Decoder Ring podcast

Decoder Ring

Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

 

#152

Mailbag: Spooky Strings, Phone Menu Options, and Eye Rolls

We are lucky to get fantastic questions from our listeners here at Decoder Ring, and in th... more

06 May 2026

47 MINS

47:53

06 May 2026


#151

How to Make Dollars Make Sense

Money is everywhere. Money influences just about everything. We think about money all the ... more

22 Apr 2026

34 MINS

34:37

22 Apr 2026


#150

One Year: 1995 | Hitting the Spot

Last week we aired an episode about lonelygirl15, one of the first proper YouTube stars, a... more

17 Apr 2026

57 MINS

57:49

17 Apr 2026


#149

Who Was Lonelygirl15?

In the summer of 2006, a teenage girl began posting video diaries to a then-new site calle... more

08 Apr 2026

58 MINS

58:50

08 Apr 2026


#148

The Johnlock Conspiracy (Encore)

For over a century, fans of Sherlock Holmes have been analyzing, debating, and creating ne... more

25 Mar 2026

53 MINS

53:12

25 Mar 2026


#147

Was "Eyes Wide Shut" a Warning?

When Eyes Wide Shut opened in the summer of 1999, it was widely considered a disappointmen... more

11 Mar 2026

46 MINS

46:00

11 Mar 2026


#146

A Prune by Any Other Name

The delicious, healthful prune has long had a cross to bear: It’s best known for making pe... more

25 Feb 2026

44 MINS

44:32

25 Feb 2026


#145

Making Coal Cute Again

Three weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum shared [an unusual tweet] (htt... more

11 Feb 2026

43 MINS

43:28

11 Feb 2026


#144

Is Culture Stuck?

It’s a weird time for culture. There is more of it than ever before, it’s more accessible ... more

28 Jan 2026

37 MINS

37:06

28 Jan 2026


#143

Decoder Rings Back | Why the Mona Lisa?

We are really lucky to get lots of listener suggestions for the show, more good questions ... more

14 Jan 2026

25 MINS

25:05

14 Jan 2026


#142

A New Year’s Message from Willa

We can’t make this show without you, our listeners. Today, you can help support Decoder Ri... more

31 Dec 2025

02 MINS

02:08

31 Dec 2025


#141

Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores

Decoder Ring listeners write in with some excellent mysteries, and for our last episode of... more

17 Dec 2025

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:11

17 Dec 2025