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Balderdash and Piffle

All Episodes 2006 - 2007

  • Ended
  • #<Network:0x00007f31ea612d08>
  • 2006-01-02T00:00:00Z
  • 30m
  • 7h 30m (15 episodes)
  • United Kingdom
  • English
  • Wingspan Productions
  • Documentary
Presented by Victoria Coren, it was companion to the Oxford English Dictionary's Wordhunt, in which the writers of the dictionary asked the public for help in finding the origins and first known citations of a number of words and phrases. The OED panel consisted of John Simpson, the Chief Editor of the OED; Peter Gilliver, who was also the captain of the Oxford University Press team in University Challenge - the Professionals; and Tania Styles, who also appeared in "dictionary corner" in Countdown.

15 episodes

Series Premiere

2006-01-02T00:00:00Z

1x01 P Words

Series Premiere

1x01 P Words

  • 2006-01-02T00:00:00Z30m

2006-01-09T00:00:00Z

1x02 M Words

1x02 M Words

  • 2006-01-09T00:00:00Z30m

2006-01-15T00:00:00Z

1x03 N Words

1x03 N Words

  • 2006-01-15T00:00:00Z30m

2006-01-22T00:00:00Z

1x04 S Words

1x04 S Words

  • 2006-01-22T00:00:00Z30m

2006-01-29T00:00:00Z

1x05 C Words

1x05 C Words

  • 2006-01-29T00:00:00Z30m

2006-02-06T00:00:00Z

1x06 B Words

1x06 B Words

  • 2006-02-06T00:00:00Z30m

2006-04-15T23:00:00Z

1x07 The Results Show

1x07 The Results Show

  • 2006-04-15T23:00:00Z30m

Season Premiere

2007-05-10T23:00:00Z

2x01 One Sandwich Short Of A Picnic

Season Premiere

2x01 One Sandwich Short Of A Picnic

  • 2007-05-10T23:00:00Z30m

The OED thought Balderdash & Piffle were just the people to help out with words relating to madness. And they were right - wordhunters triumphed with all five words and phrases for which the OED needed help.

2007-05-17T23:00:00Z

2x02 Man's Best Friend

2x02 Man's Best Friend

  • 2007-05-17T23:00:00Z30m

Dog has one of the longest entries in the dictionary - thanks to more than 250 different doggy phrases. The OED asked for our help with five of these, and we're wagging our tails to have succeeded with four of them

The OED asked us to investigate how we prefer to call a spade a shoveling implement, especially when talking about sex, death or going to the toilet. They challenged us to help with five euphemisms and we managed four.

2007-05-30T23:00:00Z

2x04 Dodgy Dealings

2x04 Dodgy Dealings

  • 2007-05-30T23:00:00Z30m

From prison slang to gangster speak, the dodgy language of the underworld is colourful and inventive. The OED requested help with six dodgy terms and the Wordhunt nailed five of these.

2007-06-06T23:00:00Z

2x05 X-Rated

2x05 X-Rated

  • 2007-06-06T23:00:00Z30m

Some of the most thumbed entries in the OED are those containing the naughty words. The Wordhunt tied up four out of the five word mysteries on the list, and - as an off-shoot of the Wordhunt - a word not on the list, 'dogger', was given a new sense.

2007-06-21T23:00:00Z

2x06 Put Downs And Insults

2x06 Put Downs And Insults

  • 2007-06-21T23:00:00Z30m

The OED politely asked us to assist them with five put downs and insults. We sparked changes with evidence for three words on the list.

2007-06-28T23:00:00Z

2x07 Who Were They?

2x07 Who Were They?

  • 2007-06-28T23:00:00Z30m

The Wordhunt looked into four eponyms - expressions which immortalize people in our language - and succeeded on pinning down two. In need of a pick-me-up? We also found the creator of the 'Bloody Mary'.

2007-07-05T23:00:00Z

2x08 Fashionistas

2x08 Fashionistas

  • 2007-07-05T23:00:00Z30m

The language of fashion is as changeable as the industry it serves. The OED needed your help with five fashion-related words and phrases, and in true style, the Wordhunt rose to the challenge and succeeded on every one. You heard it here first - Wordhunting is the new black!

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