This week, it's truly the highlight of any Fill Me In Season, because Ben Zimmer joins Ryan and Brian to talk about the 2025 Word of the Year! There's still plenty of the same slop there's always been, but jump ahead to about the 31-minute mark if you're just here for The Barnacle.

Stuff to click:

• Ben Zimmer on BlueSky, Facebook, and Slate
• The American Dialect Society
• Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe
• Scott Weiss's Oscars Anti-Match Quiz and info on Zoom-based escape rooms

If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon.

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