Pete Muller is not your average guest—he’s a quant hedge fund legend, a touring singer-songwriter, and a prolific puzzle constructor whose creations appear in The New York Times and The Washington Post. In this episode we dive into Pete’s polymath life: his journey from math to markets, from poker tables to music stages, and how puzzles tie it all together. We also discuss his latest creation, the “Think Twice” puzzle, and what drives him to keep solving, creating, and performing. Whether you love games, music, or stories about reinvention, this conversation will surprise and inspire.

Check out Pete's Resources:
https://petespuzzleplayground.com/
https://www.petemuller.com/
https://www.forbes.com/profile/peter-muller/
https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMullerMusic/featured
https://www.pdtpartners.com/

Games Mentioned:
Poker - Pete's favorite game to play
Crosswords
Variety cryptics
Bridge
Chess
Ping pong
Ultimate Frisbee
Blackjack
Wordle
Letter Boxed
Stray Cat Strut
Meta Puzzle
Scrabble
Sudoku
Spelling Bee
KenKen

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• (00:00) - Introduction to Pete Muller: A Modern Polymath
• (01:58) - Pete's Favorite Games and Puzzles
• (03:39) - From Poker to Quantitative Trading
• (06:05) - The Evolution of PDT Partners
• (10:34) - Balancing Music and Finance
• (13:13) - The Art of Puzzle Creation
• (20:20) - Meta Puzzles and Musical Connections
• (24:42) - Introducing the Mini Meta Puzzle
• (25:49) - Creating and Testing the Mini Meta
• (27:11) - The Think Twice Puzzle Concept
• (28:49) - Developing the Think Twice App
• (30:58) - Scoring and User Engagement
• (36:20) - Puzzle Addiction and Mental Workouts
• (39:44) - Mindfulness and Avoiding Burnout
• (41:30) - Hosting and Community Involvement
• (45:21) - The Future of AI in Puzzles
• (47:32) - Final Thoughts and Contact Information

Check out our brainy games:

Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
Squeezy - https://imsqueezy.com/
Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
Mathler - https://mathler.com
Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
Wordga - https://wordga.com