Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
| Title | Date published | ||
| The Johnlock Conspiracy (Encore) | 2026-03-25 | ||
| Was "Eyes Wide Shut" a Warning? | 2026-03-11 | ||
| A Prune by Any Other Name | 2026-02-25 | ||
| Making Coal Cute Again | 2026-02-11 | ||
| Is Culture Stuck? | 2026-01-28 | ||
| Decoder Rings Back | Why the Mona Lisa? | 2026-01-14 | ||
| A New Year’s Message from Willa | 2025-12-31 | ||
| Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores | 2025-12-17 | ||
| “Videomate: Men” (Encore) | 2025-12-03 | ||
| How Protein Muscled Its Way to the Top | 2025-11-19 | ||
| The Slate Culture Gift Guide | 2025-11-12 | ||
| Cozy Autumn Mysteries | 2025-11-05 | ||
| The Red String Board Conspiracy | 2025-10-22 | ||
| What the Cuck?! | 2025-10-08 | ||
| Why Do Actors Act Like They Can Sing? | 2025-09-24 | ||
| Jane Fonda’s Workout, Part 2: Hanoi Jane’s VHS Revolution (Encore) | 2025-09-10 | ||
| Jane Fonda’s Workout, Part 1: Jane and Leni (Encore) | 2025-08-27 | ||
| How to Hunt a Mammoth, and Other Experiments in Archaeology | 2025-08-13 | ||
| The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth | 2025-07-30 | ||
| Mailbag: Drug Names, Cow Abductions, and the “Ass-Intensifier” | 2025-07-16 |