Sapphire gemstones occur in a variety of colours, apart from one that can't be bought.

What is it?

The answer to that at the end of the show.

My name's Tom Scott, and this is Lateral.

Welcome to the show where three guests are going to drive at high speed towards a wall of difficult problems.

It's a lateral-thinking car crash in slow motion, and we start by meeting from Escape This Podcast, returning to the show, our regular Bill Sunderland.

Hello, I'm excited to be back.

Last time, there was less character work than usual from you. We had a long who's on first riff, but at no point do we meet a strange character that you're improvving off the spot. Well, you know, you said to me, I hate your character work. I never want to see it again. No more hair, nobody nonsense. Just stick to the facts. And I stuck to the facts.

None of that's true.

But you know what?

It's still plausible.

Also, from Escape This Podcast, Danny Siller.

Hello, hello.

He's actually covering for me.

I'm the one who did that off screen.

I'm the one who told me all of those things.

And rounding out the trio for today, from the flute channel and frankly a world-class

flutist in her own right, Emily Broder.

Hi.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you for coming back. Welcome back on the show.

How was it last time? It was your first time here.

...