In January 2012, a message appeared on 4Chan, the anarchic online messaging board which had become a playground for hackers and conspiracy theorists alike:

“Hello. We are looking for highly intelligent individuals. To find them, we have devised a test. Good Luck, 3301.”

Accompanying the text was a cryptic image – a black-and-white cicada. What users didn’t know at the time was that this post marked the first step in one of the most complex puzzles to rock the internet age – later known as Cicada 3301.

The murky origins of the story led Nicky Anderson and Tommie Trelawny down a digital rabbit hole, which led to a year-long investigation into where these puzzles came from and who was behind them. Following on from their first investigative series The Interruption, The World’s Hardest Puzzle is the second investigation in Stak’s Archive saga.

From riddles to impenetrable codes and US military conspiracies, one thing became clear: Cicada 3301 was no ordinary puzzle. It was an intellectual minefield shrouded in mystery. Speaking to those who found themselves at the heart of the mystery, Nicky & Tommie trek through the winding, often murky history of the internet, uncovering the admirable integrity some corners of the internet still hold, as well as the sometimes sinister consequences of revealing too much of our lives online.

At the helm, delivering her on-mic debut as well as producing the series was Stak’s Nicky Anderson. We caught up with Nicky to see how she felt about being a primary voice of the podcast and the process in telling such an intricate story.

Hi Nicky! So, how was it going from the producer role, to stepping onto the mic for the first time?

At the beginning, it was seriously nerve-wrecking but I knew it was something I wanted to do so I really just had to throw myself into it. Of course there were times where I doubted myself but I’m so glad I’ve added another string to my bow, it was a fantastic experience. I already can’t wait for the next!

And how did you find the Cicada story? What made you think it was worth making a podcast about?

Tommie told me about it one day and I just couldn’t get it out of my head after that! It had everything a brilliant mystery needs: puzzles, clues, dedicated followers, real world locations and more. It was something refreshing, interesting and a bit bizarre that I wanted more people to know about!

When delving into something as complex as Cicada 3301, what was your process in trying to make it sound clear for the listener whilst trying to understand it yourself?

It was a very humbling experience! The amount of behind the scenes research that went into the pre-production felt like it never really ended. But no one says research can’t be content itself – if you’re making a documentary about a topic and you’re having a meeting about it with your production team, stick on your mic and start recording. All this tape will not only help you when it comes to scripting later on as you’ll be able to re-listen to your conversation, but it can also be used as ‘real life’ investigation tape.

Lastly, what do you think are the main differences between working with Tommie as a producer and now also a co-narrator?

Naturally there were challenges, there were times where each of us would end up slipping back into the producer / host dynamic. It took some time to get used to and I did have to keep reminding myself that this time round we were co-creators. I was very fortunate to go through this experience and change with Tommie. I think we make a good team no matter what the dynamic.

Listen and subscribe to Archive: The World’s Hardest Puzzle by searching for the show wherever you get your podcast, or by clicking this link.

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This article was created in partnership with Stak.

The post Nicky Anderson: From Producer to behind the microphone appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Can you tell us the origins of Small Wardour – what drew you to this project?

Small Wardour is a new collaboration between Wardour Studios, founded by David Smith, and Small Audio, founded by Carla Herbertson. Before I was at Apple I worked as an Audiobooks Editor and Podcast Producer at the book publishers Penguin, so I got to work on some great children’s books. When I first started we recorded the audiobook editions of the Moomins books by Tove Jansson and we worked with Carla and David on their production and recording. I absolutely loved working with them both and between us we made something that I’m still proud of to this day. After that we often worked with them on various projects and they always brought that amazing creative energy.

I then went on to head up Apple Podcasts in Europe for the next eight years, which was a great opportunity to get an in-depth overview of the market, meet and work with so many amazing podcast creators and see the industry I loved so much evolve. But whilst I really learnt a lot there I always missed the creative side of podcasts and being on the other side of the table. Like a lot of people the pandemic really made me reassess my priorities so when Carla and David launched Small Wardour I knew I just had to be a part of it.

I read recently that podcasts aimed at children are more likely to be listened to with others (whilst the majority of adult listeners listen solo). Is this something you consider?

Yes absolutely! Whilst it’s really great to create shows that children love, there’s something really special about creating shows that the whole family can enjoy together. We know from David and Kim Normanton’s podcast Super Great Kids’ Stories that parents are listening along so we try to make something the whole family can enjoy – I myself listen with my little ones, it’s such a great way for families to bond over some screen-free entertainment together. In both the shows we are producing and the shows we consult on we keep this in mind. It’s a big part of our ethos that we create thoughtful, meaningful content and it’s really very rewarding to create something that facilitates quality family time.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from podcasting for children?

To really think about the ease of discoverability and how to do that in the right way. On most podcast platforms it’s the parents who will be doing the browsing and making the choices so it’s important the content speaks to them too.

Do you like to have constant input throughout the process of producing a podcast, or do you prefer your role to be siloed?

At the moment we are a very small team so we all work together on the creative process – especially around the ideas for a new show. Even though the focus of my role is in development and strategy I really enjoy this part of the job! We have a lot of fun bouncing ideas around and work well collaboratively to put the shows together. David is the expert in the studio so it’s him and Kim that do the audio wizardry.

What is something you haven’t managed to do yet, but you would really like to work on?

We’re a fairly new business so there is still a lot to come for us! But I’m really excited about building a meaningful, supportive community around a children’s podcast. A place where parents can connect around a shared love of a show and what it means for their family. This sounds a bit lofty and conceptual but we all know how intimate podcasting can be and the connections listeners can feel towards hosts. I’d love to see if that could be extended between listeners too!

We do try to give people a ‘point of entry’ to help them discover new things. What would you say is the best thing to start listening to as a parent to showcase what you do?

I’d definitely say Super Great Kids’ Stories. It’s actually a Wardour Studios production as opposed to Small Wardour but it’s this podcast that got me back into the world of children’s audio. My little ones absolutely love it and it’s developed a really loyal fan base.

And for children – which episode do you think they’d like to start with?

If they don’t mind a little scare I’d recommend a story with Baba Yaga – she is my all time favourite witch! They could start with Baba Yaga’s breakfast (episode 8). Kim Normanton tells it so wonderfully – we couldn’t stop singing the Baba Yaga song in my house for ages! Otherwise, Tuup’s telling of Anansi and the Drum of Common Sense is more light-hearted and just so much fun!

Listen to the award-winning Super Great Kid’s Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Find out more about Small Wardour at smallwardour.co.uk.

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While Reni’s recommendation was for Blacticulate’s eponymous podcast, it was Stories That Stick that caught our attention. We at Pod Bible love a programme that offers something new not only in topic but in production. We were immediately drawn to the structure of founder Ade’s show, which invites guests to tell their own story and share stories that have impacted them. 

Each episode begins at the end. The guest is first asked to speak about death, which may seem an odd place to start but perfectly establishes a person’s thought process for how they live their life. If we know how someone imagines, copes with, or theorizes death, we better understand the parameters they exist within today. From there, our host asks that his interviewee breaks their life into decade-long chapters, beginning with their first ten years.

Not only does this make for an easily digestible podcast, but it creates a shared nostalgia when paired with story recommendations from the episode’s guest, spotlighting a different book in each “chapter” of their own story. It’s hard not to fall into one’s own reminiscences during the first chapter, often peppered by beloved children’s books or familiar stories from religious texts.

When exploring shows that are new to us as listeners, creating a structure that we can easily latch on to helps to ease us into unfamiliar territories. Structures based in Q&A sessions, particularly those that remain consistent from episode to episode, create an excitement as we begin to imagine our own answers and build a sense of familiarity and camaraderie with the guests – their answers ebbing and flowing with our own.

An excellent podcast structure is reliant on its host. A quality host creates consistency for their listeners, while still remaining flexible for their guest. Ade’s soft-spoken guidance feels gentle, steering the conversation expertly without editorializing someone else’s experience. In episode 15, with Christina Moore of Don’t Skip Media, his guest off-handedly mentions the experience of growing up as the child of immigrant parents. Ade thoughtfully encourages her to explore that experience, and she opens up beautifully, allowing the listener a much deeper insight regarding her childhood. The deft way with which he supports her examination of what, moments earlier, seemed like an off-handed reference to something many listeners may not have experience with shows us how seriously Ade takes his work. It is always easy to allow a guest to move beyond something – especially something they have a shared understanding of, or something the guest may have explained in a pre-interview – but it does not serve the audience to allow those moments to pass us by.

We suggest you also don’t let Stories That Stick to pass you by, either. You can explore the podcast’s page on the Blacticulate website, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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