Fred Hoysted
@freddles.bsky.social
Here for the progressive politics and science
@coffeefirst.games Quick question: I find that the Royal Family game doesn’t allow me to play today’s puzzle in my iPhone browser (Safari). Navigating to the puzzle from Home allows me to admire yesterday’s puzzle but not see today’s. I have to force-quit the browser each time to make it work. Tips?
November 17, 2025 at 10:32 AM
@coffeefirst.games Quick question: I find that the Royal Family game doesn’t allow me to play today’s puzzle in my iPhone browser (Safari). Navigating to the puzzle from Home allows me to admire yesterday’s puzzle but not see today’s. I have to force-quit the browser each time to make it work. Tips?
@coffeefirst.games I’m here via kottke.org and have enjoyed the first two puzzles. Quick question about the Royal Family rules. When deciding if a piece can be attacked by the pawn, do we assume the pawn started at the bottom of the screen and is advancing upwards? I presume so, but wanted to check
November 8, 2025 at 9:14 AM
@coffeefirst.games I’m here via kottke.org and have enjoyed the first two puzzles. Quick question about the Royal Family rules. When deciding if a piece can be attacked by the pawn, do we assume the pawn started at the bottom of the screen and is advancing upwards? I presume so, but wanted to check
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻
Enter if you dare...🚪
Enter if you dare...🚪
October 31, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻
Enter if you dare...🚪
Enter if you dare...🚪
@standardebooks.org published a collection of all of Saki’s short stories today. I remember reading The Lumber Room in English class at school, over 40 years ago. It’s a lovely little story standardebooks.org/ebooks/saki/...
Short Fiction - The Lumber Room
“You said there couldn’t possibly be a frog in my bread-and-milk; there was a frog in my bread-and-milk,” he repeated, with the insistence of a skilled tactician who does not intend to shift from favourable ground.
standardebooks.org
October 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM
@standardebooks.org published a collection of all of Saki’s short stories today. I remember reading The Lumber Room in English class at school, over 40 years ago. It’s a lovely little story standardebooks.org/ebooks/saki/...
@vcorenmitchell.bsky.social Are the NYT Games people trying to be nice?
October 27, 2025 at 6:54 AM
@vcorenmitchell.bsky.social Are the NYT Games people trying to be nice?
John Spencer is a NASA planetary scientist. His article is a great read for anyone interested in how other planets and moons have been imaged over the decades
www.dpreview.com/articles/998...
www.dpreview.com/articles/998...
Worlds apart, cameras alike? NASA scientist explains interplanetary photography (and its Earthly similarities)
Ever wonder how NASA captures stunning images from deep space probes? Interplanetary scientist John Spencer takes us behind the scenes and reveals the familiar principles linking cosmic photography to...
www.dpreview.com
June 3, 2025 at 9:07 PM
John Spencer is a NASA planetary scientist. His article is a great read for anyone interested in how other planets and moons have been imaged over the decades
www.dpreview.com/articles/998...
www.dpreview.com/articles/998...
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
This was my favourite-ever piece to write, and the response has been insane: it's basically a interview/love-letter to Melvyn Bragg, thanking him for being a teacher to us all:
www.thetimes.com/life-style/c...
www.thetimes.com/life-style/c...
Melvyn Bragg, my idol: Caitlin Moran meets her hero
Growing up, the broadcasting legend’s South Bank Show was our columnist’s window on a world outside Wolverhampton. Now she’s a devoted fan of his Radio 4 show
www.thetimes.com
April 26, 2025 at 9:22 AM
This was my favourite-ever piece to write, and the response has been insane: it's basically a interview/love-letter to Melvyn Bragg, thanking him for being a teacher to us all:
www.thetimes.com/life-style/c...
www.thetimes.com/life-style/c...
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
So, let's try doing #duvetknowitschristmas here this evening? People are literally Driving Home For Christmas right now, which MIGHT JUST mean that they'll be sleeping somewhere unusual. 1/
December 24, 2024 at 9:14 AM
So, let's try doing #duvetknowitschristmas here this evening? People are literally Driving Home For Christmas right now, which MIGHT JUST mean that they'll be sleeping somewhere unusual. 1/
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
🧵SALT🧵
It's been snowing in the UK and the road gritters are out in force, begging the question:
Have you ever wondered where that grit actually COMES from?
The answer is more magical, beautiful and fascinating than you probably realised.
1/14
It's been snowing in the UK and the road gritters are out in force, begging the question:
Have you ever wondered where that grit actually COMES from?
The answer is more magical, beautiful and fascinating than you probably realised.
1/14
November 19, 2024 at 3:03 PM
🧵SALT🧵
It's been snowing in the UK and the road gritters are out in force, begging the question:
Have you ever wondered where that grit actually COMES from?
The answer is more magical, beautiful and fascinating than you probably realised.
1/14
It's been snowing in the UK and the road gritters are out in force, begging the question:
Have you ever wondered where that grit actually COMES from?
The answer is more magical, beautiful and fascinating than you probably realised.
1/14
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
If you see a lot of folks replying to posts with a 📌 emoji it’s because they’re using this feed. It’s essentially a bookmark! Reply with the emoji and it pulls the post into your own private feed and saves it there for you!
Here:
Here:
November 10, 2024 at 3:01 AM
If you see a lot of folks replying to posts with a 📌 emoji it’s because they’re using this feed. It’s essentially a bookmark! Reply with the emoji and it pulls the post into your own private feed and saves it there for you!
Here:
Here:
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
This isn't a new observation, but no matter how many times I watch this, despite knowing it's a puppet, I don't see a man diving into a freezer, I see an emu pulling him into one.
Extraordinary physical performer.
Extraordinary physical performer.
Good morning people of Blue Sky! Here's something to cheer you all up - Emu throwing Rod Hull into a supermarket freezer. Comic gold!
November 9, 2024 at 10:24 AM
This isn't a new observation, but no matter how many times I watch this, despite knowing it's a puppet, I don't see a man diving into a freezer, I see an emu pulling him into one.
Extraordinary physical performer.
Extraordinary physical performer.
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
One of my favourite things about Bluesky is the starter packs. Here's one I made to even up a bit of the gender disparity I noticed on some of the starter packs on here. There's a ton of space left in it, so let me know of anyone else I should include go.bsky.app/2rubRr3
November 8, 2024 at 1:53 PM
One of my favourite things about Bluesky is the starter packs. Here's one I made to even up a bit of the gender disparity I noticed on some of the starter packs on here. There's a ton of space left in it, so let me know of anyone else I should include go.bsky.app/2rubRr3
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
having to edit the election piece I pre-filed on Sunday and......yeah, I stand by this
November 6, 2024 at 3:10 PM
having to edit the election piece I pre-filed on Sunday and......yeah, I stand by this
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
Well, this sounds brilliant and it's coming tomorrow (Thursday 7th): a new podcast series called Sixteen Sunsets. It's all about the history of the space shuttle, and it's made by the fabulous team who made 13 Minutes to the Moon (f you haven't listened to that, do!).
sixteensunsets.com/
sixteensunsets.com/
November 6, 2024 at 7:13 PM
Well, this sounds brilliant and it's coming tomorrow (Thursday 7th): a new podcast series called Sixteen Sunsets. It's all about the history of the space shuttle, and it's made by the fabulous team who made 13 Minutes to the Moon (f you haven't listened to that, do!).
sixteensunsets.com/
sixteensunsets.com/
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
Tonight’s reading - I just saw a piece wondering why men don’t read books by women authors - men, you are being fools to your selves
October 1, 2024 at 8:31 PM
Tonight’s reading - I just saw a piece wondering why men don’t read books by women authors - men, you are being fools to your selves
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
there's a big time/money/compliance burden on people running servers, as the FT discovered. Which is why it's never going to scale www.ft.com/content/8d99...
August 20, 2024 at 9:14 AM
there's a big time/money/compliance burden on people running servers, as the FT discovered. Which is why it's never going to scale www.ft.com/content/8d99...
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
A small story for you, Bluesky, in my occasional series of Things that Happen in London.
So my daughter (just turned 17) and two friends were on a late train the other night. Also present: an exceedingly drunk lady returning from Taylor Swift, snoozing in the opposite seat. /1
So my daughter (just turned 17) and two friends were on a late train the other night. Also present: an exceedingly drunk lady returning from Taylor Swift, snoozing in the opposite seat. /1
August 19, 2024 at 12:41 PM
A small story for you, Bluesky, in my occasional series of Things that Happen in London.
So my daughter (just turned 17) and two friends were on a late train the other night. Also present: an exceedingly drunk lady returning from Taylor Swift, snoozing in the opposite seat. /1
So my daughter (just turned 17) and two friends were on a late train the other night. Also present: an exceedingly drunk lady returning from Taylor Swift, snoozing in the opposite seat. /1
Reposted by Fred Hoysted
Elon Musk buys a pub
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3t...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3t...
Elon Musk buys a pub
YouTube video by Matt Green Comedy
www.youtube.com
August 16, 2024 at 4:43 PM
Elon Musk buys a pub
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3t...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3t...