I suppose it’s only fair that the first roundup of October is spooky number thirteen, and we’re starting things off with a suitably spooky link:

• Why is a mysterious voice haunting the intercoms of American Airlines flights?
• The closely guarded secret of the New York Times’ Yiddish translator
• Holy shit, they found silphium! I hope some day, many years down the line, when cultivation comes to fruition, we can all finally taste this ancient spice.
• John Green explains why his first non-fiction book suddenly became a hit with old people [4″]
• The Hummingbird Clock, or, using the grid to investigate misdeeds