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Okay, math fans, in case you're just joining us.
This season, Molly and I have been promoted within the Problem Solvers.
We've also changed schools but, most importantly, we're trying to stop a new group of bad guys called the Power Hungry Pogs, who are even more devious than the Troublemaking Trolls.
So far we've discovered.
The pogs use moles to infiltrate different groups, so they can take over from the inside.
And while we haven't been able to uncover any moles just yet, we've got a growing list of suspects.
Hopefully it's just a matter of time until we figure out who the moles are and what the pogs are up to.
On Mysteries About True Histories.
What do you think this is all about?
You mean, why have we been summoned to the High Tribunal of the Problem Solvers?
Yes, that's exactly what I mean.
I would assume it's because you ruined the holiday party by going rogue and accusing the Problem Solvers of being infiltrated by a mole.
Right.
I've never seen Aunt Murgatroyd that angry with me before.
Well, if it's any consolation.
None of the other problem solvers were happy when you dropped that bomb on them.
Hey, I was just keeping it real.
Really?
We don't even know if it's true.
Come on, it has to be true.
Why else would they keep sending us on all those wild goose chases?
I mean, missions.
Also, why is it called a wild goose chase?
That I couldn't tell you.
But what I do know is our battles with the moles and pogs have been mostly a foolish and hopeless pursuit of something unattainable.
Which is exactly what a wild goose chase is.
See?
I'm right.
Someone is messing with us.
Or maybe...
The moles and pogs are simply that elusive.
I don't know.
I don't buy it.
We've been all over the pog's trail.
Look at all the cryptic messages we've intercepted.
Then, like mole magic, we get delayed and our progress slips away.
Speaking of delays, the problem solvers sure like to keep you in the waiting room a really long-
I am the judge of the High Tribunal of Problem Solvers.
You have been summoned here to defend your accusation that a mole, otherwise known as a spy, has infiltrated the Order of Problem Solvers and has been hard at work thwarting your investigation of the power-hungry pogs.
Would you say that is a fair summary of your accusation?
Um... Yeah.
Yes, Your Honor.
Very well.
Before we consider your claim, you must first pass a test.
A test?
Problem solvers be solving problems. worthy of an audience with the High Tribunal.
If you fail, your accusation will be dismissed immediately.
The test will begin with a beep.
Wait, was that the starting beep or just the explanation beep?
No, that was just me demonstrating.
The test will begin with a beep and end with a boop.
You must determine how much time has passed between the beep and boop within a margin of plus or minus ten seconds.
I'll grant you a moment to deliberate.
How can we count time when there's no clock in the room?
One Mississippi, two Mississippi?
I don't know if that's accurate enough.
Wait, I've got it.
We can use my resting heart rate.
I know it from track.
It's 78 beats per minute.
Oh, wow.
That's brilliant, Molly.
There's just one problem.
My heart rate spikes during tests.
Deep breaths, Molly.
Deep breaths.
There's the beep.
You're on.
One, two, three.
And there's the boop.
What was your count?
273 beats.
All right.
So if your resting heart rate is 78 beats per minute, we need to divide 273 by 78.
78 goes into 273 three times equally because 78 times 3 equals 234.
273 minus 234 leaves a remainder of 39, or 39 over 78.
We'll need to reduce the fraction if we can.
Since 39 is an odd number, it's not divisible by 2 evenly.
But it is divisible by 3.
How do you know?
What's 3 plus 9?
12?
That means 39 is divisible by 3.
It does?
Yes.
A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of the digits is also divisible by 3.
Go ahead.
Say a big number, something in the thousands.
Um, 6,729.
Is that divisible by 3?
Let's see, six plus seven plus two plus nine equals 24.
24 can be divided by three, so that means 6,729 can be divided by three.
For the record, 6,726 divided by three is 2,243.
Wow, what a cool little trick.
Anyway, back to our problem.
39 divided by 3 equals 13.
13 is a prime number, meaning it's only divisible by 1 and itself.
So that's as much as we can reduce it.
Now let's see if 78 is also divisible by 3.
Hold on.
7 plus 8 equals 15 divided by 3 equals 5.
78 is divisible by 3.
Um... 75 divided by 3 is 25.
Add another 3 and you get 26.
Great!
13 over 26 is 1 half, plus the 3 minutes from earlier gives us about 3 and a half minutes.
Did you hear that, Your Honor?
The length of time between the beep and the boop is 3.5 minutes.
The doors are opening.
I guess our answer was correct.
So now we enter this big, dark room?
After you.
What happened to ladies first?
Sure is dark in here.
I can't see a thing.
I'm not going to lie.
This is pretty scary.
Don't worry.
The problem solvers wouldn't do anything to hurt Boo.
Max and Molly, you have been summoned to the High Tribunal to defend your Sorry.
I've had a frog in my throat all week.
Or should I say, a mole.
Hang on, it's a little too dark in here.
Let me turn on a light.
Ah, much better.
Hey, how's it going?
Uh...
Good.
Great.
So, as I was saying... Whoops.
I forgot to pound my gavel.
There.
The hearing has officially begun.
Max and Molly, our two most junior problem solvers, believe a mole has infiltrated our society.
Correct?
Yes.
Uh-huh.
Wonderful.
Please present your evidence.
Uh, evidence?
Molly, do you have any evidence?
I thought you did.
You roped us into this mess.
We're waiting.
Our evidence is.
We've been investigating the Pogs and their mole spies for months, and all we have to show for it is a transmission we intercepted about a tree falling in the woods.
And this makes you think a mole infiltrated the Problem Solvers how?
Because every time we get close to finding out something meaningful about the pogs or moles, we get called away on a random problem-solving mission.
It's like right before you're about to score a goal in soccer, someone moves the goalposts.
I see.
So you think a mole within the Problem Solvers is sabotaging your efforts by sending you on useless missions?
Um, kind of.
Naturally, that raises the question of who.
Who has been sending you on these quote-unquote useless missions?
Who is it?
Why, it's my Aunt Murgatroyd.
Yep.
Aunt Em.
Are you implying Myrtle Murgatroyd is a mole?
No, that couldn't be possible.
Could there be someone above her that's assigning the missions?
Higher than Myrtle Murgatroyd.
Myrtle holds a 12th degree black belt in problem solving.
This is the highest level a problem solver can obtain.
There is no one above her.
Whoa, I didn't know that.
And Murgatroyd is so boss.
Indeed.
So we can all agree Myrtle Murgatroyd is no mole.
Yes, definitely.
Wonderful.
Case closed.
For the transgression of falsely claiming a mole has infiltrated the problem solvers.
You are hereby suspended from problem solving and all time travel for one year.
One year?!
!
You've got to be kidding.
Equal to 12 months or 52 weeks or 365 days times 24 hours equals 8,760 hours.
This is crazy.
We still completed the missions.
Times 60 minutes equals 525,600 minutes.
Times 60 seconds equals 31,536,000 seconds.
The order will take effect when I pound my gavel.
Oh, well.
See you next year.
Wait!
Wait?
Why?
Was my math wrong?
No, I don't think so.
Great!
With the power vested in me, I hereby declare... But wait!
Again with the wait!
Our case isn't closed.
It isn't?
It isn't?
Just roll with me.
I thought we were in agreement.
You claimed a mole had infiltrated the problem solvers.
The only person giving you assignments is Myrtle Murgatroyd.
We agreed Myrtle isn't a mole.
Therefore, your claim is false.
Case closed.
That may be true, but it doesn't explain why Max and I have been sabotaged at every turn.
Yeah, good point, Maul.
This tribunal was not convened to determine whether you were sabotaged and by whom.
It was convened to address your claim of a mole infiltration.
But your honor, we have yet to encounter a single actual mole, not in Oshkosh or in any of our time travels.
Considering they're such an important part of the power-hungry pog's plan, we figured we'd run into some moles somewhere.
What about your frenemy, Katrina?
Or Charlene?
She seems especially suspicious.
We thought so, too.
But Katrina and Charlene were only doing odd jobs for the pogs through the Spoon app.
The Spoon app?
Yeah, it's a phone app that the Pogs use to hire people.
I see.
Why is it called Spoon?
Because the Pogs are trying to stir the pot across time to seize power.
Interesting.
But are you sure Katrina and Charlene aren't- Katrina turned and is working for us now.
She's like a double agent.
Or double mole.
What about Charlene?
Didn't she try to kidnap your Aunt Murgatroyd?
Yes, but we can explain that.
Charlene was only doing these jobs to save up for a used car.
I see.
But could that even be possible?
Let's say the car she wants costs $5,000, and each job on Spoon pays $100.
$5,000 divided by $100 per job equals... 50 jobs.
That's a lot.
Yeah, I don't think she has time to do 50 jobs.
And what about the mysterious transmission she received in the school's equipment shed?
I agree.
Also suspicious.
But then she gave us the antenna for free.
What mole would do that?
Why, one who is cozying up to you to make you think they aren't a mole.
Good point.
Judge, may we have a moment to deliberate?
Sure.
I'm no expert in tribunals, but I don't think this is going very well for us.
I don't think we're going to prove that there's a mole in the problem solvers.
I think you're right, but I'm going to do you one better.
What if there are no moles anywhere at all?
No moles?
What do you mean?
I mean, what if there aren't any moles infiltrating the problem solvers or anywhere?
What if the Pogs just hire randos like Katrina and Charlene to do their dirty work?
Wouldn't that kind of explain everything?
I guess.
Remember the lighthouse keeper in Alexandria?
How he said he was a courier on the side?
That's right.
But he delivered that message to us.
Why would the Pogs want us to intercept their message?
Because they're stringing us along.
They knew we would get suspicious.
So by keeping everything just out of reach, they kept us going in circles while getting nowhere.
And while we're all hunting for moles that don't exist, the Pogs can stay several steps ahead of the problem solvers.
It's actually genius.
The best mole is no mole.
Ahem.
Your Honor.
Yes?
We'd like to float a new theory about our sabotage investigations.
A new theory?
Hmm.
Go on.
Since we haven't discovered any moles despite doing lots of digging, we've come to the possible conclusion that there are no moles.
No moles?
That's right.
What better way to thwart us and the problem solvers than sending us on wild goose chases looking for moles that don't actually exist?
Huh.
The no moles theory.
It is possible.
But if there are no moles, who set up the satellite antenna at the Great Wall of China?
Good question.
Who sent the transmissions from the Burlington bunker?
Also a good question.
Who sent, and was supposed to receive, the messages you intercepted at the Pyramids of Giza and the Statue of Liberty?
And who has been ruining my garden these past three months?
Sorry, I've gotten off track.
This tribunal finds that you have failed to defend your claim.
Without further evidence, my decision stands.
One year suspension.
Say, where's my gavel?
Right here, your honor.
And Murgatroyd!
Myrtle, how did you get my gavel?
Also, I thought you recused yourself from the tribunal.
I did.
But Max and Molly are right.
Moles, as we know them, do not exist.
They don't?
We're right?
And just what evidence do you have to support this conclusion, Myrtle?
It's strange.
I finally hacked the Pog satellite antenna we got from Charlene and...
And?
And I was thrown in a time jump.
I saw a world where, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, it honks like a wild goose.
Whoa.
Weird.
I hate to say it, but the power-hungry pogs have bested the problem solvers.
For now.
But with Max and Molly's help, we can regain the upper hand.
I see.
Okay, Max and Molly, your suspension has been dropped.
Case closed.
May I please get my gavel back?
Oh, sure.
Sorry.
This episode of Mysteries About True Histories was written by Dan Gold and voiced by Dexter Danger, Mayo Molly Smith, Adam Tex Davis and Sheila Morris.
Original music by Brian Suarez.
Our associate producer is Max Kamaski.
Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hahn.
Mysteries About True Histories was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert, and is an Atomic Audio production.
