Hey Riddle Riddle #373: The Riddle Inspection

Release Date: September 10, 2025
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan (JPC)
Featuring: Casey Toney (Producer/Editor)
Length: ~75 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the fictional “Riddle Inspection” — a tongue-in-cheek, running bit about a supposed annual evaluation that riddle podcasts must pass. The hosts play with the bureaucracy and absurdity of this inspection, weaving it into their typical blend of riddle-solving, off-the-wall improv, group therapy, and meta-humor. Riddles remain present, but as always, they’re just the jumping-off point for chaos: the “inspection” becomes an excuse for the cast to riff on their show’s absurdity, characters, and friendship dynamics. The episode also features a detailed tangent about attending "Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Hollywood Bowl, several improv scenes, playful banter with their (very real) editor Casey Toney, and a segment on choosing a non-binary middle name for a listener.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. The “Riddle Inspection” Bit (00:37–07:00)

• The episode opens with the team pretending to take the inspection very seriously, referencing long-standing in-jokes about being “barely a riddle podcast” and their C- logo (03:30).
• They joke about health inspectors for restaurants vs. riddle inspectors for podcasts.
• Adal, Erin, and JPC engage in mock concern about the inspection and reminisce about previous "failed" inspections.
  • Quote:
    • Adal: "Of course, hidden in our logo is a C minus. It's from the state." (03:31)

2. The Opening Riddle and Recurring In-Jokes (05:38–07:10)

• Riddle: “I'm long, I'm short, I'm borrowed, blue. I lie, I help, I stretch what's true. Some call me sharp, Some call me dense, but either way, I make no sense.”

  • The hosts guess “Gru” and “Minions” (after a tangent about watching all the Despicable Me movies), but the answer is “an excuse.”

  • Quick references to the show’s characters being stored in a closet, leading to a “closet explosion” soundscape request for Casey.

  • Quote:

    • Aaron: "The answer is an excuse." (06:12)

3. Banter with Editor Casey Toney (07:10–12:15)

• Erin and JPC debate whether it’s fun to prank Casey with complex sound design requests.
• Casey joins in, negotiating manageable vs. perfectionist edits.
• Quote:
  • Casey (on being perfectionist): “I have ideas cooking for it.” (07:44)
  • JPC (teasing): “Let's creatively challenge Casey with a panic attack.” (07:56)
• Group discusses mental health and teasing, with Casey gamely playing along.

4. “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Hollywood Bowl Tangent (12:26–23:35)

• The hosts, including Casey, share their night out seeing “Jesus Christ Superstar,” with much focus on Josh Gad, John Stamos (the backup for Gad), Adam Lambert, and Cynthia Erivo.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • Adal: "Seeing Cynthia Erivo live, I think is transcendent. I think it's just something everyone should try and do." (15:33)
  • Casey (on Gethsemane): “Her acting was so incredible and her voice was so incredible that it became like, a transcendent religious experience.” (19:03)
• They riff on actors, staging, mic issues, and stage antics.
• Erin shares (with much laughter) that her edible kicked in perfectly during the show's overture:
  • "It literally hit during the overture when Cynthia came out... And I was like, yeah." (22:55)

5. Riddles & Improv Scenes: Molly’s Riddle Book (23:46–63:56)

Sample Riddles:

• The Goose in the Jet Engine Riddle (23:58–27:34)
  • Gertrude, a goose, causes a plane crash. Improv scene: A plane crash victim's relative confronts the offending goose in a bar.
• The Cadaverous Man in the Bar Riddle (27:45–34:55)
  • A mysterious man keeps appearing at bars: The answer is he’s the taxi driver ferrying them around.
• Photographic Evidence Riddle (46:48–51:04)
  • A man waits two months to report a body: He needed his film developed to realize what he'd seen. Improv scene about awkward photo pick-up.
• Famous Figures Together Riddle (53:36–56:11)
  • Answer: They’re all depicted on playing cards.
  • Improv: A Vegas blackjack player accuses the dealer of stealing his likeness for the Jack of Clubs.

Other Notable Riddles:

• Colorblindness and Camouflage (61:00): A colorblind person gets a job spotting camouflaged enemy positions.
• Hotel Room Knock Riddle (63:55): A “lost” guest knocks at the wrong door; the detail that gave them away is that you don’t knock on your own hotel room door.

6. Listener Voicemail: Choosing a Middle Name (68:54–71:11)

• Listener Jamie Stanton seeks a new non-binary middle name.
• The hosts suggest everything from “Christ” (“Jamie Stanton Superstar!”), “Monster,” “Willow,” “Tree,” and “Ribbit.”
• Consensus: "Willow" is the best fit.
  • JPC: “Jamie Willow Stanton sounds like a profound author or like a famous assassin.” (70:41)

7. Show Plugs & Tour Announcements (71:38–73:50)

• New podcast collaboration with Anthony Burch, "Gumshoes and Dragons," has launched.
• “Hello From the Magic Tavern” is touring.
• More Hey Riddle Riddle live shows announced (Atlanta, Nashville, Denver); Boston show sold out.
• Tour bits: plans for "hot chicken" costumes in Nashville.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Of course, hidden in our logo is a C minus."
  — Adal, 03:31
• Casey (on perfectionism): "I have ideas Cooking for it."
  07:44
• "Seeing Cynthia Erivo live, I think is transcendent."
  — Adal, 15:33
• "Her acting was so incredible and her voice was so incredible that it became like, a transcendent religious experience."
  — Casey, 19:03
• "It literally hit during the overture when Cynthia came out... And I was like, yeah."
  — Erin, 22:55
• "The answer is an excuse."
  — Aaron, 06:12
• "Let's creatively challenge Casey with a panic attack."
  — JPC, 07:56
• "Jamie Willow Stanton sounds like a profound author or like a famous assassin."
  — JPC, 70:41
• “That lingerie is finger fucking good.”
  — Adal, 74:13

Flow & Tone

• True to the premise, the episode is filled with self-referential sarcasm, meta-bits, and running gags about bureaucracy, failure, and inside jokes (e.g., the “closet” of old characters).
• The hosts poke fun at each other with warmth: the dynamic with their editor Casey is both playful and affectionate, highlighting the collaborative nature of the show.
• Their signature is an almost effortless drift between riddle-solving, improv, and personal tangents — it feels loose, anarchic, and side-splitting.

Suggested Segments to Listen For

• (03:31) The C- logo bit: Classic self-deprecating meta-commentary.
• (13:45–19:17) Jesus Christ Superstar review: Their banter, especially about Josh Gad, Adam Lambert, and Cynthia Erivo, is both hilarious and insightful.
• (23:58–27:34) Goose bar scene improv: Absurd, classic HRR improv at its best.
• (68:54–71:11) Listener voicemail — name help: A great distillation of the show’s warmth, humor, and playfulness.
• (74:13) “That lingerie is finger fucking good”: Outrageous closing banter.

Final Thoughts

If you love the core Hey Riddle Riddle style — riddles as trampoline for wild improv, self-aware humor, friendly ribbing, and running in-jokes — this is a prime episode. The “riddle inspection” frame is a loose excuse to keep things on-track, but the joy comes from the digressions: high-energy storytelling, loving group dynamics, and the postmodern mess of podcasting itself.

[End Summary]