Auto playlist problem solved
The answer is to create a new station that aggregates all unplayed episodes from all or a select group of your subscribed podcasts and plays them either from newest to oldest or vice-versa.
Podcast app
Thanks CDGuy210 - but how do I create a station that shows only unplayed podcasts. I've tried (iPhone, 2 iPads). I've set the "Unplayed episodes only" switch, but when I look at the station it has hundreds (literally) of episodes of podcasts which are not on the device (cloud next to them) and which I have played before. On my Mac, the same playlist setup has 73 unplayed episodes. Episodes on the phone which appear in the station as unplayed show on the Mac as having play counts of 1 or more. If I look at the "Show" on the phone and scroll to the bottom these "unplayed" podcasts appear in the list "previously played" .
I've got sync across devices set. The only way to get rid of the podcasts on the phone with the cloud next to them is to swipe-delete them. Try doing that for 250 podcasts (which aren't even on the phone.). I
Do you know how to stop played episodes appearing in stations set for "unplayed only"?
Thanks in advance.