Puzzle Panel
Encyclopedia
Puzzle Panel was a light-hearted, though cerebral BBC Radio 4
panel game
that was broadcast between 1998 and 2005. It was written and presented by puzzle columnist for The Guardian
, Chris Maslanka
.
In each half-hour programme, the panellists brought along one puzzle with which to test the mental mettle of the other two panellists and their host. Essentially, it was just for fun and no points were scored. Another puzzle, the Panel Beater, was contributed by a listener. A prize
was available for solving a competition puzzle.
Each panellist would present a different type of puzzle. In general, one would be a numerical puzzle, one would be literal (i.e. a word puzzle) and one would be a logic puzzle.
Interwoven between these puzzles, Chris would invite the panellists to solve the puzzles from the introduction, present the Panel Beater puzzle, and read out correspondence from the listeners.
The Listener's Puzzle would be set at the end of the programme. On some occasions, this would involve a short play with the parts played by the members of the panel. A frequent theme for these plays centred around Chris playing the role of Hercule Poirot
. Occasionally, Chris would play the piano, with him and the panellists singing a song, sometimes using some awful (but very well crafted) puns.
Other panellists included:
In the last two programmes of the 2005 series, a couple of listeners were invited to join the panel. Programme five's guest, Stephen Buxton, was a regular Panel Beater contributor, and programme six's guest, Jenny Murray, was a member of the public who regularly answered the Listener's Puzzle correctly.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
panel game
Panel game
A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....
that was broadcast between 1998 and 2005. It was written and presented by puzzle columnist for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Chris Maslanka
Chris Maslanka
Christopher M. Maslanka is a British writer and broadcaster, specialising in puzzles and problem solving.He was born in Clapham, London, but was brought up by his uncle and aunt in Lowdham, Nottingham. He was educated at The Becket School, Nottingham and went on to study physics at St...
.
In each half-hour programme, the panellists brought along one puzzle with which to test the mental mettle of the other two panellists and their host. Essentially, it was just for fun and no points were scored. Another puzzle, the Panel Beater, was contributed by a listener. A prize
Prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. Official prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them...
was available for solving a competition puzzle.
Programme format
During the opening introduction, Chris Maslanka would present a few short puzzles for the listeners and panellists to work on during the course of the programme. He would then introduce the three panellists, and invite each in turn to present a puzzle to the others.Each panellist would present a different type of puzzle. In general, one would be a numerical puzzle, one would be literal (i.e. a word puzzle) and one would be a logic puzzle.
Interwoven between these puzzles, Chris would invite the panellists to solve the puzzles from the introduction, present the Panel Beater puzzle, and read out correspondence from the listeners.
The Listener's Puzzle would be set at the end of the programme. On some occasions, this would involve a short play with the parts played by the members of the panel. A frequent theme for these plays centred around Chris playing the role of Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
. Occasionally, Chris would play the piano, with him and the panellists singing a song, sometimes using some awful (but very well crafted) puns.
Panellists
Regular panellists included:- David J. BodycombeDavid J. BodycombeDavid J. Bodycombe is a puzzle author and games consultant. He is based in London, and his work is read by over 2 million people a day in the UK, and is syndicated to over 300 newspapers internationally...
, puzzle devisor - Victor Bryant, mathematician
- Geoffrey DurhamGeoffrey DurhamGeoffrey Durham is a British comedy magician and actor who was known for many years as 'The Great Soprendo'.-Early life:...
, magician - Rob EastawayRob EastawayRobert Eastaway is an author who is active in the popularisation of mathematics. He is a former pupil of The King's School, Chester, England and has a degree in Engineering and Management Science from the University of Cambridge. He was President of the UK Mathematical Association for 2007/2008...
, author and lecturer - Val Gilbert, Daily Telegraph crosswordCrosswordA crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer...
editor - William HartstonWilliam HartstonWilliam Roland Hartston is an English chess player who played competitively from 1962 to 1987 with a highest Elo rating of 2515...
, newspaper columnist - Paul Lamford, BackgammonBackgammonBackgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
champion and writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images.... - Don ManleyDon ManleyDon Manley is a long-serving setter of crosswords in the UK. He has supplied puzzles for the Radio Times, The Spectator, The Independent, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and the Financial Times and the Sunday Times among others...
, crossword writer - Prof. Angela Newing, research scientist
- Prof. David SingmasterDavid SingmasterDavid Breyer Singmaster is a retired professor of mathematics at London South Bank University, England, UK. A self-described metagrobologist, he is most famous for his solution to the Rubik's cube and his huge personal collection of mechanical puzzles and books of brain teasers. He is also...
, mathematician and puzzle collector
Other panellists included:
- Johnny BallJohnny BallJohnny Ball is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.-Early life:...
, tv presenter and maths populariser - Philip Carter, prolific author of IQ puzzle books
- Prof. Marcus du SautoyMarcus du SautoyMarcus Peter Francis du Sautoy OBE is the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. Formerly a Fellow of All Souls College, and Wadham College, he is now a Fellow of New College...
, mathematician and presenter of BBC FourBBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
's Mind Games - Richard VranchRichard VranchRichard Leslie Vranch is a British comedian, actor and musician.Vranch improvises comedy on stage with the Comedy Store Players every Wednesday and Sunday at The Comedy Store in London. He has voiced British Airways TV and radio commercials since 2003, and he narrates TV documentaries...
PhD., performer
In the last two programmes of the 2005 series, a couple of listeners were invited to join the panel. Programme five's guest, Stephen Buxton, was a regular Panel Beater contributor, and programme six's guest, Jenny Murray, was a member of the public who regularly answered the Listener's Puzzle correctly.
Producers
The original producer was Harry Parker. Clare Csonka produced a few series, and the 2005 series was produced by Harry Parker once more.External links
- Puzzle Panel page on BBC website
- Puzzle Panel on Chris Maslanka's website - includes some puzzles from early series