the secretive world of code-breaking. Have a pen and paper handy as she'll be giving you a code to try and crack, offering hints which will help throughout the programme. She's being helped by two experts who between them have got numbers and words covered: * Bobby Seagull - Maths teacher and author of The Life-changing Magic of Numbers. * Richard Rogan - Editor of The Times Cryptic Crossword. They'll share their insights into codes, and give their takes on Hannah's fascinating selection from the archive: * A creepy delve into the world of Cold War number stations - Simon Fanshawe investigates in ‘TRACKING THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER'. * David Baddiel tries to understand Cryptic Crosswords. * A famous example of a literary code in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story ‘THE ADVENTURE OF THE DANCING MEN', adapted by Bert Coules. * In ‘THE BLETCHLEY GIRLS', Tessa Dunlop tracks the stories of some of the often side-lined women at the codebreaking station Bletchley Park in the Second World War, * In a special episode of ‘THE INFINITE MONKEY CAGE', Katy Brand joins the team in the security agency GCHQ to talk ciphers. So, pens at the ready. Listen out for the clues - and get cracking. Image credit: Paul Wilkinson | ||
01 | Number Stations And Crosswords | 20210630 | As a mathematician, Dr Hannah Fry specialises in understanding patterns of human behaviour. Nowhere does the human factor smash headlong into the reality of numbers than in the secretive world of code-breaking. In the first of three programmes, Hannah is delving into the BBC archives to present a fascinating selection of features all about codes, secrets and ciphers. Plus insights galore from Hannah's two experts who've got numbers and words covered: Maths teacher Bobby Seagull - author of ‘The Life-changing Magic of Numbers' and Richard Rogan - editor of The Times Cryptic Crossword. Featuring: * The Lincolnshire Poacher Simon Fanshave delves into the creepy world of cold war number stations. [BBC Radio 4 2005] * David Baddiel Tries to Understand - Cryptic Crosswords [BBC Radio 4 2015] Have a pen and paper handy, because Hannah's got a code for you to try and crack... Dr Hannah Fry hacks into the BBC archive for the best in codes, ciphers and secrets. | |
02 | Brilliant, Holmes | 20210707 | As a mathematician, Dr Hannah Fry specialises in understanding patterns of human behaviour. Nowhere does the human factor smash headlong into the reality of numbers than in the secretive world of code-breaking. In the second of three programmes, Hannah is delving into the BBC archives to present a fascinating selection of features all about codes, secrets and ciphers. Plus insights galore from Hannah's two experts who've got numbers and words covered: Maths teacher Bobby Seagull - author of ‘The Life-changing Magic of Numbers' and Richard Rogan - editor of The Times Cryptic Crossword. Featuring: * ‘The Return of Sherlock Holmes: The Dancing Man' [BBC Radio 4 1993] Dr Hannah Fry hacks into the BBC archive for the best in codes, ciphers and secrets. | |
03 | Bletchley Park And Beyond | 20210714 | As a mathematician, Dr Hannah Fry specialises in understanding patterns of human behaviour. Nowhere does the human factor smash headlong into the reality of numbers than in the secretive world of code-breaking. In the last of three programmes, Hannah is delving into the BBC archives to present a fascinating selection of features all about codes, secrets and ciphers. Plus insights galore from Hannah's two experts who've got numbers and words covered: Maths teacher Bobby Seagull - author of ‘The Life-changing Magic of Numbers' and Richard Rogan - editor of The Times Cryptic Crossword. Featuring: * The Bletchley Girls [BBC Radio 4 2015] * An extract from The Infinite Monkey Cage: GCHQ [BBC Radio 4 2018] Dr Hannah Fry hacks into the BBC archive for the best in codes, ciphers and secrets. |