Lateral with Tom Scott
Award-winning comedy panel game about weird questions with wonderful answers. Each week, Tom Scott is joined by three guests to ask each other questions with a sideways twist. There's no points or prizes - just reputation and bragging rights on the line. Enquiries and question submissions: https://www.lateralcast.com. Ad-free shows and bonus content: https://www.lateralcast.com/club.
Get AI-powered summaries of Lateral with Tom Scott
Never miss key insights. Receive episode summaries straight to your inbox.
Recent Episodes
199: Unburned gasoline
Jul 31, 2026VT Physics, VeeVee and Geoff Marshall face questions about banned building blocks, rampant rhinos and software steps. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answe...
Summary Preview
This episode of Lateral features returning guests Geoff Marshall, Vivi (VVTV), and VT (VT Physics) solving lateral thinking puzzles. The panel tackles questions about Mexican banknotes hoarded due to cute axolotls, Melbourne tram safety campaigns featuring rhinos on skateboards, Boris Becker's tongue-revealing tennis serves, medieval bell-making casting pits, deep-sea submarines using gasoline for buoyancy, and Dick Van Dyke's age making him ineligible for Lego's recommended age range.
- Axolotl Banknote Shortage in Mexico
- Melbourne's Rhino Tram Safety Campaign
198: The impossible photograph
Jul 24, 2026Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper and Tom Lum from 'Let's Learn Everything!' face questions about academic admissions, eight-legged equines and five-dollar flights. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast a...
Summary Preview
Tom Scott hosts the Let's Learn Everything team—Ella Hubber, Tom Lum, and Caroline Roper—for a chaotic episode of lateral thinking puzzles. The show opens with an intentionally comedic pratfall before diving into riddles about T9 texting mishaps, video game tricks, creative song-writing methods, sailing life hacks, historic bridge construction, the invention of instant photography, and chess terminology. The trio's chemistry shines through as they work through increasingly bizarre clues with humor and occasional frustration.
- T9 Texting Disaster: Selected vs Rejected
- Golfing Over It: The Alt-F4 Troll
197: Jumping in the fountain
Jul 17, 2026Rosalie Minnitt, Verity Babbs and Bob Hagh face questions about academic admissions, eight-legged equines and five-dollar flights. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wo...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott is joined by comedians Verity Babs and Rosalie Minnett, along with game show enthusiast Bob Haig, to solve a series of curious lateral thinking puzzles. The panel tackles questions about Boston tunnel tiles, 1950s horror movie audience participation, urban exploration tactics, counting systems in South Asian languages, tech support tricks, art theft, and emo hairstyles from the 2000s.
- Boston Tunnel Color Coding System
- William Castle's Interactive Horror Cinema
196: A tiny umbrella
Jul 10, 2026Davina Bentley, Ólafur Waage and Stuart Laws face questions about flatulent felines, careful cetaceans and gnarly gnats. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful an...
Summary Preview
In this comedian special episode of Lateral, Tom Scott hosts Oliver Vorge, Davina Bentley, and Stuart Laws for a series of lateral thinking puzzles. The contestants tackle questions ranging from historical spelling mistakes and medical devices to celebrity disguises and wildlife-assisted sports victories, with Stuart Laws creating memorable tension by gleefully announcing when answers are wrong.
- Goal vs Gaol: The Stonemason's Spelling Error
- Radio Opaque Rings: Medical Tracking Technology
195: Dumped pizza
Jul 03, 2026Annie Rauwerda, Jen the Archaeologist and Emily Graslie face questions about emergent emoji, fiddly film and competitive careers. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with won...
Summary Preview
Tom Scott hosts a puzzle show where Emily Graslie, Annie Rauwerda, and Jen the Archaeologist solve lateral thinking questions. The episode covers fascinating topics including the origin of the Vulcan salute, why certain historic films can only be shown at one UK cinema, how teachers learn music backwards, and various quirky facts about archaeology, Wikipedia editing, and deadly sea creatures. The guests demonstrate impressive knowledge while tackling questions that blend science, pop culture, and unexpected connections.
- The Vulcan Salute's Religious Origins
- Emily's Fish Fact: Freshwater Diversity Paradox
194: Cockpit balls
Jun 26, 2026Charlotte Yeung, Iszi Lawrence and Ólafur Waage face questions about Latin lingo, legal leniency and gaming grass. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answers,...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott is joined by returning guests Izzy Lawrence, Oliver Vorge, and Charlotte Young to solve a series of lateral thinking puzzles. The panel tackles questions ranging from upside-down billboards in Texas to K-pop idols' hand gestures, with topics spanning American injury lawyers, British interrogation techniques, airplane safety protocols, judicial bias in Louisiana, and South Korean election sensitivities.
- Guest Introductions and Updates
- The Upside-Down Billboard Mystery
193: The empty-handed winner
Jun 19, 2026Sabrina Cruz, Melissa Fernandes and Taha Khan from 'Answer in Progress' face questions about Stuttgart spheres, bruising bodies and ornamental opposites. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about ...
Summary Preview
A word-game podcast where host Tom Scott challenges the Answer in Progress team (Sabrina Cruz, Taha Khan, and Melissa Fernandez) with lateral thinking puzzles. The team tackles questions ranging from French horn training techniques to meteor impacts, horse rustling laws, and police-spotting rear-view mirrors, using creative reasoning and collaborative problem-solving to uncover surprising answers.
- French Horn Embouchure Training with Button and String
- Hospital Floors and Rolling Billiard Balls
192: Picnic by the prison
Jun 12, 2026Michelle Wong, Bill Sunderland and Dani Siller face questions about stamp selections, diplomatic diagrams and worrisome wordings. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with won...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott tests three Australian guests with lateral thinking puzzles covering topics from Elvis's car painting choices to sumo wrestlers' dietary superstitions. Michelle Wong from Lab Muffin Beauty Science, and Dani Siller and Bill Sunderland from Escape This Podcast work through questions about border control mix-ups, Formula 1 helmet controversies, and the surprising connection between coin collecting and stamp collections.
- Elvis's Red BMW: Avoiding Lipstick Kisses
- Sumo Wrestlers and Chicken Chankonabe
191: Half of a mountain
Jun 05, 2026Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper and Tom Lum from 'Let's Learn Everything!' face questions about inward injuries, backwards bars and Luneburg lenses. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird que...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, Tom Scott welcomes the hosts of Let's Learn Everything—Caroline Roper, Tom Lum, and Ella Hubber—back to the show. The panel tackles a series of lateral thinking puzzles ranging from Australian mnemonics and cold play music videos to stealth fighter modifications and submarine food storage. The team's chemistry and quick wit lead them to unlock the bonus question, as they work through questions involving geography, physics, pop culture, and military technology.
- Sydney Sheep and Toilet Mnemonic
- Coldplay's Backwards Performance
190: A second toastie
May 29, 2026Rosalie Minnitt, Verity Babbs and Bob Hagh face questions about topsy-turvy tipples, reclaimed roads and baseball busts. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful an...
Summary Preview
A puzzle-solving podcast where Tom Scott challenges three comedians—Bob Haig, Verity Babs, and Rosalie Minnett—to work through lateral thinking questions. The episode features questions about baseball records, Wisconsin town naming mishaps, Scottish seagull insurance, art forgeries, early motor racing, Sydney billboards, and product marketing tricks, blending humor with clever problem-solving.
- Cy Young's Baseball Paradox: Most Wins and Most Losses
- The Belgian-Luxembourg Town Mix-Up
189: Sleep-inducing hangers
May 22, 2026Davina Bentley, Ed Patrick and Stuart Laws face questions about feline fatalities, Portland park picnics and devious deliveries. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wond...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott is joined by comedians Stuart Laws, Davina Bentley, and Dr. Ed Patrick as they tackle quirky lateral thinking puzzles. The panelists navigate through questions about weight loss milestones, pizzeria arbitrage schemes, the psychology of pricing and placebos, hotel room hacks, the world's smallest park, preschool behavior management techniques, and cross-cultural cat mythology—all while promoting their upcoming Edinburgh Fringe shows.
- Weight Loss Celebration with Airline Baggage
- The Placebo Effect and Pricing Psychology
188: 76 degrees
May 15, 2026Sage the Bad Naturalist, Evan Heling and Katelyn Heling face questions about disruptive droughts, moved moments and sneaky snaps. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with won...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott challenges three guests—Evan, Caitlin, and first-time guest Sage the Bad Naturalist—to solve lateral thinking puzzles. The questions range from why Power Rangers was banned in Malaysia to how scientists used pig bristles on stilts to prove desert ants count steps. The team works through riddles involving Ethiopian calendars, Apple Store psychological tricks, circus-inspired ant experiments, and creative film production workarounds, showcasing both brilliant deductions and hilariously wrong guesses along the way.
- Power Rangers Ban in Malaysia
- Ethiopian Calendar and Alexander Graham Bell's Patent
187: The lion and the poet
May 08, 2026Matt Gray, Rowan Ellis and Verity Babbs face questions about pervasive players, biscuit barrels and foreign flags. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answers,...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott welcomes three guests to solve lateral thinking puzzles: first-time player and art historian Verity Babs (author of 'The History of Art in One Sentence'), returning video essayist Rowan Ellis, and returning guest Matt Gray. The team tackles questions about derisive nicknames, New Zealand's marriage lottery system, sign language contrast, the French flag's presidential proportions, a Chinese tongue-twister poem, and a court case paint-off that proved artistic authorship.
- Derisive Nicknames Across History
- New Zealand's Marriage Lottery and the Biscuit Tin
186: Flaming buttocks
May 01, 2026Sam Denby, Adam Chase and Ben Doyle from 'Jet Lag: The Game' face questions about culinary caution, ballgame bests and necessary nosegays. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, Tom Scott hosts the team from Jetlag: The Game—Ben Doyle, Adam Chase, and Sam Denby—for a series of lateral thinking puzzles. The trio tackles questions ranging from Polish video game translations and coral fossils revealing Earth's rotation speed, to submarine baseball across the international date line and secretive 17th-century medical innovations. The episode showcases their problem-solving skills in a stationary setting, a stark contrast to their usual high-speed travel competition show.
- Polish Video Game Translation Mystery
- Coral Fossils and Earth's Ancient Rotation
185: Mackerel comfort
Apr 24, 2026VT Physics, VeeVee and Geoff Marshall face questions about various vowels, jostling jumps and medical minerals. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answers, ho...
Summary Preview
In this episode of Lateral, host Tom Scott is joined by YouTubers VT Physics, Vivi TV, and Geoff Marshall for a game of lateral thinking puzzles. The guests tackle questions ranging from video game notation and airline noise-canceling technology to ceramic tortoises and medical handbook pranks, showcasing creative problem-solving and surprising connections between seemingly unrelated topics.
- Introductions and YouTube Short-Form Content
- Video Game Notation Puzzle
184: Popcorn in the sea
Apr 17, 2026Dani Siller, Bill Sunderland and Sarah Renae Clark face questions about funny flops, curious cubes and rolling races. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful answe...
Summary Preview
A delightful episode of Lateral featuring Bill Sunderland, Danny Siller, and Sarah Renee Clark solving quirky lateral thinking puzzles. The guests tackle questions about movie injuries, historic music halls, military rocket testing, and innovative calendars, with particularly memorable moments including a live popcorn-in-water experiment and discussions about toe-related wordplay. The episode showcases creative problem-solving, obscure trivia, and plenty of humor.
- Natalie Portman's Portmanteau Injury
- The Pee-Preserved Music Hall
183: Dog watches
Apr 10, 2026Lizzy Skrzypiec, Sophie Ward and Katie Steckles face questions about work watches, record-breaking runs and alarming altitudes. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonde...
Summary Preview
Tom Scott hosts a lateral thinking puzzle show featuring mathematicians Katie Steckles and Sophie Ward, along with improviser Lizzie Skipiek. The trio tackles quirky questions ranging from Lithuanian supermarket naming conventions to why firefighters wiggle, demonstrating creative problem-solving and collaborative reasoning. The episode showcases the panelists' diverse thinking styles as they work through unusual puzzles about aviation, naval traditions, pharmaceutical sales tactics, and cricket superstitions.
- Lithuanian Supermarket Size Classification System
- Australian Mailboxes as Repurposed Objects
182: The calendar goal scorer
Apr 03, 2026James Smales, Jonny Robins and John Cantrell from 'Here's What You Do' face questions about forgotten figures, speedy systems and peculiar parliaments. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about we...
Summary Preview
Tom Scott hosts a puzzle show where contestants from the podcast 'Here's What You Do' tackle bizarre trivia questions requiring lateral thinking. The three contestants—James Smiles, Johnny Robbins, and John Cantrell—work through questions about Colombian footballers, Norwegian skateboarding bans, pneumatic tube systems, Chinese engineering marvels, coalition governments, and creative album production.
- Colombian Calendar Footballer
- Norway's Skateboarding Ban
181: Road of Lions
Mar 27, 2026Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper and Tom Lum from 'Let's Learn Everything!' face questions about French phrases, rugged roads and profitable practices. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird q...
Summary Preview
Tom Scott hosts the podcast Lateral with special guests Caroline Roper, Ella Hubber, and Tom Lum from the Let's Learn Everything podcast. The episode features lateral thinking puzzles where guests must solve quirky mysteries using logic and creativity, covering topics from museum displays to Hollywood history to French water terminology.
- Introduction and Podcast Rating Banter
- The Beetle Car Museum Display
180: A curved bridge
Mar 20, 2026Rowan Ellis, Jarvis Johnson and Jordan Adika face questions about Disney decorations, cartoon casts and birthday backs. LATERAL is a comedy panel game podcast about weird questions with wonderful ans...
Summary Preview
A comedy quiz show where host Tom Scott challenges three guests—Jarvis Johnson, Jordan Adika, and Rowan Ellis—to solve lateral thinking puzzles. The episode features questions about viral business cards, sports jerseys, ancient alphabets, aviation mishaps, African bridges, and Disney theme park design tricks. The format encourages creative, non-linear thinking as players work through clues to arrive at surprising answers.
- The Samsung Apple Store Employee
- Carlos May's Birthday Jersey