explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3097: Bridge Types

2025-06-03T14:58:34Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ A good IRL example, but clearly not halfhearted in creation.

{{comic
| number = 3097
| date = June 2, 2025
| title = Bridge Types
| image = bridge_types_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x581px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Pontoon bridges are just linear open-sided waterbeds.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was recently created by a TESSERACT BRIDGE ABUTMENT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic shows, in a four-by-four grid of images, a series of bridge types. The first two rows of images are of authentic bridge types, whereas those in the last two rows are progressively more absurd, although real-life examples of some of them exist, as shown in the table below. The joke lies in the progression of bridge types from the simple and straightforward to the complex and ridiculous.

{| class="wikitable"
!Label
!style="width:7em;"|Status
!Type
!Notes
|-
|Plank
|Real
|{{w|Beam bridge}}
|A straightforward piece of solid material (in this case, made of solid wood, but there are {{w|Clapper bridge|other materials}}) is the most basic form of bridge, and generally the easiest to construct, but also the weakest. Consequently, such bridges are only suitable for small spans and light weights (such as a footbridge over a stream).
|-
|Rope
|Real
|{{w|Simple suspension bridge}}
|Rope bridges consist of several lengths of rope anchored on both sides of the span. Typically, one or more ropes will be intended to support the crossing load (possibly with boards or some other walkway between them), and additional ropes will act as handrails, reducing the risk of falling. These are typically only intended for foot traffic, due to their light construction and lack of rigidity. Because of the simple materials and relative ease of construction, they're often used as improvised bridges.
|-
|Truss
|Real
|{{w|Truss bridge}}
|A truss is a common type of framework consisting of supports connected in a series of triangles which provide support for a load. This design provides significant strength and rigidity with minimal material and weight. A truss bridge can either have the truss above the bridge platform (as in the drawing) or underneath it (also known as a deck truss). This is the first bridge type on this list which is commonly used for vehicle traffic.
|-
|Trestle
|Real
|{{w|Trestle bridge}}
|A trestle bridge is held up by supports reaching all the way to the ground beneath. Typically at least some of the supports will slope outward to give a larger base of support. Once common for railroads, these are less popular nowadays, but are still seen in certain areas and applications.
|-
|Arch
|Real
|{{w|Arch bridge}}
|Arches are one of the oldest kinds of bridges for carrying significant loads. They can be made out of rock or metal. Each span consists of an arch resting on supports. Simple arch bridges rest on both sides of a river or other gap, but longer bridges (as in the drawing) will have intermediate pillars to support multiple arches. The arches distribute the load, allowing a relatively small number of pillar to support weight across the entire deck of the bridge.
|-
|Suspended Arch
|Real
|{{w|Tied-arch bridge}}
|Tied arch bridges use a similar concept as arch bridges, but the arch is instead positioned overhead, with the deck supported by suspended cables. Such bridges may use a single arch (as in the drawing) or multiple arches in succession.
|-
|Draw
|Real
|{{w|Drawbridge}}
|Drawbridges are used to allow ships to pass through obstacles like bridges. They use a cable to pull up one or both sides of the bridge to create enough height clearance for vessels to pass through.
|-
|Suspension
|Real
|{{w|Suspension bridge}}
|A suspension bridge suspends its deck with cables or rods from a cable linked to a pillar and a point a certain distance from each pillar
|-
|Filler
|Real method of maintaining {{w|Grade (slope)|grade}}, not really a 'bridge'
|{{w|Embankment (earthworks)|Embankment}}, {{w|Causeway}} or even a {{w|Dam}}
|Serves the purpose of allowing travel across the gap, but by removing (or {{w|Culvert|mostly removing}}) passage through the gap itself. By filling the gap with hard, irregular material (most commonly rocks), support can be provided, while still allowing water to flow through the gaps. Due to the generally small size of the gaps, generally only slow-flowing water can reliably get through.
|-
|Budget Overrun
|Real<br/>(Absurd Name)
|{{w|Cable-stayed bridge}}
|Specifically, the pictured bridge is a {{w|cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge}}, similar in appearance to the {{w|Samuel Beckett Bridge}}. Many bridges in this category suffer severe cost overruns.<br/>Randall may be drawing upon his local knowledge of the {{w|Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge|Zakim Bridge}} in downtown Boston's {{w|Big Dig}}, also strongly associated with cost overruns.
|-
|Jump
|Not Real
|N/A
|A "bridge" that looks like it belongs in a skatepark. Iconically featured in {{w|The Dukes of Hazzard}} TV show.
|-
|Halfhearted
|Real
|[https://www.archdaily.com/184921/moses-bridge-road-architecten Moses bridge]
|The diagram shows that there was barely any attempt to bridge the gap in the landscape at all, just take the 'deck' down into it and back up out again. The concept may have been inspired, in part, by [https://www.fastcompany.com/90186315/the-strange-art-of-the-melting-bridges-of-google-earth an artifact in Google Earth software].
A bridge exists at the {{w|Fort de Roovere}} in Halsteren, Netherlands, that resembles this 'solution', though this would have involved much thought and commitment in its building, possibly more 'hearted', even, than any more conventional bridge design, especially in the provision of stairs to allow easier ingress/egress (at least for foot traffic) than the comic's version seems to provide.
|-
|Waterbed
|Not a bridge
|{{w|Waterbed}}
|Rather than a bridge, it is more like another version of a causeway (see 'Filler') using trapped water to maintain the upper surface.
Named for a 'mattress' type, which is usually a raised surface ''on top of'' a piece of bedframe, with an unusual approach to padding and comfort.
|-
|L'Engle
|Not Real
|[https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/03/192728/tesseract-definition-wrinkle-in-time-space-dimension Tesseract AWIT]<br>not {{w|Tesseract|Tesseract (geometry)}}
|References {{w|A Wrinkle In Time}} by Madeleine L'Engle. Characters cross great distances by "tessering", moving via a tesseract through a higher dimension which essentially brings the two ends of the journey together from the perspective of the traveler.<br/>The image shows the two ends of the gap being brought together, with the gap apparently crumpled in between them.
|-
|Fun
|Not Real
|
|It is a loop-de-loop, possible allusion to [[2935: Ocean Loop]].
|-
|Repurposed Elevator
|Real, but not as displayed
|Horizontal elevator / {{w|People mover|People mover}}
|There are various implementations of such designs, the best-known one is probably the {{w|Schmid Peoplemover|Schmid Peoplemover}}.
However, unlike a regular people mover, where the door stays upright, the image shows a regular elevator that has been rotated 90 degrees.
|-
|''(Title text)''
|Real
|{{w|Pontoon bridge}}
|Pontoon bridges are described as a series of fictitious "waterbed bridges", as shown above, but constructed without sides. This would mean that that the 'bed'-supporting water flows in one side and out the other, if there is any passage or tidal flow of water. It may technically mean that you cannot cross {{w|The Same River Twice|the same bridge twice}}.
Pontoons rely upon buoyancy, either of the whole deck or distinct floating elements, whereas an enclosed "waterbed" bridge would rely upon the strength of the membrane to keep the mass of water within it, and thus the deck above that mass.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:Bridge Types

:[A 4x4 matrix of 16 ways to cross the same rectangular hole in the ground]

:Plank [shows a plank laid over the hole]

:Rope [shows a rope bridge with rope guardrail]

:Truss [shows a truss bridge with a triangular truss above the bridge deck]

:Trestle [shows a trestle bridge]

:Arch [shows stone arches supporting a straight deck]

:Suspended Arch [shows a single arch, with the bridge deck suspended from it]

:Draw [shows a truss bridge, with one half opened like an unrealistic draw bridge]

:Suspension [shows the bridge deck suspended from a cable strung between two pillars and the shores]

:Filler [shows the hole filled with dirt and stones]

:Budget Overrun [shows a bridge deck suspended by cables from an artistically shaped pillar]

:Jump [shows two ramps at the edges of the hole, and a skateboarder jumping across the hole]

:Halfhearted [shows a ramp at each side of the hole that leads down to the bottom]

:Waterbed [shows the hole filled with water, two fish and an octopus, a wobbly covering, and two stick figures crossing]

:L'Engle [shows the hole warped such that the opposite shores meet]

:Fun [shows a loop-de-loop rollercoaster bridging the hole, and a skateboarder using it to get across]

:Repurposed Elevator [shows an elevator tower, rotated sideways as a whole, laid across the hole. 2 stick figures using the elevator are also rotated.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Engineering]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Animals]]

Talk:3091: Renormalization

2025-05-22T00:20:33Z

162.158.74.69:

It's been an hour. Does nobody know what this is about? Are we all dumb? [[User:Pgn674|Pgn674]] ([[User talk:Pgn674|talk]]) 22:43, 19 May 2025 (UTC)

I'm not certain. Renormalisation is a concept from quantum field theory in which coupling constants take different values at different scales. I believe the intuition for this is that at longer scales, particles are shielded by a cloud of virtual particles which spring into 'existence' around them and take some of the apparent strength out of the interaction. The best I've got is that somehow this is like an electron hitting off of other imaginary electrons? Maybe the old, since a photon ''(another editor here: of course you meant to say "positron"... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.68|162.158.74.68]] - thank you, good catch [[Special:Contributions/172.69.79.164|172.69.79.164]])'' can be interpreted as an electron going backwards in time, there might only be one electron in the universe, it's just bouncing back and forth a lot? But in this case any electron interacting in any way with another electron would be 'hitting itself', so I don't see how that would be a renormalisation specific thing. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.58.112|172.70.58.112]] 22:52, 19 May 2025 (UTC)

Wait, I was dumb. Renormalisation is a self interaction, the interpretation in terms of virtual particles is irrelevant. I was over thinking it. Interacting with itself => hitting itself, simple. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.58.150|172.70.58.150]] 22:59, 19 May 2025 (UTC)

Can someone who understands renormalisation better than I add the bit about self-interaction to the explanation? I did not get that at ALL from the linked Wikipedia page (although I did get the Endless Mike reduction joke from it. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.106|162.158.62.106]] 03:52, 20 May 2025 (UTC)
:I feel you. It seems like the ''site itself'' feels you, the topic is so heavy (maybe it will let me in this time). FWIW, my digging around led me [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StopHittingYourself here] and, especially, [https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2011-01-07 here]. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.42.88|162.158.42.88]] 04:50, 20 May 2025 (UTC)

I'm confused about how the joke works with bullying. My best guess: he's hitting the electron whilst telling it to stop hitting itself, so the incongruity becomes cruelty. Is this a common tactic for bullies? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.121|172.69.68.121]] 07:59, 20 May 2025 (UTC)
:Not sure how common, but it's a trope, pretty much a staple "jocks vs. nerd" establishing scene in any 'high school' setting in film or TV, at times.
:The idea is that the strong and imposing bully grabs the weak and meek bullied's wrist(s) (perhaps even to prevent blows, albeit mostly just annoying and ineffectual, from the victim) and then uses their superior strength to wrest the target's arms so as to strike themselves, accompanied by taunts such as "why are you hitting yourself..? You shouldn't be hitting yourself...", punctuated by the enforced 'self hits'. More towards the "play-tap" range of actual strength, either for practical reasons (they're more like "one-inch punches" than what they'd inflict, directly in a 'proper fight', and the recipient isn't going to try to help any hit from their own hand) or because its intended more as humiliation than actual intent to physically cause great pain (though lesser pain would be part of the 'game').
:It's a performative thing, probably done more to impress the bully's hanger-ons (and/or further embarass the target in front of any other onlookers, especially the girl that the bully thinks it'll impress/dissuade from associating with the target). They may even be some troll logic involved, in that they can ''try'' to claim "they never hit 'em", should authority figures get involved (even be witness to it), though with variable chances of how well that denial is accepted.
:Not that I've ever seen (or experienced or, of course, enacted) it IRL, but I'm sure I've seen the likes in many on-screen situations, at least 'of an era'. If there isn't a TVTropes page, for otz then I'd be surprised, but I'm not going down ''that'' rabbit hole just now, so here's just my own understanding. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.224.200|172.69.224.200]] 15:51, 20 May 2025 (UTC)

From what I, who does not have a physics degree, can tell, renormalization lets you avoid certain infinite sums or products or something that come up when doing calculations with certain interactions between particles. Based on the comic, I infer that at least one situation that produces an infinite series is the interaction of an electron with itself. So renormalization lets you take the sum of all self-interactions of an electron and turn it into a constant, or discard it entirely, or something like that? Can someone smarter than me tell me if I'm getting this right? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.151.56|172.71.151.56]] 20:33, 20 May 2025 (UTC)

:I might have a degree in physics, but our education on quantum stuff was very weak. My vague impression of renormalization was that equations explain behavior by assuming that for a given particle (like an electron) various virtual particles exist in superposition but many of their interactions cancel out. As someone above said, the particle is thus "interacting with itself" a nigh-infinite number of (theoretical) times. If this simpler conception of renormalization is what Randall is going for, I think the current explanation may be reaching for a more technical (but esoteric) form of the joke. {{unsigned|Dextrous Fred|17:21, 21 May 2025}}

Link for what “stop hitting yourself” looks like: https://youtu.be/GmlV5DDZraA?si=bo_pITBj0WqECQFm (also this is my first contribution so I’m probably doing something wrong but I try! {{unsigned ip|172.68.55.80|22:46, 21 May 2025}}

3084: Unstoppable Force and Immovable Object

2025-05-03T21:21:26Z

162.158.74.69:

{{comic
| number = 3084
| date = May 2, 2025
| title = Unstoppable Force and Immovable Object
| image = unstoppable_force_and_immovable_object_2x.png
| imagesize = 297x379px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Unstoppable force-carrying particles can't interact with immovable matter by definition.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFINITE MASS, MOST COMMONLY KNOWN AS "YOUR MOM". Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An "unstoppable force meeting an immovable object" is a common expression when two things with mutually exclusive properties are forced to interact. Most of the time, the expression is just that, an expression, one that is meant to convey there will be a lot of destruction when the two things meet. Sometimes it is a euphemism for more complex things such as people or ideologies (who have contradictory goals and are unwilling or unable to compromise), other times it's an exaggeration for large and powerful forces that are not literally unstoppable but still cause massive damage when they run into each other. Very rarely it may be literal, such as the Greek myth of the {{w|Teumessian fox}} (who can never be caught) and {{w|Laelaps (mythology)|Laelaps the hound}} (who will always catch his quarry) — even the gods themselves were scared of the consequences of letting the chase play out, and transformed the two canines into constellations in the night sky.

An example explanation of this situation is described [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eKc5kgPVrA here] by Minute Physics

Randall proposes a solution to the paradox: the unstoppable force will not actually interact with the immovable object; the unstoppable force is not stopped and the immovable object is not moved. This may be a play on the word "force" which has different interpretations depending on context. In casual language, an object can be a "force" if it carries enough energy, while to a physicist like Randall it describes a fundamental influence between particles of matter, and not all forces interact with all types of matter.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[An arrow pointing to the right and a trapezoid are labeled as 'Unstoppable Force' and 'Immovable Object' respectively.]
:[The arrow is shown as entering the trapezoid from the left and the part of it in said trapezoid is coloured gray.]
:[The arrow is shown as leaving the trapezoid to the right and is coloured black.]
:[Caption below the panel:] I don't see why people find this scenario to be tricky.

{{comic discussion}}

3084: Unstoppable Force and Immovable Object

2025-05-03T21:21:04Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3084
| date = May 2, 2025
| title = Unstoppable Force and Immovable Object
| image = unstoppable_force_and_immovable_object_2x.png
| imagesize = 297x379px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Unstoppable force-carrying particles can't interact with immovable matter by definition.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFINITE MASS, MOST COMMONLY KNOWN AS "YOUR MOM". Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An "unstoppable force meeting an immovable object" is a common expression when two things with mutually exclusive properties are forced to interact. Most of the time, the expression is just that, an expression, one that is meant to convey there will be a lot of destruction when the two things meet. Sometimes it is a euphemism for more complex things such as people or ideologies (who have contradictory goals and are unwilling or unable to compromise), other times it's an exaggeration for large and powerful forces that are not literally unstoppable but still cause massive damage when they run into each other. Very rarely it may be literal, such as the Greek myth of the {{w|Teumessian fox}} (who can never be caught) and {{w|Laelaps (mythology)|Laelaps the hound}} (who will always catch his quarry) — even the gods themselves were scared of the consequences of letting the chase play out, and transformed the two canines into constellations in the night sky.

An example explanation of this situation is described [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eKc5kgPVrA - until I view this, I have no idea what the context of this bare link is. But it almost certainly should not be bare. it is a minutephysics video on this topic-->
here] by Minute Physics

Randall proposes a solution to the paradox: the unstoppable force will not actually interact with the immovable object; the unstoppable force is not stopped and the immovable object is not moved. This may be a play on the word "force" which has different interpretations depending on context. In casual language, an object can be a "force" if it carries enough energy, while to a physicist like Randall it describes a fundamental influence between particles of matter, and not all forces interact with all types of matter.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[An arrow pointing to the right and a trapezoid are labeled as 'Unstoppable Force' and 'Immovable Object' respectively.]
:[The arrow is shown as entering the trapezoid from the left and the part of it in said trapezoid is coloured gray.]
:[The arrow is shown as leaving the trapezoid to the right and is coloured black.]
:[Caption below the panel:] I don't see why people find this scenario to be tricky.

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:3065: Square Units

2025-03-25T00:23:27Z

162.158.74.69: Obvious error of mine. Maybe.

I like this one :) reminds me of trying to use recipes in imperial units with metric equipment [[Special:Contributions/162.158.108.29|162.158.108.29]] 19:48, 19 March 2025 (UTC)

I so want to stand outside Randall's office holding up {{tl|citation needed}} for not giving an actual citation on the title text. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.175.159|162.158.175.159]] 20:07, 19 March 2025 (UTC)

We should start using ares as a common unit of measure. https://www.britannica.com/science/are [[Special:Contributions/172.69.135.15|172.69.135.15]] 20:09, 19 March 2025 (UTC)
:We have done, some still do: {{w|Hectare#Are}} [[Special:Contributions/172.70.163.70|172.70.163.70]] 21:20, 19 March 2025 (UTC)
:I really hate when people use "metric ton" instead of the correct megagram (Mg). [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 12:28, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

The area of eaten vegetation is all well and good, but we really need to know the total volume consumed. In barn-megaparsecs, ideally. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.241.89|172.71.241.89]] 21:26, 19 March 2025 (UTC)

I just got the mail notification for this and the previous comic at the same time. I would say that Randall forgot to send out the previous one before, but surely this is automated, so I guess something went wrong with that setup. [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 00:01, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

Percentages? Could we not? Can't we use multiplication factors instead? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.38|172.70.230.38]] 21:30, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

I really want to know what the 80-fold error was now [[User:Thief|Thief]] ([[User talk:Thief|talk]]) 10:54, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
: Here's an error in chemical names instead--Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) occasionally appears as diphenhydrazine, which (if it existed) might be a rocket fuel. Google for it, just for scientific fun. Rocket flight to Australia, now in your local pharmacy! [[Special:Contributions/172.69.71.207|172.69.71.207]] 11:38, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
::There's a dangerous point of confusion between diphenhydramine and dimenhydrinate (Gravol). In medical contexts, the two are often given differing capitalizations to emphasize the differences between the words, to reduce the risk of patients being given the wrong one (e.g. dimenhyDRINATE vs. diphenhydrAMINE). [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 14:51, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
::Realistically, if "diphenhydrazine" is diphenylhydrazine, it would be a much poorer rocket fuel than hydrazine. It's a known substance, used in chemical manufacture, melting point a bit above the boiling point of water, moderately nasty in terms of health risks. Flammable, yes, but not particularly exciting. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:05, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
:A particularly vexing origami issue.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.156|172.71.178.156]] 14:42, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
:80-fold error is nothing. I regularly see news articles wrong by factor of 1000, as a result from incorrect translation between languages using [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_and_short_scales long and short scales].

The land area of Australia really depends on when it last rained. There are very large areas that will be completely dry prior to rain that will be flooded after. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 12:28, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
:I used the area from the CIA world factbook that included both land and water area. [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 18:26, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

You should never write `square cm`, etc. but always `cm²`. Same for seemingly standard abbreviations: Don't write `ccm` for "cubic centimeter", but `cm³`. Even though, in spoken language "square centimeter" is correct. Another confusion can sometimes arise from not knowing that squaring or cubing binds less than the centi-/kilo-/... prefix. I.e., `cm³` is `(0.01m)³` not `0.01(m³)`. A liter (`l`) is `0.001m³` or `1dm³ = (0.1m)³`. A milliliter is `0.001l = 0.000001m³ = (0.01m)³ = 1cm³` --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.109.92|172.69.109.92]] 12:48, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
:All you need to remember is:
:"X units square" = a square of X units = (X units)² '' = X² (units²) ''
:"X square units" = X times a square unit = X (units²) '' = (√X units)² ''
: "X prefixunits" is (X × prefix) units, for the sake of preserving the units ''so "7 decagrammes" is "70 grammes" (or 0.07 kg, if you need that, for whatever reason) [though not to be confused with "grammage", which is "grammes per square metre"!] and "450 nanometres" is "450×10<sup>-9</sup> metres" or "4.5×10<sup>-7</sup> metres"'' [[Special:Contributions/172.69.195.62|172.69.195.62]] 14:26, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
::Getting a bit off-topic, but is "grammage" really a unit or rather a quantity? I.e., "Grammage measured in gram(mes) per square meter", same as "mass in kilogram". Or would you say "Standard office paper has 80 grammage(s)?" (Disclaimer: I'm not a native English speaker, so honest question). --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.109.89|172.69.109.89]] 15:33, 21 March 2025 (UTC)
::More on-topic: I would never say "X units square" ("5 meter(s) square"), mostly because it sounds weird and unclear. But YKMV (your kilometrage may vary) --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.109.87|172.69.109.87]] 15:43, 21 March 2025 (UTC)

I don't see that the table is too wide to display (on a "normal" full-hd screen). But I agree that more than ~3 significant digits are kind of useless. We could even add a column with the unit "area of Australia" --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.160.61|172.71.160.61]] 16:19, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

Another point: The percentage "gain" column is mostly wrong, e.g. from 1 to 144 you have a "gain" of 143 or 14300% not 14400% (I'd rather show a gain factor though). --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.160.60|172.71.160.60]] 16:18, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

There are other mistakes being made in communicating the factoid. One is called out by the comic itself (namely the defoliation of Australia in particular rather than a nondescript Australia-sized area of land), but there are others too. For example, it has become more ambiguous whether the factoid is about a single insect or the insect as a species. It'd be somewhat believable if you're talking about an entire species eating that much per day. The other miscommunication is that it's gone from talking about grass to foliage in general, but foliage in general can vary in density a lot more than a patch of grass, creating additional inaccuracies. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.47.53|172.70.47.53]] 17:57, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

"The title text tells us that Randall once found an 80-fold error in a reported distance in a published source. However, it is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out which one." Isn't that what explainxkcd is for? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.5|162.158.154.5]] 15:41, 21 March 2025 (UTC)

I was playing, originally with the following, but gave it up when the current table was inserted. Given the complaints about explaining the colours, etc, and a few problems with the one we see (no way of differentiating when it becomes a "square of side BLAH" instead of "BLAH square units", etc), I thought maybe someone might want to give it a revamp. - Note that I took inspiration from the "Template:Diagonal split header" that exists on actual Wikipedia, but flipped it (unfortunately, flipped it so that one defines Bottom Right colour then Top Left colour, but still gives Top Left text before Bottom Right text, which was the ''next'' thing on my list of editing to do). And in the Key I had intended to also demonstrate a value taken from the Bottom Right (X units²) of one row being misused as a Top Left (X x X unit square) 'feed'. One could still apply the colours for how much of an increase (or, occasionally, mild-decrease) of each step (here, based upon the definitive value ''of'' that step, vis-a-vis the prior one(s), not the conversion, which is mostly a fairly accurate and consistant-to-the-statement conversion) there was, but the general trend of a rise in cumulative factor can basically be read easily enough. Oh, and check the figures, maybe. I hand-copied them, for reasons best known to my past self, rather than autogenerated the entire table lines from the same thing that I used to organise the figures I had calculated. Other, non-numeric errors in transcribing/non-consistent formattings may also have slipped in.
{{cot|For what it's worth...}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0 auto;text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Step
! rowspan="2" | Source<hr/>Tells
! rowspan="2" | From<hr/>To
! rowspan="2" | Step<br/>factor
! rowspan="2" | Cumulative<br/>factor
! {{w|Centimetre}}
! {{w|Inch}}
! {{w|Foot (unit)|Foot}}
! {{w|Metre}}
! rowspan="2" | {{w|Acre}}
! rowspan="2" | {{w|Hectare}}
! {{w|Kilometre}}
! {{w|Mile}}
! rowspan="2" | {{w|Australia}}
|-
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X cm<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X cm²</div> 
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X in<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X {{w|Square inch|in²}}</div>
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X ft<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X {{w|Square foot|ft²}}</div>
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X m<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X {{w|Square metre|m²}}</div>
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X km<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X {{w|Square kilometre|km²}}</div>
! style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">X mi<br/>side</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">X {{w|Square mile|mi²}}</div>
|-
| 1
| Megan<hr/>Cueball
| sq. of in ''or'' in²<hr/>either
| 1
| 1
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.54</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.45</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0)" | <div style="text-align:center">1</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.33×10<sup>-2</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.94×10<sup>-3</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.54×10<sup>-2</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.45×10<sup>-4</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.59×10<sup>-7</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 6.45×10<sup>-8</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.54×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.45×10<sup>-10</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.58×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.49×10<sup>-10</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.39×10<sup>-17</sup>
|-
| 2
| Cueball<hr/>Ponytail
| in²<hr/>cm²
| 0.930
| 0.930
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#8FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.45*</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6<br/>(6.45)</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0)"|<div style="text-align:center">1</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.33×10<sup>-2</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.94×10<sup>-3</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.54×10<sup>-2</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.45×10<sup>-4</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.59×10<sup>-7</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 6.45×10<sup>-8</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.54×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.45×10<sup>-10</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.58×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.49×10<sup>-10</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.39×10<sup>-17</sup>
|-
| 3
| Ponytail<hr/>Hairy
| sq. of cm<br/>(sq. of in)<hr/>cm²
| 6
| 5.58
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#0FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">6</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">36</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FF8) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.5<br/>(2.36)</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.25*</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.197</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.88×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">6×10<sup>-2</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">36×10<sup>-3</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.90×10<sup>-7</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 3.60×10<sup>-7</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">6×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.6×10<sup>-9</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.73×10<sup>-5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.39×10<sup>-9</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 4.68×10<sup>-16</sup>
|-
| 4
| Hairy<hr/>unknown
| sq of cm<hr/>ft²
| 36
| 201
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">36</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1300</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">14.2</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">201</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#8FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">>1*</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">>1<br/>(1.40)</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.36<br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">0.13</div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 3.20×10<sup>-5</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.30×10<sup>-5</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.6×10<sup>-4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.30×10<sup>-7</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.24×10<sup>-4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">5.00×10<sup>-8</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.69×10<sup>-14</sup>
|-
| 5
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| sq. of ft ''or'' ft²<hr/>cm²
| 0.719
| 144
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#8FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">30*</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">900<br/>(929)</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">12</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">144</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0)"|<div style="text-align:center">1</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.305</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">9.29×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 2.30×10<sup>-5</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 9.29×10<sup>-6</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.05×10<sup>-4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">9.29×10<sup>-8</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.89×10<sup>-4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.59×10<sup>-8</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.21×10<sup>-14</sup>
|-
| 6
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| cm²<hr/>ft²
| 872
| 1.26×10<sup>5</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">900</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.1×10<sup>5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">354</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.26×10<sup>5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#8FF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">30<br/>(29.5)</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">900*</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">9</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">81</div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 0.02
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.10×10<sup>-3</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">9×10<sup>-3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.1×10<sup>-5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">5.59×10<sup>-3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.13×10<sup>-5</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.05×10<sup>-11</sup>
|-
| 7
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| sq. of ft<hr/>ft²
| 1.03
| 1.30×10<sup>5</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">914</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.36×10<sup>5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">360</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.30×10<sup>5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#0FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">30</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">900</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">9.14</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">83.6</div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 2.06×10<sup>-2</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.36×10<sup>-3</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">9.14×10<sup>-3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.36×10<sup>-5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">5.68×10<sup>-3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.23×10<sup>-5</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.09×10<sup>-11</sup>
|-
| 8
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| sq. of ft<hr/>acres
| 900
| 1.17×10<sup>8</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.74×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">7.53×10<sup>8</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.08×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.17×10<sup>8</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">900</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.10×10<sup>-5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">274</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">7.53×10<sup>4</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 18.6
| style="background:#FFF" | 7.53
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.274</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">7.53×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.170</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.91×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 9.79×10<sup>-9</sup>
|-
| 9
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| acres<hr/>(via hectares)<br/>m²
| 1.08
| 1.25×10<sup>8</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.84×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.09×10<sup>8</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.12×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.25×8<sup>4</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">933</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.71×10<sup>5</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#8FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">283*</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.00×10<sup>4</sup><br/>(8.09×10<sup>4</sup>)</div>
| style="background:#0F0" | 20
| style="background:#FF8" | 8<br/>(8.09)
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.284</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">8.09×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">0.176</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">3.13×10<sup>-2</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.05×10<sup>-8</sup>
|-
| 10
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| sq. of m<hr/>sq. of km
| 79,000
| 9.92×10<sup>12</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.00×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.40×10<sup>13</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.15×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">9.92×10<sup>12</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.62×10<sup>5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.89×10<sup>10</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.00×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.40×10<sup>9</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.58×10<sup>6</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 6.40×10<sup>5</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0FF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">80</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.40×10<sup>3</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">49.7</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.47×10<sup>3</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.32×10<sup>-4</sup>
|-
| 11
| unknown<hr/>unknown
| sq. of km<hr/>mi²
| 1
| 9.92×10<sup>12</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.00×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.40×10<sup>13</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.15×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">9.92×10<sup>12</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.62×10<sup>5</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.89×10<sup>10</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">8.00×10<sup>4</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.40×10<sup>9</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.58×10<sup>6</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 6.40×10<sup>5</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">80</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">49.7</div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#0FF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">6.40×10<sup>3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.47×10<sup>3</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 8.32×10<sup>-4</sup>
|-
| 12
| unknown<hr/>Hairbun
| sq. of mi<hr/>Australia
| 2530
| 2.51×10<sup>16</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">4.02×10<sup>8</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.62×10<sup>17</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.58×10<sup>8</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.51×10<sup>16</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.32×10<sup>7</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.74×10<sup>14</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">4.02×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.62×10<sup>13</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 4.00×10<sup>9</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.62×10<sup>9</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">4.02×10<sup>3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.62×10<sup>7</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#0F0) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.50×10<sup>3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">6.25×10<sup>6</sup></div>
| style="background:#8FF" | 2<br/>(2.11)
|-
| 13
| Hairbun<hr/>White Hat<br/>Danish<br/>Blondie
| Australia<hr/>n/a
| 0.950
| 2.38×10<sup>16</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.92×10<sup>8</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.54×10<sup>17</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.54×10<sup>8</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">2.38×10<sup>16</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">1.29×10<sup>7</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.66×10<sup>14</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.92×10<sup>6</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.54×10<sup>13</sup></div>
| style="background:#FFF" | 3.80×10<sup>9</sup>
| style="background:#FFF" | 1.54×10<sup>9</sup>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">3.92×10<sup>3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">1.54×10<sup>7</sup></div>
| style="background:var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0);color:inherit;background:linear-gradient(to top left,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 49%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 49.5%,var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1) 50.5%,var(--background-color-neutral,#FFF) 51%);line-height:1.2;padding:0.1em 0.4em;"|<div style="margin-right:2em;text-align:left">2.44×10<sup>3</sup></div><br/><div style="margin-left:2em;text-align:right">5.94×10<sup>6</sup></div>
| style="background:#0FF" | 2
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0 auto;text-align:center"
|+ Key to cell hues
! colspan="3" | Spoken Values !! rowspan="2" | Unspoken<br/>Values
|-
! 'Fact' value !! (Additional) !! Conversion
|-
| style="background-color:#0F0" | Exact || style="background-color:#8F8" | Exact || style="background-color:#0FF" | Exact || style="background-color:#FFF" rowspan="3" | Calculated<br/>({{w|Significant figures#Rounding to significant figures|3SF}})<hr/> * = from Rough
|-
| style="background-color:#FF0" | Rough<br/>(Better?) || style="background-color:#FF8" | Rough<br/>(Better?) || style="background-color:#8FF" | Rough<br/>(Better?)
|}
{{cob}}
I more or less left it at the stage where I was considering adding and removing a few of the enforced line-breaks to make the rows of equal height (thus consistent with the diagonals), and also refine the positions of the align-left/align-right texts a bit better. But I'm not sure I'd want it, as it is now, actually replacing the current version. Maybe could act just as inspiration for the corrections necessary to the one we have noe, instead.... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.58.46|172.70.58.46]] 00:19, 25 March 2025 (UTC)

2227: Transit of Mercury

2025-03-01T19:16:57Z

162.158.74.69: Cannot see what the "Long Variation" is supposed to do. Describe pixel by pixel? Except for particularly text-heavy (including interactive/multi-path) comics, we easily make do with a single Transcript without adding a 'fuller' transcription.

{{comic
| number = 2227
| date = November 11, 2019
| title = Transit of Mercury
| image = transit_of_mercury.png
| titletext = For some reason the water in my pool is green and there's a weird film on the surface #nofilter
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is in reference to [https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/11/20958727/mercury-transit-sun-planet-nasa-astronomy the transit of the planet Mercury across the Sun] on November 11, 2019 (the date of the publication of this comic), which appeared from Earth as a small black dot moving against the background of the Sun. [[Randall]] has made comics about solar transits before, albeit about the transit of the International Space Station, in [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]] and [[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]. Viewing a solar transit requires a {{w|Astronomical filter|special lens filter}} to prevent the intense light from the Sun from burning out a telescope's imaging sensor.

The {{w|hashtag}} #nofilter is typically used on photo sharing sites, especially Instagram, to humblebrag about having encountered situations so photogenic that no further image enhancement ("{{w|Photographic filter|filter}}") is required to prepare them for general advertisement. In this comic, the hashtag is instead used to cap off an image about the predicament of the poster, where the lack of a proper astronomic filter has led to damage of personal property. The image shown on the comic is quite bright and {{w|Clipping (photography)|blown out}}, and though the poster did manage to get a picture of Mercury, the sun's bright light permanently damaged their telescope.

The title text refers to a still different meaning of the word "filter"; it imagines a swimming pool growing {{w|Algae|green scum}} in the absence of a {{w|Swimming_pool_sanitation#Private_pool_filtration|water filter}}, as opposed to a photographic or astronomic filter.

Although not directly referred to in this comic (although a variant was used in [[1911: Defensive Profile]]), a third common [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=No%20Filter variation of "No filter"] is possibly alluded to here and can refer to someone who makes, or posts, tactlessly candid comments. While often this means comments that reflect the individual's actual views which are potentially offensive or socially unacceptable, it could also refer to someone who posts every mundane detail of their lives, such as what is growing in their swimming pool (as is shown in the title text). Multiple layers of meaning makes this pretty clever word play.

==Transcript==
:[Panel showing the sun partially obscured by clouds with faded gray blue sky around the sun, mainly upper right, as there are clouds in the lower left part. The image is very bright and blown out at the bottom left, obscuring most of the surface detail of the sun. A small black dot is visible in the upper-right part of the sun's image.]

:[Caption below panel, with a yellow unhappy smiley before the hash tag:]
:This photo of the transit of Mercury fried my telescope's imaging sensor 🙁 #NoFilter

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Puns]]
[[Category:Emoji]]
[[Category:Social networking]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]

explain xkcd:Community portal/Admin requests

2025-02-24T22:06:38Z

162.158.74.69: /* Install anti-spam programs */

<noinclude>{{Community links}}
__NEWSECTIONLINK__
{|-
|valign="top" width="100%"|[[File:Mop.svg|left|120px]] <big><big><b>Admin requests</b></big></big>

<i> Welcome to your mother's basement! Problems requiring assistance from an [[explain xkcd:Administrators|admin]]. User problems, changes to protected pages, more user rights etc.</i> {{AddNewSection|Page=Explain XKCD:Community portal/Admin requests|Text=<small>(+post)</small>}}
|}
Click "expand" to see list of admins.<br/>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''List of Admins:'''<br>
{{Special:ListUsers/sysop}}
</div></noinclude>

== Racism on Main Page ==
There are some extremely racist comments on the main page. See https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. Please remove immediately!
Can admins please delete the racist comments on the main page?
The user who wrote these racist comments has the IP address of 162.158.146.163. Please block!

Edit: Resolved. Thanks :)

== Convert to real X-Forwarded-For IP addresses? ==

Can you admins do the https://serverfault.com/a/526551 thing so you can block by real IP addresses and ranges? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.134|172.70.211.134]] 15:45, 22 July 2022 (UTC)
:That is out of my league. But maybe some of the other clever admins may know what if that can be used? [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:07, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

==Install anti-spam programs==
I think it’s time to install some sort of automated anti-spam programs that can catch these spammers fast.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.91|172.70.130.91]] 06:30, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

I don't want to be disrespectful, but it seems that the current set of admins lacks the collective time or ability to upgrade Mediawiki/MySQL and install widely available anti-vandalism and anti-spam measures. But you have perhaps the most technically inclined, supportive, and motivated audience you could hope for here. Why not use the main page top banner to ask for expert Mediawiki volunteers or if that doesn't work, funds to hire such a consultant to upgrade blocking and filtering tools or a new hosting solution if needed? I believe you'd be surprised with the extent of community support you can muster, and manually chasing vandalism is becoming tiresome. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.90|172.70.211.90]] 07:28, 24 July 2022 (UTC)
:I've been chasing jeff for months now because he's the only one with access to the server. I know he's alive and still active online, but he clammed up partway through the previous wave of heavy spam and the email chain is just 20 of my own emails, I'll get through eventually. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 18:10, 24 July 2022 (UTC)
::[https://twitter.com/jeff_underscore @jeff_underscore] tweeted four days ago. Would it help if we launched a Twitter campaign to get him on board with a server update fundraiser, or something? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.214.43|172.70.214.43]] 03:36, 25 July 2022 (UTC)
::: Anyone with the skills and experience should tweet him to take him up on [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Jeff&diff=211706&oldid=211700 his offer,] IMHO. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.118.39|162.158.118.39]] 04:12, 25 July 2022 (UTC)

::::wait, don't we already have reCAPTCHA? that should at least stop the bots and slow spams. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.146.216|172.71.146.216]] 00:35, 24 February 2025 (UTC)
::::: We do, but users who are autoconfirmed don't have to do the captcha, which is something like 50 edits. It probably does slow them down, having to do most things manually, but I don't doubt that there are ways to automatically circumvent a captcha. [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you desire conversing]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 04:56, 24 February 2025 (UTC)
:::::: I tend to never say any details about ''what'' the autoconfirm thresholds are, on the basis that anyone trying to game the system doesn't have an idea of "Ah.... now just twenty more manual 'edits' to go and I can fire up my VandalBot script!". Especially the ones who are likely to attain the achievement by making inoccuous and actually useful-looking edits, who then need to be really dedicated to keep on doing this, even though they have the ultimate aim of subverting the whole lot. But it takes all sorts, so obviously there are those who wouldn't find that a problem at all. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 22:06, 24 February 2025 (UTC)
:Yeah, and also, what are these spam edits anyways? Some are just [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Prescriptions&action=history redirects to random comics] added to obscure pages like [[Prescriptions]]. What's the point in vandalising a page that's not advertised anywhere? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:36, 24 February 2025 (UTC)
::It's bored idiots who have nothing better to do with their life. ''Possibly'' (in certain events in the past) there ''were'' organised vandalisms that might have had people, on some obscure forum in the grey areas of the web, chatting about their particular contribution to the 'raid' that their particular group of saddos had decided to send against the latest target''--du-jour''. But there's always going to be people happy to despoil someone else's work just because "they can", who might find this place and decide that they can get their 'shitz'n'giggles' from it. I've seen other places completely overrun (either a completely overwhelming individual or a raid), because there weren't enough valid anti-vandals (whether fellow users or, where they can't do enough, a constant moderation team). Luckily, we're not in danger of that; generally we more than handle it, and even a particularly rough period (like on occasion) tends to get a major pushback from the 'regulars'. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 22:06, 24 February 2025 (UTC)

== Basic punctuation standards ==
Can we please have some agreement that <code>."</code> is better than <code>".</code>? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.150.29|172.71.150.29]] 07:08, 24 August 2022 (UTC)
:That would depend.
When asked "How do you deal with endquote punctuation in quoted speech?" he answered "Yes," with a definite nod of his head, "I would always try to put the punctuation before the quote."
:...that is how I was taught to do it, <mumble>fumphty-fumph</mumble> years ago, and when it is clear quoted speech (with 66s, 99s) then that's probably best. Except when it might confuse, but then a rewrite (or clearly indicated paraphrase/part-quote) might be useful. You'll note I example-quote 'wrongly' in some places below, to accomodate other factors. Like an exclamation point as a feature of the holding sentence that makes no sense at all to be translated to within the quoted sentence(-fragmant).
On the other hand providing "a set of words", with no clear quotation to them, ellicits no such compunction.
:...it gets a bit hazy, because a partial quote of a real full sentence (or an incomplete/incompleted quote) could go either way. But I would not consider "a set of words," to be sensible.
If you give a "list", "spread" or "set" of singular terms then no, or even compounded ones if they are ultimately the "be-all" and "end-all".
:...noting that I might personally single-quote in this case (I know not why I have adopted this principle, exactly), though I've often seen such things changed by others and it may be more contested than even the terminator punctuation. I might say that the 'true' difference is whether it is a definite "literal", insofar as meaning, or somewhat 'ad hoc', 'foreignish' or just plain constructed.
:But this is just my opinion. And, regardless of my preference to quote-punctuation ordering, I've seen several recent occasions where paren-punctuation ordering was totally off (IMO). Either "...at the end of a sentence (an aside.)", which should have been "... (an aside)." instead, or "(As a whole aside of its own)." for which it ''must'' surely be "(As ... of its own.)"
:Now, obviously too much ()ing is awkward, especially if nested, but I prefer the clearer in/out indication than other methods — like the mdash — which seem to be the favoured method by some editors — and, even more confusingly, often without spacing both sides. (Like "...by some editors—and, even more confusingly..."! Looks more like a hyphen, despite "—” and "–”-users changing hyphens-used-as-dashes to one or other of the dashes to try to differentiate them.)
:Ultimately, though, the people here will have learnt (or redeveloped) their own typographical standards over a wide range of educational eras (or under teachers/mentors whose own learnt-preferences might themselves be several decades passed into history) and with additional localisation/localization complications as well. I tend to agree with you (with caveats as mentioned) but it won't be universally acceptable. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.13|172.70.85.13]] 21:34, 24 August 2022 (UTC)
: Better? No. Correct (at least in American English)? Yes. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:25, 28 September 2022 (UTC)

== Propose block of (an?) IP user(s?) and suppression of their edits ==

I don't mind being insulted but I think it's clear they're bad for the community:

* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:NotaBene&diff=296485&oldid=203158
* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:NotaBene&diff=296486&oldid=296485

--[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 14:15, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

: As the IP who subsequently reverted those back out of existence (wasn't sure you'd seen it, but was clear to me it wasn't a useful/good-faith commentary, and now I find that you had and had certainly ignored it in-situ) I have mixed opinions. I could not have done my (good faith) edit if somehow restricted, in a way someone had previously gotten around. Bearing in mind the idiotic vandal(s) we have had before, and always ended up dealing with through sheer force of the more righteous and honest userbase, I think that drastic actions aren't necessary. But I can think of a few minor tweaks that maybe the current adminship can still hold in reserve and occasionally employ, without preventing the likes of me (long time contributor, but not yet decided to make it 'official') occasionally poking registered users' Talk pages with genuine queries or comments under most circumstances that may actually warrant it.
: That said, we have indeed had a spate of vandalism, recently, which I'm inclined to believe is 'our old friend' who probably decided he(?) was bored again. A few novel tricks (nonsense 'cat on keyboard' edits with no clear pattern to the nonsense or what it replaces) but in association with some of the old ones (global word replacements throughout an article). Quickly recorrected in all cases, SFAICT, so not a big problem.
: The above insertion (...insertions... seeming to care about punctuation typos!) I might have left for you to blue-pen out of your own Talk page (whatever the intent behind it) except for my spidey-sense saying it really was ''just'' trolling and that you had no reason to even consider a dismissive reply, never mind argue your defence against such an accusation. (But could always restore and reply to it if you really wanted to!) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.137|172.71.178.137]] 17:57, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

:: To be clear, I'm not proposing a site-wide restriction of all IP users, just those specific addresses. --[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 18:41, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

::: Understood, but that'd mean inconveniencing even legitimate readers routing through the same Cloudflare gateways. Which are in bunches, such that any given region of the world is served by not necessarily contiguous IP ranges, thus false-positives and false-negatives. Until you blanket-ban enough to just make for a whole lotta false-positive blocking for a segment of real users once the instigator of the mess just moves on (or enjoys the mess he made, if self-aware enough of it).
::: I won't even know, until I submit this, if I'm this time listed even in the same IP/8-block as the above (172.71.178.137), but if it turns out that I'm a 141.* this time (or maybe 142.*, I forget what I occasionally show up as) then obviously had you reason to IP-block me because of my own actions then you'd have accomplished little by even banning the whole 16-/24-block of my original. And that's without any conscious intent to bypass the default allocation system...
::: So, not that you should take my own opinion as gospel, just thought I'd mention this. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.3|172.70.90.3]] 20:23, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

== Hey ==

I cleaned everything up. You should probably restore the newest 3 topics.

:It could definitely do with a cleanup (not the only page like this!), but in a positive and considered manner, not just wiping and expecting unwarrented deletions to be restored after your removal. Archival sub-pages (restricted/fully-protected) should be involved, perhaps, for reference/history (on top of the History view itself).
:Not just wiping by an unisigned contributor, as you did. I'm a hairbreadth from just reverting it all back again, on principle, and maybe someone else will do that anyway.
:But defering to known named users (esp. the admins) and their decision on how to procede. (Please do delete this contribution if you see fit to do any restoration and make my opinions moot.) [[Special:Contributions/172.68.138.79|172.68.138.79]] 20:26, 23 October 2022 (UTC)
::I agree that it needed cleanup, and also agree that wiping everything was not the best way to go about doing it. I've moved most of the deleted content to the "talk"/archive page, and put back some discussions. [[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 23:22, 23 October 2022 (UTC)

== Complaint transcluded from [[user:ArthurGreenham]] ==
:(Ok, so, the above transclusion is subject to change at any time, as proven by While False going in there and 'wikilinking' everything since I first saw the transclusion inserted here, so perhaps a little less ephemeral explanation is needed..?)
:Point the first: I have no issues with While False, in general. Seems to be a good editor in general. As I recall, did a lot to counter that particularly recurring bad-faith editor who the current expanded admin set will recall. And regular editing from you, mate..? As good as anyone else, I would say. No bad-faith detected in you at all.
:Point the second: You do seem to be a bit too gung-ho with new pages, and similar experiments with markup. Just because you can, it seems. If those with the power to remove pages choose not to, then I'm not complaining, but I still think it's a bit... self-indulgant. Not that a mere IP like me can rightfully complain.
:Point the third: Clearly, among the mass of newly registered users (who never then contribute) there is a large cohort generated by some external script(s) for the intention of SEO/propogation of linky-links. I suspect that they're set to do this on any wiki that they can create accounts upon, mindlessly and with the initiating 'intelligence' not bothered how well they do it (economies of scale, as per spamming/etc) because some will do it and fulfil whatever purpose.
:Point the fourth: But, back a long time ago, our chief admin here (and his then current peers/etc?) set it up so that new users just did not so easily create brand new pages. Without overly restricting the spamming of user-registration (or, more importantly, legitimately interested actual contributors) it stymied the scripts that were creating users that then could not create (and write their spam upon) the pages they were programmed to create.
:Point the fifth: But if someone who is an autoconfirmed user looks at the accounts created (I'm guessing here, so corrects me if I'm wrong) and decides to make the pages that new and heretofor uncontriutive users ''cannot'' create for themselves, there are times (at least two, that I know of) that the mindless spam-script has not given up and moved on from putting their random link-spam upon RandomNewname's user page. And as RandomNewname ''has'' a page, it does its preprogrammed stuff.
:...and the world does not stop turning, if that happens. But it does just marginally increase the benefits vs costs of the spam-engine technique (which are probably already breaking even and more, across all speculative spam-destinationa) and I'd suggest we shouldn't be helping with that any more than we already have to.
:Maybe theusaf could add to their own bot some sort of detection of a suspicious level of linkspamming upon a user's own pages (to neuter these that leak through, like the ones that it deals with in other circumstances), but that'd be difficult without having false-positives upon genuine new users with (once they can) a genuine reason to populate their userspace with various external links.
:Instead, perhaps hold back upon feeding the spambots the fresh ground that they seem to like to make use of. Perhaps a page for "please create my userspace!" if we want genuine users (or at least ones that can find and read instructions) to get a userspace more quickly than the normal limits apply, so any established (named) editor can give them their Welcome-templated editspace.
:We can't so easily protect against conscious bad-faith editors (we will just have to deal with them, as we have done), but we seem to have sufficient anti-bot defences. If misguided editing doesn't open up cracks in the walls.
:...Ok, that looks like a rant, but was just intended to cover (much of) the issue as I saw it in a way that explained my accumulated thinking on the matter. And I clearly think too much. This is not a diatribe against anybody (except the spambot originators), just a plea for action (or, rather, inaction) in a key way. And perhaps some moderator-level cleanup, so that the above transclusion is now effectively red-linked (then delete/archive this horribly overblown entry). Leaving it up to you lot. Have fun! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.3|172.70.90.3]] 10:34, 1 November 2022 (UTC)

==2696: Accuracy and precision==
This is my first edit/post here. Could someone please include the Wikipedia link to "Accuracy and precision" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision], which is a separate article from 'accuracy' and 'precision'? Thanks! unsigned ip|172.71.98.97|16:04, 9 November 2022}}
:If someone else hasn't done already, it's trivial enough to do yourself in a similar way to how you edited here, in any one of a number of ways.
:*By bare URL (shows the URL, like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision but not really suitable here)
:*As you did it above, with [] around the URL, giving a 'reference'-like link. Occaisionally useful, but a little impersonal in most cases.
:**Or use URL and alternate text in the []s (space-separated) <nowiki>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision like this]</nowiki>, which looks [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision like this] and is most useful for non-wiki links that you can describe well, or associate into the flow of text.
:*An internal wiki link is defined like <nowiki>[[2696: Precision vs Accuracy]]</nowiki> and renders as [[2696: Precision vs Accuracy]], which is common site practice (you could alse link to [[2696]] or [[Precision vs Accuracy]], in most cases, which are redirects) but doesn't help in the above link's case.
:**If you wanted to internally link with [[2696: Precision vs Accuracy|other text]] then using <nowiki>[[2696: Accuracy and precision|other text]]</nowiki> is the way to do it (use the pipe delimiter).
:*When it comes to wikipedia links, though, we have a nice template for it. By using <nowiki>Accuracy and precision}}</nowiki> (or with the underscored version of the title, if you wish) you get a link to {Accuracy and precision}}, with the nicer aesthetic. '''Probably what you wanted.''' You can lowercase the "A" and it will still link (usually... always good to check) and linking to something like a w|noun}} can generally be written as <nowiki>|noun}}s</nowiki> should you wish the flow of text to seemlessly render the link as being for multiple noun}}s, thanks to a little more background trickery.
:**If you want to use more <nowiki>Accuracy_and_precision|replaced text}}</nowiki> then you get aAccuracy_and_precision|replaced text}} rendering. '''Another possibility for what you'd wish to use, here.'''
:**Similar templates exist for linking the likes of emplate|wiktionary}} and evenemplate|tvtropes}}, should you need them.
:**...noting that the latter needs the NoSpacesVersion of the title and because tropes|TVTropesWillRuinYourLife|TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life}}, it has a slightly more forboding format, even though it isn't really ''that'' much worse than [[214: The Problem with Wikipedia]]. ;)
:In case that's of any use to you, or anybody else. There are a few more tips and tricks, but this covers a lot of the usage-cases.
:Also, in discussion pages and ones like this, it's useful to sign your contribution with the four tildes. But it's easy to forget and there are templates to mark unsigned contribution. As I did above. Don't worry about it. It just lets you datestamp and demarkate elements of conversation in a useful manner. As a first edit, you can be forgiven, but just so you know for future! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.57|172.70.91.57]] 18:21, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

** "'it's trivial enough to do yourself in a similar way to how you edited here'" Those options do not seem to be open to me if I do not set up an account; I'm not ready to take that step, so it looks like I can only edit behind-the-scenes pages, not comic pages. Thanks for the advice! I do enjoy the site when I check in! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.182.17|172.71.182.17]] 18:35, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
** Never mind. I found the option. I didn't realize the new comic page was separate from the main page. I was trying to edit the main page. Thanks! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.182.17|172.71.182.17]] 18:39, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
:...I must say, I never thought about that, or I might have not concentrated on the link-formatting stuff (which I hope was just as useful, in its own way).
:As you see, I'm also not 'ready' to set up an account. But I rarely go via the main page, which is locked against trivial vandalism, plus know that the useful editing occurs only in the transcluded source page anyway. And now so do you, happily.
:I don't know if that confusion catches out many potential editors, but at least now you know yourself. And, from one IP to another, Welcome! I hope you now find yourself productively editing away in the future, if you have anything else useful to include. No obligation, of course, except to play nice if you do. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.11|172.70.86.11]] 19:20, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

==There's a lot of vandalism going on==

See the page history of any recent comic page. Not sure what to do about it. [[User:Equites|Equites]] ([[User talk:Equites|talk]]) 00:57, 19 November 2022 (UTC)

:Ban 162.158.107.56 and 172.71.150.83, they seem to be the perpetuators. [[User:Starstar|Starstar]] ([[User talk:Starstar|talk]]) 02:15, 19 November 2022 (UTC)

As of the 22nd, the users ChuddyCobson and CobsonTheGemson are responsible for a large amount of attacks and image vandalism, most of them NSFW (inappropiate and/or gore). Can something be done about them? [[User:Gyozaplanet|Gyozaplanet]]

I noticed the image for 1460 has been vandalized. But, in looking at the history it shows an old vandalism that was fixed. But following the link in the alleged fix gets the vandalized image. I'm out of my depth for fixing this, but couldn't find a better place to report it. It's getting too late and I'm far too tired to do more... (As an aside to what I came here for, are the above two things vandalism here? That's a rathole I'm not continuing down.) [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 09:37, 22 December 2022 (UTC)

A few hours ago I decided to visit this wiki, and got quite the surprise on the front page, in that it was heavily vandalized. Decided to make an account after looking at recent changes and saw how much there was.

The accounts involved seem to be these;
* CobsonTheGemson
* ChuddyCobson
* Cobson
* Stinkycobbypoopoo
* Chud
* GotTheJakkyDoe

Kinda confused since they don't seem to be bots but I assume they're using a script or something to automate their vandalism. As far as I know, A few other people and I reverted more or less everything those accounts have done but it's possible some stuff fell through the cracks.

Also some of the gifs I reverted (most notably the gif for 381) seem to still have the same image so I'm hoping that's just a cache thing that'll sort itself out in time.

I left the above weirdness since I don't know the etiquette for deleting stuff in this section and it would remove some context to the above person's post. Hope I didn't break anything while cleaning up. [[User:Neerti|Neerti]] ([[User talk:Neerti|talk]]) 10:24, 22 December 2022 (UTC)

:Cleaned up some accounts '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 16:38, 22 December 2022 (UTC)

== Opening Certain Pages causes mediawiki errors ==

For example [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals Proposals] and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/User:Dgbrt this user page] [[User:Starstar|Starstar]] ([[User talk:Starstar|talk]]) 02:10, 19 November 2022 (UTC)

== Apparent abuse of multiple accounts ==
For a few weeks (mostly the last few days) 51 accounts with the same soon-current name [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=newusers&user=&page=User%3ASadSanta&pattern=1&year=&month=-1&tagfilter=&subtype= have been created]. To me it looks like preparation for abuse of multiple accounts. —[[User:While False|While False]] ([[User:While False/explain xkcd museum|'''museum''']] | [[User talk:While False|talk]] | [[special:Contributions/While_False|contributions]] | [[special:Log/While_False|logs]] | [[Special:UserRights/While_False|rights]] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&printable=yes printable version] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&action=info page information] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere/User:While_False what links there] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChangesLinked&days=30&from=&target=User%3AWhile_False related changes] | [https://www.google.com Google search] | current time: CURRENTTIME}}) 11:44, 16 December 2022 (UTC)
:Now, they’re 195. —[[User:While False|While False]] ([[User:While False/explain xkcd museum|'''museum''']] | [[User talk:While False|talk]] | [[special:Contributions/While_False|contributions]] | [[special:Log/While_False|logs]] | [[Special:UserRights/While_False|rights]] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&printable=yes printable version] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&action=info page information] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere/User:While_False what links there] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChangesLinked&days=30&from=&target=User%3AWhile_False related changes] | a late contribution | current time: CURRENTTIME}}) 17:24, 19 December 2022 (UTC)
::With the exception of being 'topical', these are quite typical of numerous other "<commonroot><randomchars>" sets of never-ever-used usernames. It is good to be aware of them, but I think this 'common root' was just randomly grabbed by the algorithm (or its master) without any particular view to be used any more effectively than before.
::I leave it to those who can actually do something to decide ''whether'' to actually do something, but I'm currently not so concerned. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.127|172.70.91.127]] 01:06, 20 December 2022 (UTC)
::Addendum - alongside "SadSanta...", we're getting a lot of [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=newusers&user=&page=User%3ANatasha&pattern=1&year=&month=-1&tagfilter=&subtype= "Natasha"s], while around this time last year (as the first time glanced back at) we had [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=newusers&user=&page=User%3APellGync&pattern=1&year=&month=-1&tagfilter=&subtype= "PellGync"] and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=newusers&user=&page=User%3ASnawlrab&pattern=1&year=&month=-1&tagfilter=&subtype= "Snawlrab"] as the common roots concerned. Which ultimately came of nought.
::I get the impression that the limited-success script (as being used to create spam-accounts, but overwhelmingly failing to then exploit them) is set up to randomly apply two such common roots at a time (or else there's two copies of the code running, wherever, each switching out 'exhausted' roots for the next enqueued one in their own list ...as and when necessary). A quick poke into other 'recent' historic points in the Account Creation log highly supports this, but it could do with a far more rigorous analysis to be more definite. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.118|172.71.242.118]] 01:31, 20 December 2022 (UTC)

There also used to be a lot of eight-letter usernames. Too many usernames are being created every day. --[[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 22:03, 2 January 2023 (UTC)

== Current troll(s) ==
There's trolls posting extremely obscene stuff on the homepage, and frankly I'm appalled. The Admins need to take several steps to lock down the main page so that it's not possible for readers to view such obscene content (for example, why are arbitrary images that don't come from xkcd.com allowed???) Why are random users allowed to post arbitrary images that are not filtered/scanned in any way? ([[User:bkayes|bkayes]])
: It's been like this forever. It's rare enough that the admins leave things fairly open, but lengthy stretches lead to the lockdowns you're asking for, usually for about a week which is usually sufficient. Mixed feelings. There are a lot of tools that could help a lot, but we can't get [[User:Jeff]] to upgrade because his hosting deal depends on some ad stuff that won't port to newer versions. :( [[User:Liv2splain|Liv2splain]] ([[User talk:Liv2splain|talk]]) 04:45, 22 December 2022 (UTC)
:: Image uploads being open is usually nicer for everyone, except in the scenario while children decide to use it as an avenue for vandalism. I got enough on my hands already to be dealing with but this probably demands some attention '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 16:38, 22 December 2022 (UTC)
::: (Rerationalised under a new header, as a different issue, though also related to a prior section's 'insertion/revival' in response to the idiot concerned, too.) Appreciated, David. Noting that the inability for me to correct the account-led vandalism, last night, is the one factor that might eventually push me to establish a non-IP presence. But we had other volunteer accounts reacting fairly well to the trouble, and I knew we'd settle down soon enough. Anyhoo, Merry Christmas to you and the others on the side of stability, while I'm here and chatting away. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.136|172.71.178.136]] 17:00, 22 December 2022 (UTC)

::: I find it unfortunate that "rarity" is any sort of excuse for allowing this to happen. XKCD is a fantastic source of quality STEM entertainment, and thus is a great resource to get younger audiences interested in such fields through humor. Many high school age and younger people regularly view xkcd content. However, some of the comics are quite obscure or contain a lot of depth, which is why explainxkcd has been such a great resource for everyone to learn things that are outside of their depth (including younger audiences). The knowledge that someone can open explainxkcd and have the slightest chance that they see extreme gore/porn is absolutely absurd and unacceptable for a wiki that is serving solely family friendly science content. I can no longer recommend explainxkcd to people I know (and especially not younger people) because of the lack of modern anti-trolling tooling, and that really sucks. I understand the issues surrounding locking down the text explanations, but the images should be a trivially solvable problem. Compare a checksum between the image found at *.xkcd.com and the image uploaded and reject an image that doesn't match, or better yet *use the official xkcd RSS feed* (https://xkcd.com/rss.xml) to download the images directly, and don't allow any user edits of the images. Then you can deal with vandalization of the text some other time, locking down the images is really the highest priority here I think. ([[User:bkayes|bkayes]]) 04:17, 23 December 2022 (UTC)

== [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] ==

Could probably do with some page protection here. Thanks. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.231|162.158.34.231]] 23:41, 29 December 2022 (UTC)
:If you mean for the thing that [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2659:_Unreliable_Connection&diff=prev&oldid=303665 gets reverted very quickly], I think that's already dealt with quite nicely. And it isn't the only page that is targetted, so where do you stop? Whole-site lockdown, when the occasonal automated spam is equally automatically reverted? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.21|162.158.74.21]] 00:05, 30 December 2022 (UTC)
::Over the past couple of weeks, the edit history of this particular page has consisted of nothing but vandalism and it's subsequent reversion. The vandal doesn't seem to be targeting (m)any other pages, so protection should make them go away. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.79.158|172.69.79.158]] 21:43, 14 January 2023 (UTC)
:::Nonetheless, the same tactic has been seen (and reverted, promptly) on other comics, like #976. ''edit: ...and #2503 suffered this vandalism/reversion, again, on 15 Jan 2023.'' Block 2659 and 976 from editing and someone may easily change the config for the script and hit any othe page they please, not really reducing the ultimate change/revert frequency, just where it is happening.
:::I'll accept gradual locking down of progressively more and more of the site, if it happens, but I'm not sure it'd be of any real benefit to do so. Not my call, so just giving my POV... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.74|162.158.34.74]] 23:47, 14 January 2023 (UTC)
Someone pointed out that the spams are more likely to occur on pages with "Connect" in their titles. [[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 10:49, 31 March 2023 (UTC)

The user talk page with the same name got spammed. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.242|172.69.134.242]] 06:18, 28 April 2023 (UTC)

== Announcement: online chat with Randall January 31 ==

Admins: would you please consider adding this blurb to the end of the [[MediaWiki:Sitenotice]] just for this month?

: [https://libraryc.org/mountainviewlibrary/22032 Register to attend an online chat] with [[Randall Munroe]] January 31 at 11am Pacific.

Thank you for your consideration. [[User:Liv2splain|Liv2splain]] ([[User talk:Liv2splain|talk]]) 06:23, 2 January 2023 (UTC)
:Done —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 23:29, 4 January 2023 (UTC)
::Thank you! I'm very much looking forward to the well-attended zoom chat, let alone what should come from the large pool of questions from international fans. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.16|172.69.134.16]] 14:04, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

Archive of livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAEutGwIQ9c [[Special:Contributions/162.158.166.173|162.158.166.173]] 19:03, 31 January 2023 (UTC)

==All community portal==
Would you mind semi-protecting [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/All|this]] and [[explain_xkcd_talk:Community_portal/All|that]] page? They don't seem to need edits. --[[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 17:55, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

== Brief(?) and limited spate of vandalism. ==

It may be a flash in a pan, but there's some [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2293:_RIP_John_Conway&action=history misuse of multiple accounts] going on here as of this timestamp (with ColourfulGalaxy having mostly had to correct matters on their own, so far). FYI, on their behalf. With any luck the idiot involved will get bored soon, if not already, but making a note anyway. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.124|162.158.159.124]] 20:15, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

: He edited my user page just now. --[[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 20:17, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

: I tried to help them, but failed. I had to turn to you for help. [[User:ChristmasGospel|ChristmasGospel]] ([[User talk:ChristmasGospel|talk]]) 20:24, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

: EDIT: By the way, don't call him "idiot", or he may be angry.

::Given that someone [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:ColorfulGalaxy&curid=25508&diff=304689&oldid=303399 seems to be stalking you], and even snuck in some activity before ''my'' post, above, I'm starting to suspect something more. I leave it to those who can do things to sort it out. As an IP, I don't think I have any say in the matter, but I'll let others consider the possibilities. (You've got to be an idiot to clearly log in with the wrong account, though, and then fail to pick up the changes with the 'right' one. And I knew While False wasn't truly finished trying to do stupid things to the site... You're not impressing anybody, WF.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.201|172.70.85.201]] 20:28, 12 January 2023 (UTC)
:::That’s not typical WF behaviour at all. —[[Special:Contributions/162.158.222.198|162.158.222.198]] 19:38, 27 January 2023 (UTC)

== The online chat s over ==

Please revert https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=MediaWiki:Sitenotice&diff=304122&oldid=239894 [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.92|172.70.211.92]] 18:45, 1 February 2023 (UTC)

== Users involved in spamming. ==

There are at least three 'people' involved here, using trivial character differences/substitutions:
* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/ElisabethPacheco
* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/EIisabethPacheco
* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/EIizabethPacheco
(...in case not obvious, especially in sans-serif, the second two use capital-I (i) instead of small-l (L), and the s/z difference should be obvious. No obvious signs of anything like using cyrillic look-alike characters, yet.)

There may be others, or will be, but these ones have just recently popped up in spamming (and then obfuscating? ...hoping to be reverted back into the spam version?) the redirect pages [[Drama‎‎]] and [[Google Maps]] (see [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Drama&action=history here] and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Google_Maps&action=history here]), though they are currently fully reverted. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.35|172.70.90.35]] 04:33, 28 February 2023 (UTC)
:One of these also interacted with a differently named suspicious-looking/acting account:
:* https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/CipherGuide
:Could be a coincidence, but... For reference. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.190|172.71.242.190]] 13:18, 28 February 2023 (UTC)
:And now [[User:ElisabethPacheco (do not ban me)]]. [[User:AndroidTheLucario|AndroidTheLucario]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 03:54, 19 March 2023 (UTC)

Can someone block [[User:Email Trial 1]]? They're repeatedly adding comments on spamming other people's emails. Thanks! ~ [[user:megan|Megan]] <sup>she</sup>/<sub>her</sub> <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 16:25, 24 March 2023 (UTC)

== Ongoing image vandalism ==

by [[User:Troonjak|this user]] ([[Special:Contributions/Troonjak|contributions]]). ~ [[user:megan|Megan]] <sup>she</sup>/<sub>her</sub> <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 02:50, 11 March 2023 (UTC)

I suggest we raise the threshold for image uploads. After all, there's no reason for most editors to upload images. ~ [[user:megan|Megan]] <sup>she</sup>/<sub>her</sub> <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 03:13, 11 March 2023 (UTC)

Bumping this since it happened again. <span class="nowrap">—megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</span> 07:54, 22 July 2024 (UTC)

== Fix obnoxious typo on the Editor FAQ ==

This page contains a typo and I can't edit it out: https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Editor_FAQ

It's highlighted in this sentence:

"You can use the Math markup <nowiki><math>...</math></nowiki>. The other known code from Wikipedia <nowiki><chem>...</chem></nowiki> is not supported yet. It's based on LaTeX syntax and a general overview can be found at '''''it's''''' Wikipedia help page. Don't use it unless you actually understand what you are doing." Edit: Whoops, forgot to sign: [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 09:04, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

== Update MediaWiki ==

The current MediaWiki version is 1.30.0 which ended support mid-2019, please upgrade to 1.39.x or something due to security concerns. Instructions here https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Upgrading [[User:Cam1170|Cam1170]] ([[User talk:Cam1170|talk]]) 20:55, 29 March 2023 (UTC)
Make sure to upgrade to 1.35 first, from the Check Requirements section.
Actually, 1.31 then 1.35 then 1.39 for the smoothest transition. [[User:Cam1170|Cam1170]] ([[User talk:Cam1170|talk]]) 15:15, 5 July 2023 (UTC)

I would like to add that this is still an issue. I don't know a better way to bring this to admin attention. [[User:Cam1170|Cam1170]] ([[User talk:Cam1170|talk]]) 21:28, 9 November 2023 (UTC)

== user edits someone else's comment ==

https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2760:_Paleontology_Museum&diff=309970&oldid=309964 [[Special:Contributions/162.158.87.65|162.158.87.65]] 09:51, 8 April 2023 (UTC)
::That word is not spelled "Ye". It's "Þe". [[User:Omg Oriental Music Group|Omg Oriental Music Group]] ([[User talk:Omg Oriental Music Group|talk]]) 00:49, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
:::That would depend. We all (FCVO 'all') get your point, but is spelt (or, if you wish, "spelled", but I would like to use the other form) that way by the original commentator. And it was a signed Talk post, not an Explanation page that needs to be standardised(/standardized) by success revisions.
:::Can you also say for definite that it was not intended by the original author to be the second-person plural personal pronoun (nominative), correctly or otherwise, rather than the definite article (under a standard reduced typeset)? No reason to change it, not even if an actual tyop. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.207|172.71.178.207]] 11:56, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
:Yeah, bad practice, except where correcting clear mistakes or otherwise sanitising something best not left up in the open (for whatever good reason). Like if I'd misapplied a style "colour" tag, by accident, but not if I'd openly written "colour" in a Talk entry.
:But not necessary in this case of language-geek hyperconnection. I think a revert/re-edit to restore the original would be not an issue, but I won't do it myself.
:The best way to look smart with the "thorn" character would have been to say "You have 'Ye Olde blah-de-blah', but I hink you meant... [etc]" and own the joke and the smugness rather than try to 'improve' on the original in-situ. As one who has made typos (but also said exactly what I wanted to, perhaps deciding not to over-egg the pudding) I would prefer even a snarky "did you mean.." reply over an invisible 'improvement' that may not even be properly focused any more. Each to their own, but my suggestion, if the editor wants to revise their edit. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.65|172.71.178.65]] 15:54, 8 April 2023 (UTC)

== Deletion of wrongly-titled pages ==
Could you please delete [[:Category:Comics with small caps|this redirect]]? [[User:Memo Spike Connector|2503: Memo Spike Connector]] ([[User talk:Memo Spike Connector|talk]]) 06:18, 17 April 2023 (UTC)

Could you delete [[:Category;Comics featuring real people|this page]]? [[User:ClassicalGames|ClassicalGames]] ([[User talk:ClassicalGames|talk]]) 03:29, 15 June 2023 (UTC)

[[Usertalk:Billstz]] turned into a redirect. It should have been deleted. [[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 21:10, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

== Repeated spam in user talk page ==
The page [[User talk:ClassicalGames]] got repeatedly spammed. Could you semiprotect it? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.242|172.69.134.242]] 02:07, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

:Hmmmmm, I think he really deserves the spam. He spammed in [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Sandbox|someone else's user page]] without permission. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 03:56, 15 May 2023 (UTC)

:Easily reverted, to restore legitimate conversation. (Perhaps more such attention should go to where some people are [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2293:_RIP_John_Conway&curid=22901&diff=312913&oldid=312626 repeatedly making entirely useless and gratuitous edits]...) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.86|172.71.242.86]] 08:59, 12 May 2023 (UTC)
::Those spammers probably knew the CG rules, and appeared to have welcomed every CG group member with a spam. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.33|172.69.23.33]] 09:57, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

== The relevant xkcd comic from not xkcd ==

https://thomaspark.co/2017/01/relevant-xkcd/ This comic. A reference to xkcd, in the style of xkcd, about xkcd.

Can I make a page about it? Please? :)

== What's a "comic incarnate"? ==

[[User:Memo Spike Connector]] seems to have a friend group of users with the names of various comics. E's been changing their user pages ''and signatures'' to match the comic pages and titles. Is this some sort of cult? It sounds fun! Where do I sign up? --[[User:AndroidTheLucario|Your favorite aura doggo]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 03:18, 10 June 2023 (UTC)
:To answer the title, "incarnate"=="made flesh". Reincarnation is when you're given a new body, again, incarnation can therefore be taken as when the 'spirit' first assumes a tangible (or visible) form.
:To ponder on this fad of creating comic-related user accounts... pretty much unnecessary and has no reason to be encouraged, I suppose. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.62|172.70.162.62]] 03:52, 10 June 2023 (UTC)
::How do I join? I wanna be cool like them! --[[User:AndroidTheLucario|Your favorite aura doggo]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 03:59, 10 June 2023 (UTC)
:I think this needs to be taken more seriously now. [[User:Memo Spike Connector]] has had their page added to the *category* of Cursed Connectors, despite not being an official comic. It's starting to feel like a very unusual case of vandalism, but I'm not sure. [[User:Tsumikiminiwa|Tsumikiminiwa]] ([[User talk:Tsumikiminiwa|talk]]) 19:37, 14 June 2023 (UTC)
:: Addendum, [[User:Unreliable Connection]] has their page added to the Internet and Social Interactions categories. Everything else I said before still stands. [[User:Tsumikiminiwa|Tsumikiminiwa]] ([[User talk:Tsumikiminiwa|talk]]) 19:41, 14 June 2023 (UTC)

== Main page in phones category ==

The [[Main Page]] is now in the [[:Category:Phones]] category. [[User:ClassicalGames|ClassicalGames]] ([[User talk:ClassicalGames|talk]]) 03:25, 15 June 2023 (UTC)
:Surely because [[2789: Making Plans]], currently transcluded there, is legitimately given that category. I'd be more surprised if it wasn't. (Until Wednesday's new comic release changes this, if it does.) What's the problem, and how is it related to 'your' issue, above? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.146|172.71.178.146]] 10:04, 15 June 2023 (UTC)
::I moved this to its own section, but you can change the section title if you want. --[[User:AndroidTheLucario|Your favorite aura doggo]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 19:43, 15 June 2023 (UTC)

== please block u|Vandal (and many more)==

cf. [[Special:Contributions/Vandal]] 11 page blankings today. Thanks. [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 21:24, 4 July 2023 (UTC)

Actually, looking at [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Log/newusers&limit=500&type=newusers&user= Special:Log/newusers] is pretty ominous. Nearly all of the last 500 (within the past 4 days), and also the next few thousand, are suspicious. The CAPTCHA probably needs to be replaced with something more difficult that is perhaps not as trivially automatable? And all those users blocked? Not sure. [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 22:05, 4 July 2023 (UTC)
:As a regular checker of such things, I know for a fact that you get hundreds of 'suspicious' accounts created every day, and most of them 'go nowhere'. The account creation speedblocks may not be very good. Or, possibly, tens of thousands of accounts are ''tried'' to be created, with 'just' a small percentage of them getting past the CAPTCHA/etc to get noticed by us - the actual top-level site admins will have access to the 'failed to register fully' logs. ''But'', the actual page vandalism is very rarely any of these 'mechanised spam accounts'. I presume because the CAPTCHAs throttle down the 'lucky' accounts' abilities to do anything they were programmed to do ''once'' registered. And, no, the accounts aren't blocked (i.e. disabled accounts, except on very ''rare'' occasions when an Admin gets annoyed with a conspicuously used spam-login), if the actual Block Log is to be believed, but so many get created and ''never'' used so it looks like the "new user early posts" precautionary checks do a very good job.
:We're also getting that idiot (I presume the same idiot as we've had for a year or two now) who manually creates accounts, such as you have been dealing with (and me, and others) over the last 24 hours or so. As a stupid human rather than a 'smart' bot, the CAPTCHA is no block to him/her/them. And the occasional IP gets used in that way, too (and I mostly successfully revert vandalism as only an IP; usefully, I hope) which might just be lazy vandalism, on top of the baseline stupidity. But the precautions against them are different. As with the 'Eric's ("Hi, I see your website needs improving - Eric"-types of message), which also seem to be handled by the community (and/or our automated blocking/reverting).
:I don't see increasing the severity of the CAPTCHA to be a solution to much, honestly. Not from my perspective, certainly, though I know there's no reason to take my own unattributable word on that.
:Instead, we should keep on keeping on. The community handles these things as they need to be. The admins know the 'hidden fight' going on in the background, but won't (and shouldn't) reveal too much about the extent of the first-line defences against bad faith 'automated' edits and the rest. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.140|172.70.90.140]] 08:13, 5 July 2023 (UTC)

Vandalism appeared again in [[2800]]. [[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 20:07, 11 July 2023 (UTC)

== Ban fake IP ==

Could you ban [[User:172.68.102.XXX]]? His edits sound suspicious, and he seems to be fighting against us. [[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 19:41, 11 July 2023 (UTC)

== Vandalism by 172.69.214.158 ==

Large number of extreme vandalism, which ThatoneU is valiantly yet inefficaciously fighting:

example from https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1193:_Externalities&action=history

<pre>
(cur | prev) 01:04, 24 July 2023‎ 172.69.214.158 (talk)‎ . . (6,765 bytes) (-15,000)‎ . . (Undo revision 318344 by ThatoneU (talk)) (undo)
(cur | prev) 00:47, 24 July 2023‎ ThatoneU (talk | contribs)‎ m . . (21,765 bytes) (+15,000)‎ . . (undo)
(cur | prev) 00:46, 24 July 2023‎ 172.69.214.158 (talk)‎ . . (6,765 bytes) (-15,000)‎ . . (undo)
</pre>

== Vandalism on page 2805 ==

The latest comic page (2805) is currently being vandalized. Can an admin please look into it?

== Problem with new accounts and IPs ==

So I'm sure many of you are well aware of the vandalism happening recently. But what concerns me the most is that all the edits were done by many, many different IPs, meaning that we can't just block one, and this site could get overrun by systematic IP vandalism. Also, the new accounts being created seem very suspicious. For such a small community, there's no way that there can be around 100 new users each day. The actual usernames of the users seem to follow a very repetitive pattern (generic first name + generic last name + random number). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.42.209|172.70.42.209]] 18:44, 24 July 2023 (UTC)
:As a fellow IP (and not a vandal myself, at least by intent) I find that the advantages of being able to leap in and correct (often 'named') damage outweigh the relatively small amount of IP-led vandalism. And the details of how the IPs represent the (limited, but geographically distributed) Cloudflare gateways has been noted before a number of times, together with what can be done about/with them.
:About the new accounts... Look back for ''years'', and you'll see the same (or similar) patterns. Almost all the truly rogue (presumably automated generation/'registering') then do nothing else as the site blocks the (still automated) attempts to do something with them.
:The worst danger this site is threatened by is the actual manually-posting individuals who (IPed or named) can do what they like so long as (like us legitimate editors) they are prepared to be sat at the keyboard and spend/waste the time in navigating the initial CAPTCHAs/etc to set down their changes. And there's not much more anybody can do about them without ruining everyone else's experience to a similar degree. Perhaps there's some adjustments possible, but none seem necesary to address the account-spam and other precautions are intercepting/reverting the lion's share of the edit-spam (with or without accounts).
:Not up to me, but I trust in those who it is up to. To continue with what is happening right now or to respond in new ways to anything that needs a new approach. Not saying that I don't have ideas of my own, for if I were able to intervene, but I doubt it'd be useful to voice them. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.158|172.70.162.158]] 21:12, 24 July 2023 (UTC)

== Large amounts of vandalism involving disturbing imagery. ==

Page 2805 has a huge vandalism problem. Vandals (it seems to be the same few people over and over, or maybe one person with multiple addresses) keep covering the page with weird, disturbing photos and way-too-bright colors.
A few people have been valiantly fighting back but that doesn't mean this isn't a problem.
I would like to please request that the page be locked to prevent further vandalism, and that you please ban all the people that have vandalized it in this way before (and/or take some other action to prevent future vandals) . Thank you very much! [[User:(insert name here)|(insert name here)]] ([[User talk:(insert name here)|talk]]) 01:20, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

There also seems to be a parser problem where instead of vandals replacing the page source, the vandalism is appended to the end, even though it isn't in the source. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.174.230|172.71.174.230]] 03:39, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

The optimal way to go would be to add bots that automatically replace questionable content like divs and detect image/word spam (like the one in Wikipedia). They would always be on so the vandals would get overwhelmed. Similarly I'd suggest monitoring the constant stream of IP addresses and created accounts. Most editors are IP addresses though, so you might want to watch out for that. Does ExplainXKCD have semiprotection capabilities? You would definitely want to do that, especially the important articles like [[xkcd]], [[Randall Munroe]], [[Cueball]], [[1:_Barrel_-_Part_1]], and ALL of the templates (the vandals were targeting those the most). [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 11:53, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

: I agree that the important pages (primary pages, plus all templates) need to be protected somehow so that this can't happen again. It's nice to have a low threshold to editing; it's nicer having a resource that can be depended on and doesn't require random volunteers jumping in to save. (Let's be honest; the images the vandal posted could have been much, much worse.) -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 12:28, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

:: What the heck is 'Explain XKCD Administrator' doing? He seems to also be doing some weird div BS, making it so that it's impossible to scroll or click on templates or some comics. Blocking would be heavily advised. [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 12:39, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

== Becoming an admin? ==

Hi. I've been contributing occasionally for eight years now, and I think I've been helpful. But, almost half of the edits were last night in that wave of vandalism. It was very frustrating knowing that I had the same tools as the (14-year-old?) vandal, and the only end-point to the fun would be one of us throwing in the towel, and it was probably going to me (bedtime).

I don't have the time and/or commitment to do regular moderation work, but I (think I) am a reasonable person, who deals with conflicts rationally and could help out in a pinch. Is there a chance I could be given some more powers to help out if (when) such a crap-storm happens again? Thanks for your consideration... -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 11:14, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

:I saw your efforts, early on in my own day, definitely looked to be amongst the helpful editors. I later picked up several cases (might have missed a couple, that others IDed before me) after I got online, and undid that latest form of vandalism in both templates (agree with above, they probably should be semi-protected) and pages. A simple Undo even at my level was sufficient to revert practically everything. What might have been handy was one of the top-moderators being around to use the mass-revert tools to streamline that, and keep on top of the account (or account''s'', as the problematic one would definitely open new accounts - we've seen them do this before) deserving to be blocked and banished. Unfortunately, the freedom of a wiki (which I value) doesn't really work well with over-administration. But that's a discussion to be had by those already at the top levels. I don't envy them. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.164|172.70.90.164]] 18:08, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

:: Well, the 14-year-old is back. I'm losing interest in fighting this mud-fest without real admin tools. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 20:11, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
::: We really need to stop this wave of persistent vandalism with protection. When will the admins notice our suffering? [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 20:23, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
::: I feel your pain. I caught (and had to recatch) a few of them as he turned up whilst I was browsing/considering proper edits. nd then I noticed you had appeared and were also retroing them, just as I thought I was barely keeping pace. But he's slackened off, so maybe you arriving here has made the difference. (And I'm fed up with pictures of fire hydrants!) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.214|172.70.91.214]] 20:20, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
::::Me too... I'm coming to help. Hopefully we can fight that manchild off. Also I call death and destruction to Captcha. [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 20:22, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
:::: It's frustrating to watch the same few IP addresses wreak all this havoc. Being able to ban them would be a joy; why can't we have that power? -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 20:31, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
::::: OK: 2/3 of my contributions have been in the last 24 hours fighting Bozo-Man in all his flamboyant IP addresses. Without further powers, I'm done, because (unlike Bozo-Man) I have better things to do. Sorry... -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 22:39, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
:::::: What powers do you need? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])
::::::: I'm not looking for Super Duper Guru™ powers, just something that would even the battle a bit. No, that's not true: I'm looking for something that would make the battle ''unfair'' by making it easier to clean things up than it is to vandalize them. For instance, of the 123 vandalisms I reverted over the pat 24 hours, a third of them were from the top four IP addresses, and two thirds were from the top ten. If you only look at the first three quads of the IP addresses, half came from just two subnets. Block a few IP addresses, and the moderation load would go way down. (And that ignores the work the other users did.)
::::::: It makes sense that you wouldn't want to be handing out Thor's Hammer indiscriminately, but (IMO) something needs to change. If MediaWiki's moderation permissions aren't selective enough for your tastes, I'd be happy to follow your guidance (e.g. no blocking people for more than 24 hours). -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 01:16, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
:::::::: Congrats, you are promoted, thanks for helping out. See me in a week if you still want the powers. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])
::::::::: Thank you. Any guidance for the newbie admin? Or should I just "moderate moderately"? -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 01:33, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
:::::::::: Block and move... block and move. Great power / great responsibility and all that. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])

== Preventation of vandalism ==

I'll bet the entire budget of the Death Star II that the vandalizer is going to strike again in a few hours. We should be more prepared - I've already cut links to templates, and we should be vigilant about the pages they are going to attack: the current comic, templates, important pages. [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 00:06, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
: What do you need to help? Let me know. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])
:: Semiprotect all the templates. [[User:84596Gamma|84596Gamma]] ([[User talk:84596Gamma|talk]]) 00:52, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

== Username request ==

It looks like an impersonator registered an account under my name. Is it possible for me to get that username? [[User:Randall Munroe 2|Randall Munroe 2]] ([[User talk:Randall Munroe 2|talk]]) 04:41, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
:: To ask an obvious question: who are you? And, if you say you are the Randall Munroe of XKCD fame, how can we be sure? -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 12:41, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
::''May I have your attention, please?''
::''May I have your attention, please?''
::''Will the real Randall Munroe please stand up?''
::''I repeat''
::''Will the real Randall Munroe please stand up?''
::''We're gonna have a problem here...''
::(...but, in my assessmemt, Randall would have actual more direct ways of introducing himself to; if he suddenly decided to muddy the water by descending to our level when his interactions even with the forum were minimal; if he hasn't already been here/there/wherever all along, incognito and with/without the administrators knowing this. But Randall's technical and connected enough to not need to ask the above the way it was asked.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.181|172.70.162.181]] 15:36, 30 July 2023 (UTC)

== user page ==

how do i put stuff in my profile? others have done it but for mine it says that i don't have permission to create that page [[User:An user who has no account yet|An user who has no account yet]] ([[User talk:An user who has no account yet|talk]]) 16:01, 5 September 2023 (UTC)
: Don't know why you couldn't, but I now have created your user and talk pages; let us know if you now can't edit them. [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 16:08, 5 September 2023 (UTC)
:: There appears to be a rather restrictive page creation policy (it may be dialled up fairly high to age of account, possibly more so than any mere contributions-count), at least in regard to User-typed namespaces. Many account-creators have noted this, and had to be helped out. I suspect it's just their making that An User was ever prevented from. After all, even I can add things to User (and, more correctly and politely, User Talk) pages. And I'm not even a usernamed person. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.230|172.70.85.230]] 20:28, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

== Unable to edit ==
For the last two months, I was unable to make any edits. Is my account secretly locked? Also, I couldn't even post tweets. Did I offend you? [[User:ConlangGuide|ConlangGuide]] ([[User talk:ConlangGuide|talk]]) 23:38, 27 September 2023 (UTC)

:Also, I tried to post on ClassicalGames's talk page but it was messy. [[User:ConlangGuide|ConlangGuide]] ([[User talk:ConlangGuide|talk]]) 23:43, 27 September 2023 (UTC)

== cannot create user page ==

Like all the other instances of this, it just says "There is currently no text in this page. You can search for this page title in other pages, or search the related logs, but you do not have permission to create this page." At least it isn't just me [[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]] ([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk]]) 16:43, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

: Created your user and talk page with placeholder text (".") -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 19:20, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

:: much thanks! now to wait until i can make my own custom css page [[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]] ([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk]]) 19:38, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

:I didn't want to create yet another discussion topic for the same issue, so I put it here. Could someone create my user page as well? Thanks. [[User:Obwankenobi|Obwankenobi]] ([[User talk:Obwankenobi|talk]]) 20:14, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

=== Same here. ===

I'm almost glad I'm not the only one with this issue with the user and talk page. I was kind of asking myself what I've done not to be permitted a user page, you know. I remember trying to create one once upon a time, which included a link to my own webcomic. It didn't save for some reason and after that I wasn't permitted to create a user page. So if a link to your own hobbyist scribblings is considered illicit advertising, please let me know in order to avoid misunderstandings. [[User:PaulEberhardt|PaulEberhardt]] ([[User talk:PaulEberhardt|talk]]) 14:54, 16 June 2024 (UTC)
:With a dozen edits (up to and including the above), and a decent amount of time, I'd have expected you to be over the nominal threshold to give you the right to create your pages.
:(I'm not entirely sure what the criteria are, off the top of my head, though I know it's been discussed elsewhere. And if I were configuring it, I'd not put too much weight on "the number of edits" or "the net amount of added bytes"/whatever, as it could encourage pointless editing-for-the-sake-of-editing, rather than relying upon 'time served' to weed out those who are in a rush to create havoc... but there's arguments to make it a combination of criteria. And it's not up to me, anyway..!)
:Firstly, have you tried again recently, like right now? If you have, and it still won't 'take', or even let you get that far, then there's plenty of longer-term/higher-intensity users that ''might'' look kindly upon your participation and answer your plight. But do try again.
:And I'd say that (within reason, like avoid linking to anywhere dodgy or uploading masses of total junk) you're free to make your User page into anything you want. I'm pretty sure you aren't going to want to cross any 'line' (official or otherwise), so all the best. And bumping your request. (Also slightly sub-headering, because it is rather a reply to the above header. I might just have added an indented reply straight off, but... again... it's not really for the likes of me to say, so I'm only tweaking it, not merging it in.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.38.71|162.158.38.71]] 20:57, 16 June 2024 (UTC)

::Cheers for the info, and for the tweak! I didn't know how to make sub-headings (yes, I'm that wiki-illiterate - lol), or I'd have done it myself. Possibly I'm just not over this mysterious threshold, being a somewhat irregular visitor with a slight penchant for bad puns, but I certainly do intend to make contributions that actually contribute to something whenever I can (btw. my own webcomic, actually two webcomics by now, are both All Ages and hosted on a well-known webcomic community site, so it's certainly nothing dodgy from my point of view). I don't want to make a fuss about it all, either. If nothing works after a year or so, I'll just start over with a new account or something and see what happens. [[User:PaulEberhardt|PaulEberhardt]] ([[User talk:PaulEberhardt|talk]]) 18:24, 22 June 2024 (UTC)

== Small css-related changes to two templates ==

I've explained what changes I want made in the talk pages for [[Template:Comic]] and [[Template:Comic discussion]] already, but I think I might need to mention them here too. Changing the templates shouldn't cause any adverse effects, and allow for more versatility for users who create their own CSS. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span>

: You should sign your comments with "-- ~~<span></span>~~", which will insert your username. And, there's a very low chance that anyone with the power to change the CSS to wander by; we've been on our own for a while. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 22:01, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

: Added the class names. —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 15:39, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

:: THANK YOU!!! The face of pure shock and excitement i felt when seeing this was beyond my wildest dreams ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 15:46, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

== Math Module breaks all pages with it ==

[[2070]] and [[2034]] appear to be broken for some reason. They wont load at all with the following reason:

<code>
MediaWiki internal error.

Original exception: [ZUPRak3GkbeSokPCcKIp8AAAAJI] 2023-11-02 16:42:18: Fatal exception of type "MWException"

Exception caught inside exception handler.

Set $wgShowExceptionDetails = true; at the bottom of LocalSettings.php to show detailed debugging information.</code>

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 16:42, 2 November 2023 (UTC)
:: [[2295]] also broken. Must be related to the Math module. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 16:44, 2 November 2023 (UTC)
:: Full list of broken pages:
::* [[128: dPain over dt]]
::* [[687: Dimensional Analysis]]
::* [[849: Complex Conjugate]]
::* [[899: Number Line]]
::* [[969: Delta-P]]
::* [[1047: Approximations]]
::* [[2028: Complex Numbers]]
::* [[2034: Equations]]
::* [[2048: Curve-Fitting]]
::* [[2059: Modified Bayes' Theorem]]
::* [[2070: Trig Identities]]
::* [[2117: Differentiation and Integration]]
::* [[2295: Garbage Math]]
::* Possibly more <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 00:14, 3 November 2023 (UTC)
:::On further analysis, it seems to be related to the MathML setting. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 19:23, 9 November 2023 (UTC)

== Way to contact the site hosters? ==

I have tried posting at Jeff's talk page to no avail. Maybe yáll admins have a red phone hotline to Jeff? See reasons at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Way to contact the site hosters?]]. [[User:Aaron Liu|Aaron Liu]] ([[User talk:Aaron Liu|talk]]) 01:34, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

== Escape speed is no longer incomplete ==

Can you delete the text at the top of every page except the main page that says ''"We still need to complete some explanations like this one: 2765: Escape Speed. All incomplete explanations are here."''? Escape speed is no longer incomplete, so that is wrong.[[User:B_for_brain|B for brain]] ([[User_talk:B_for_brain|talk]]) ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4bo-hj-mDyOOUp_Yp0pug youtube channel] [https://bforbrain.weebly.com/ wobsite (supposed to be a blag)] 14:03, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

This keeps happening with other comics too [[User:Moderator|Moderator]] ([[User talk:Moderator|talk]]) 21:44, 18 April 2024 (UTC)

== Vandal Issue ==

we've got vandals all over [[2875: 2024]], and they're getting persistent <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'">[[User:SomeoneIGuess|someone, i guess]]<sup>([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk i guess]]|[[Special:Contributions/SomeoneIGuess|le edit list]])</sup></span> 16:50, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
:At least one vandalism per minute. Even with Someoene and I both reverting, it's showing the racist message most of the time. Can Explainxkcd protect a page? [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 17:54, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
::Deleting the vandal's ignorant... let's call it "self-defense" to be generous. What exactly is supposed to be "not racist" about a derogatory term for black men - which features prominently in the edit summaries is left as an exercise for the reader. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.181|162.158.146.181]] 18:35, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
:Preferably also rev-del the revisions and summaries. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.71.13|172.69.71.13]] 18:40, 2 January 2024 (UTC)

== XKCD Browser ==

I made a [https://github.com/kristianbenoit/XKCD XKCD browser] in python with pygame and think it could be useful to others. The idea was to popup a comic the morning after it was published from a crontab. There could be a hotkey to point to todays discussion on explainxkcd. I wonder where/how would be the place to advertise it ? [[User:Kbenoit|Kbenoit]] ([[User talk:Kbenoit|talk]]) 15:36-40, 20 February 2024 (UTC)
:Here's a good start. Perhaps on the comic discussions for similar things ([https://uni.xkcd.com/ unixkcd], etc). As and when you get a User page here then you can perhaps expound on it there (assuning you aren't leaving the explanation to the github webspace. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.172|172.71.178.172]] 16:01, 20 February 2024 (UTC)
::You (other IP, in the 160s.*) meant well, but [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests&diff=prev&oldid=335412 the person who linked my text] was not me and that link isn't directly useful for K's purpose. Maybe indeed I should have pointed at [[UniXKCD]], or [[Talk:UniXKCD]], but I wasn't sure that was even the best place on here. Look around the [[:Category:Interactive comics]], and/or ones featuring browsers lrominently, maybe.
::I repeat that you (Kristian, with our help at bumping the contribution here) have already now made it known/knowable, at least to those who browse this site widely, but once you get a Userspace page you can perhaps do a little bit more in your own free space and also push people there through subtle pointers or signature-links in further on-context contributions. This isn't really a place for random advertising, but definitely contextual links to offsite xkcd 'fandom' is not something I'd personally have issues with (certainly compared to some other things that might get snuck on here). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.62|172.70.91.62]] 13:43, 21 February 2024 (UTC)

== Vandalism-related Ban Request ==

Hey, if any of the admins see this, can you please ban Jupitale? They’ve made 11 vandalism-related edits, within the time frame of about 21 hours. Even though they haven’t ben active since February 28, I feel like it’s better to err on the more cautious side. Thanks! ^_^ [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 01:09, 5 March 2024 (UTC)
:It'd be even more cautious not to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:Ash123&action=history create userpages] for a user that [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1211:_Birds_and_Dinosaurs&diff=prev&oldid=336532 was only here to spam us].. (Note to admins: add Ash123 to that todo list, if we're calling them out, and I know I've reverted some other single-spamming usernames recently.) But you just know that a ban for anyone like 'Jupitale' (as much as they'd deserve it) is going to be of no actual consequence to them.
:And hold off on all those other userpages, 42. It's not your job, and you might not be right about the usefulness of the ones you're (seemingly randomly) creating. Without even being asked. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.217|172.69.194.217]] 01:55, 5 March 2024 (UTC)

== Countdown ==

Can we please have an xkcd-like countdown on the top of every page for how many days left till the next april fool's comic? (Eg. today it would say "7 days untill the next april fool's comic!") [[User:B_for_brain|B for brain]] ([[User_talk:B_for_brain|talk]]) ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4bo-hj-mDyOOUp_Yp0pug youtube channel] [https://bforbrain.weebly.com/ wobsite (supposed to be a blag)] 10:26, 25 March 2024 (UTC)
:What certainty is there that there'll be one? If/when get the April Fool, or past it, do we reset for the next, or start counting down to the next hypothetical New Year, Christmas, Halloween comic or "Two/Seven/Ten Years" reanniversary? We need to know a few more details to the idea.
:And I presume you meant "a countdown in a suitably xkcx-ish manner, as there have been countdowns for books/etc but not a consistent approach, just some wide ranging but apt creative teasers [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.225|172.69.194.225]] 11:32, 25 March 2024 (UTC)
:Shhhh, it's supposed to be a surprise! I mean, in my opinion, I'd rather want to see people caught off guard in the comments rather than warn them. [[User:Asdf|Asdf]] ([[User talk:Asdf|talk]]) 12:35, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

== Unblock request ==

Hello! I tried to sign up for an account a couple years ago, but I happened to sign up during a major vandal attack, and an admin blocked me based on a mistaken accusation of vandalism and sockpuppetry. I had used the account [[User:Danny E. Corchado]], then I used [[User:Danny Corchado]] to attempt to appeal my block shortly afterwards; both accounts are now blocked. I no longer have the password to the former, but I can log in to the latter account. Can someone please unblock [[User:Danny Corchado]]? If someone creates [[User talk:Danny Corchado]], I should be able to edit that page to prove I do control the account. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.151.21|172.71.151.21]] 02:26, 1 April 2024 (UTC)
:ill give you the benefit of doubt-done and done [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 04:19, 1 April 2024 (UTC)
::Really? You actually think this could work like that? Both(/'both'?) of you? I wondered why you (42) randomly created that user's page from (from 'your' perspective) the mists of time. Which doesn't help unblock anyone, there's not even any logic in that request. (Once unblocked, whoever controls the account can prove that ''they control the account''. But where does that lead anyone?)
::And why would you associate ''in any way'' with an account 'of no account' that was linked with vandalism? You can only be judged by your actions, as you can choose any name (within reason) that you want. "Mr Corchado" still has uncounted options left if he absolutely must post, in all good faith, as 'Dan Corchado' or similar. You've been here long enough (longer than your current username) to know all this. Sheesh... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.77|172.70.85.77]] 11:03, 1 April 2024 (UTC)

== Adding images from 2916: Machine ==

I created most of the page for 2916: Machine, but do not have permissions to upload images to embed for each object/character, could someone either upload all the images I have linked on the page, or allow for me to upload the images? Thanks [[User:Claire Kholin|Claire Kholin]] ([[User talk:Claire Kholin|talk]]) 18:56, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

== Main Page Deletion ==

Hi. When I logged in today, I saw that the Main Page was deleted just 2 minutes before by Mark Hurd. If I remember correctly, he was confirmed to have passed on Wikipedia, and other Admins were talking about de-sysopping him. Can someone please explain this? Thanks, [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 15:44, 11 April 2024 (UTC)
:After Kynde restored the Main Page, he didn't protect it. Could someone please protect it so that trolls and vandals can't mess with it, like last time? Thanks. [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 00:18, 13 April 2024 (UTC)

== "Interesting" Account Creations ==

Hi. So I was looking at the user creation log, and I noticed a suspicious number of accounts-at least 90% of them-are being created using a <Semi-generic first name> <semi-generic last name> <usally two or three numbers>. This would be kinda weird in the first place, however, almost none of the accounts are active. That and the fact that these accounts are being created no less than 10 minutes from each other made me think somethings a little weird. Maybe I'm just dumb. Just wanted to bring it to your attention in case this wasn't a normal thing.[[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 17:17, 15 April 2024 (UTC)
I looked a bit further, the exact same thing happened two months ago as well, but the names were random letters instead [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 17:34, 15 April 2024 (UTC)
:It's been happening (in various forms) for years. Maybe a decade, if not more. For as long as I've been paying attention, certainly, which might well be that long.
:Without access to the whole admin logs, it seems to reflect the intention of 'bots to spam, spam and spam again, automatically, creating accounts they will use to do so but then hitting the actually rather effective anti-bot defenses, so they do absolutely nothing (well, maybe they're lucky every now and again, but practically insignificant successes, and IP-only spams seem to dominate, at maybe twice a week for who-knows-how-many wctual attempts).
:Amongst the current bunch randomly created names, I see a few that are clearly created around the word "Ingredients" (rather than a feedstock to create 'FirstnameLastname', which has long been the main default). I take it that each meta-pattern we see as indicative of a different bot-farmer's efforts, so this might have been started up for a particular spam-theme. Which maybe we'll get an idea of if it gets lucky. Though I'm in no hurry to find out such details. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.13|172.71.242.13]] 12:39, 16 April 2024 (UTC)
Awesome, glad that its under control then :) [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 14:32, 16 April 2024 (UTC)
:Recently created a public-facing wiki and I can confirm these accounts are would-be spambots (they started spamming my wiki until I made it impossible to register an account without already having one). <span class="nowrap">—Megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</span> 09:07, 16 July 2024 (UTC)
::Not to question your decision on how to do this, but idly wondering how many people who already have an account would want to register a new one, and why... RPing with alts actively encouraged, and nobody new joining in? Sounds interesting, but I feel I've misunderstood somehow. (And solving the problem however you want to is your perogative.) [[Special:Contributions/172.69.195.123|172.69.195.123]] 10:35, 16 July 2024 (UTC)
:::It's a small wiki mostly for me and my friends; I was silly and thought nothing could go wrong if I left account creation wide open since the wiki isn't linked from anywhere . I guess it must have been someone scanning the IPv4 address space. I don't need anyone registering anymore unless I make new acquaintances/friends, in which case I'll make an account for them. <span class="nowrap">—Megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</span> 14:41, 16 July 2024 (UTC)

==Block request==

Can someone block 42.book.addict on my profile and vice versa? We're having issues and I wanna stop with them. 19:34, 29 April 2024 (UTC)

== Problem with email verification. ==

I'm not getting the verification email. I checked everywhere in my inboxes, and dodecatuple-checked the email address I provided. Can anything be done? Although I guess it doesn't seem to be strictly necessary. Thank you. [[User:Paintadot|Paintadot]] ([[User talk:Paintadot|talk]]) 17:10, 2 May 2024 (UTC)

== Reclaim user account "rosuav" ==

I tried to sign in to make a small edit to #2954, but I can't create an account with my standard user name "Rosuav" due to one already existing; yet there's apparently no email address on file for that username. Is there a way to prove that I am that person, and request that it be unlocked? I use the same name everywhere eg GitHub, Twitch, Discord, Twitter (if that's at all relevant any more), and am the owner of the rosuav.com domain as well. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.144.144|172.68.144.144]] 06:10, 4 July 2024 (UTC)
:My instinct is that it could be done, but won't be. Even demonstrably owning the domain (with provable history) doesn't really trump the rights of any person who may have equally logical reasons for having beaten you to choosing 'their' username here. Yes, it leaves the way open for malicious cybersquatting/cybergazumping (haven't checked the history of this interloper account, to see if it's been unused/abused in 'your' name), but otherwise it sets an awful precedent of claim and counterclaim.
:I think you might just have to accept that you'll need a (totally, or slightly) different username here. Or do without, as you and I currently are.
:...not wishing to speak for the 'admins' here, who may suggest otherwise, but fairly safe in thinking that the hoops needed to be jumped through to 'correct' things in the fairest way are too untrivial, compared to the relative importance of task and any vital need. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.163.120|172.70.163.120]] 11:56, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

::Are the admins able to rename accounts? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.147.86|172.71.147.86]] 12:46, 8 July 2024 (UTC)

:::I think I've seen it done, maybe once, definitely a long time ago, unless I'm thinking of a completely different wiki(-like) server. But for totally different reasons than shuffling usernames in and out of use (in ways that didn't involve just account deletion, which is the clearer 'first step' that could possibly be justified).
:::Think about it, there's potentially a completely separate existing 'owner' of the contentious username. There's no pre-existing presumption that "<n> years of idleness" ever makes an identity forfeit, certainly not explicitly stated. Unlike various other login-mediated services, there's no real 'private space' to argue over ownership (and legitimate access) for, which saves some problems but then renders moot various possible reasons for making exceptional admin-changes.
:::For any purpose that mattersz it doesn't matter if you sign up as <code>JoeBloggs</code> or <code>Joe Bloggs</code> or <code>The Real Joe Bloggs</code> or <code>JoeyBloggs2008</code> or <code>JB003½</code> or <code>The Name's Bloggs, Joe Bloggs. Licenced To Kill, And Drive A Heavy Goods Vehicle</code>. Look at the [[Special:Log/newusers]], and see how meaningless any given username is, and not worth directly contesting in this sort of circumstance.
:::This is just my observation. I'd defer to any actual Admin who might have a more refined opinion (possibly quite different), Or actual community decisions, by ''named users'', that firmly suggested otherwise. But it looks like there's only three/four of us IPs who have anything to say on the matter. Or it's just me, pointlessly arguing with myself. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.60|172.71.242.60]] 14:44, 8 July 2024 (UTC)

== [[Category;Comics featuring real people]] ==

Can someone please delete this? It's obnoxiously showing up as an autocompletion whenever I'm about to search for categories (i.e. when I type "Category" into the search bar, it shows up). It's a main-space article and a cross-namespace redirect. It was probably created as an accident based on the fact that the person who created it soon redirected it to the correct name. It is not linked from any page except this one. —megan <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 00:26, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

== Removal of administrator permission for [[User:Markhurd|Markhurd]] ==

''Note that this request requires a bureaucrat, but for almost a year neither of our two bureaucrats have been active.''

[[User:Markhurd|Markhurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) ([[Special:Contribs/Markhurd|contribs]]) has been inactive since 2016 and is blocked because he has passed on. Yet his account still has administrator privileges which may be dangerous, since blocked administrators can still perform certain actions (e.g. blocking the administrator that blocked them). Thus, the account should have its administrator privileges removed. —megan <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 05:56, 16 July 2024 (UTC)

Actually, on this wiki, per [[Special:ListGroupRights]], administrators have the <code>unblockself</code> user right, allowing them to unblock themselves. So blocking an administrator doesn't really do anything at all. —megan <sup>[[user talk:megan|talk]]</sup>/<sub>[[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</sub> 06:05, 16 July 2024 (UTC)

== The crapper is back ==

And eir username is [[User:💩💩💩💩💩]]. [[User:AndroidTheLucario|Your favorite aura doggo]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 13:41, 16 July 2024 (UTC)
:Looking through the search archives, I see now. Maybe it's the person I had a brief revert skirmish with on 11 March 2023. Seems like that account stopped vandalizing a while ago, though their vandalism of a highly transcluded template makes me worried. <span class="nowrap">—Megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</span> 10:06, 20 July 2024 (UTC)
::Never rule out copycats, who did a bit of basic research. Or who were around the two or three times that this particular pattern occured, before, perhaps they weren't bored enough to join in then, or suddenly their hormones kicked in and they decided now was the time to rebel. Motives aren't easy to establish, beyond "because I can" and some strange urge to act out. For a number of minor reasons, that I'll not go fully into (because explaining would take more time than I place value on their actual correctness), I don't think it was "the crapper" seriously trying to revive their art.
::One other (broad) guess I have is that it's just a 'tagging' exercise/dare concocted by the off-site group from whom the original came, to have a new member fulfil initiation. I'm all but certain that certain lessons learnt by the original individual(s) weren't remembered, yet the choice of blindingly obvious emoji-username does seem like a relatively 'new' thought, so probably a different mind behind the implementation.
::Maybe they've even now got a sweepstake on how long it takes for the offending username to be banned? (Really should have been, already, though it doesn't matter in the long run if/when...) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.19|172.70.85.19]] 11:05, 20 July 2024 (UTC)
New crapper: [[Special:Contribs/The crapper is back]]. For some reason these users aren't really doing much - they seem to edit a bit and then back off. <span class="nowrap">—megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]]</span> 05:46, 22 July 2024 (UTC)
:Interesting to note that the crapper reappears at very close to the point in time that a number of CGs become active, by the way. Which is absolutely not the first time they both coincide (sometimes 'helping de-crap').
:Also CG accounts have a nasty habit of reverting an error recently added by (usually) an IP, and, if they can't find enough actual useful typos to correct (the spate of searching for rogue "the the"s was actually mostly useful and correct, but didn't take enough care about it). Also, CGs tend to revert any things that even ''suggest the CGs are linked'' as if to try to erase that idea from everyone's memory, rather than laugh it off or ignore it or say "yeah, and..? ...your problem is?" and I rather expect that this comment will get the same treatment. Which doesn't link 'them' to the crapper, but does become rather tedious in its own right. So perhaps 'they' should take the hint to stop that. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.249|172.70.160.249]] 10:44, 22 July 2024 (UTC)
:Addendum, an IP (other than me, obviously) has reverted CG's genuine (or at least correct) "the the"-like corrections several more times than the one that you (Megan) did. I re-reverted them. So that nobody else needs to. Nobody. (It could also be a game being played, or some weird steganographic alteration, but I'm defering back to just being 'helpful' but careless behaviour on behalf of a genuinely non-CG and otherwise CG-unaffiliated IP address.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.163.121|172.70.163.121]] 11:07, 22 July 2024 (UTC)

==Ba'al the Soul Eater==
Hi, so I didnt know wether this should go on admin requests or feature suggestions, so i put it here. I think Ba'al the Soul Eater needs a character category (and I dont know how to make one). They've been in more comics than many named other characters, droptablestudents is one example, and yet they dont have a character page. [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 16:52, 12 September 2024 (UTC)

==Ban all the Chinese users==
I REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SO ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE CHINESE USERS ARE SO ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GET THEM ALL BANNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[[User:World's most angry sinophobe|World's most angry sinophobe]] ([[User talk:World's most angry sinophobe|talk]]) 13:51, 29 September 2024 (UTC)
:Not helpful. Probably not serious. If serious, definitely not justifiable.
:Either a bad joke, a bad attitude or both, IMO. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.26.55|172.71.26.55]] 14:52, 29 September 2024 (UTC)
:What's more, if we ban them, then we'll receive less money from Chinese users if Explain XKCD gets sued due to copyright. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.63|172.70.85.63]] 22:36, 29 September 2024 (UTC)
::What, what and what? (In that order, if you prefer.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.58.30|172.70.58.30]] 23:09, 29 September 2024 (UTC)

== Some IP editor keeps erasing my user pages. ==

The same happened with 42.book.addict earlier. Please send help. [[User:CalibansCreations|'''<span style="color:#ff0000;">Caliban</span>''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 16:05, 25 October 2024 (UTC)
:I’ve come to accept that vandals will be vandals and trolls will be trolls. Honestly, if an admin protects your page, then they’ll just go to another user’s page. There’s not much that we can do, since they’re an IP. Just revert and move on, until you see it again. We do have strength in numbers, so there shouldn’t be much interference other than annoyance. [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 16:12, 25 October 2024 (UTC)

== Adminship Needed ==

Hi all, it's [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] here. I forgot my password, and my email confirmation isn't working. I'm not able to recover my account, and I need my adminship rights back. Could someone please help me out? Thank you! [[User:Davidy21|Davidy21]] ([[User talk:Davidy21|talk]]) 02:38, 15 November 2024 (UTC)
:Pull the other one. It's got bells on it. (I'd say "nice try", but it really wasn't.) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.26.106|172.71.26.106]] 04:06, 15 November 2024 (UTC)

== Hide the red and green numbers ==

I recently found that my talk page has been spammed. The red and green numbers in the history page are really offending. Please hide the numbers if possible. I know that admins can hide titles, edit summaries and usernames, but I don't know whether they can hide numbers. [[User:ChristmasGospel|ChristmasGospel]] ([[User talk:ChristmasGospel|talk]]) 19:40, 29 November 2024 (UTC)
:As gone into length after your similar request in TheusafBOT's Talk page, for all kinds of reasons I predict that this will not happen. Yes, they could ''perhaps'' hide the edits (vandalisms and the autoreversions), but not the numbers. And the justification to upend the edit histories for anything this trivial (I'm not convinced it isn't!) is severely lacking. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.130|172.70.86.130]] 20:40, 29 November 2024 (UTC)

== RSS Feed Broken ==

The RSS feed has been broken since xkcd 3015, I believe due to the ampersand in the comic title.

XML Parsing Error: not well-formed
Location: https://explainxkcd.com/rss.xml
Line Number 71, Column 18:
<title>3015: D&D Combinatorics</title>

I assume this requires an admin's intervention, so I'm posting it here even though it's also more directly a technical issue. There are a couple recent posts about it there as well.[[User:Tolozen|Tolozen]] ([[User talk:Tolozen|talk]]) 00:08, 14 December 2024 (UTC)
:I will email [[User:Davidy22]] and send a message to [[User:Theusaf]] '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 16:07, 16 December 2024 (UTC)
::I'm unsure if I can do anything about this, since `/rss.xml` is likely controlled by software external to the wiki, which I do not have access to. The title of the comic might need to be changed as a workaround for this issue --[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 00:46, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
:::I have emailed [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]], here’s what he had to say: '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 18:06, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
:::{{quote|My server login doesn't work. I actually wrote the RSS script, would be able to figure it out if I can get jeff to respond to me}}
:::Additionally, I have emailed [[User:Jeff|Jeff]] about this issue. '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 18:06, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
:To All Technical Users: I’ve been doing some research on how to fix the ampersand issue and I’ve come up with 2 solutions that don’t require server access intervention: either we rename the page to have & instead of & and use [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Display_Title display titles] to make it look normal, or have the page renamed without the ampersand and put a disclaimer, just like in [[1482: NowPlaying]]. Could someone smarter than me try to figure out if these two ideas would work? Thanks! '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 02:21, 10 January 2025 (UTC)

::::I opened a bug with Mediawiki: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T385938. I'm a bit embarrassed to have wasted their time. Here's there response:
::::[Explain XKCD's] "MediaWiki version is 1.30.0 which was released 86 months ago".
::::Please can the version be upgraded? {{unsigned|141.101.98.244|13:10, 8 February 2025‎}}
:::::heh. nobody can update the wiki because server access is locked by [[User:Jeff]], who is also the only ‘crat on this wiki ([[User:Lcarsos]] doesn’t count, he hasn’t edited in 4 years) and the owner of this wiki. if you have a bug, '''suck it up'''. '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 16:46, 8 February 2025 (UTC)

== Vandalizing user ==

[[User:KikeUNTERMENSCH]], as one might guess from his name, has done nothing but vandalize templates, sometimes to post racist comments on the main page and other times to post pictures of a dead goat. Please block him. Thanks! --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.209|172.68.54.209]] 04:43, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
:copied this request to [[User talk:Kynde|Kynde's]] talk page, as he is more likely to respond to that page. '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 05:28, 17 December 2024 (UTC)

== Vandalism ==

Hello, there is vandalism here.

https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Template:reflist&action=history
{{unsigned ip|162.158.10.130|05:03, 19 December 2024}}
:Noting that this has been sorted, already. But there seems to be a "change comic-info" IP vandal and a "derogatory username vandal" (probably the same moron, switching tactics) that has been operating in the short time before the above report. Mostly dealt with (automatically and with manual assistance) but I'll mop up any other instances that I see.
:Obviously, the DUV instance needs blocking, at least so we get to see a completely different idiotic username next time they decide that their next net contribution to the world is going to be just as futile. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.119|172.70.90.119]] 12:28, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
::I would recommend sending Kynde a message on his talk page, as he checks that more often than this. '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 17:55, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
:::Note that it has been sorted (by Kynde), by the time you made this suggestion.
:::Also, while it's trivially true that an appeal direct to Kynde may currently produce the (joint-?)quickest response time, that may be less true if there are other admins around and checking their own pages (and this) somewhat more directly than those of their brethren/sistren/othren amongst the admins.
:::In the current reality, it probably doesn't matter much at all. Practically any obvious 'note', in any namespace at all, will get probably a near identical response. And, in that circumstance, perhaps best to uphold the expectation that someone, who doesn't know exactly ''who'' to go to, might find the Admin Requests page the most logical destination. If only because future editors might learn more about past reports than having to stumble over whatever might have been posted to who-knows-who's userpages as were suitable for the time.
:::...it ''might'' be good to have a bit of a clean-out (cut'n'paste things into an archival page, at Admins' discretion only) to leave only current/long-standing 'needs'. But that's a job-and-a-half! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.70|141.101.99.70]] 18:22, 19 December 2024 (UTC)

== Petition to add comic 404 to homepage ==

In the mainpage, it has a banner that says <nowiki>We have an explanation for all [[:Category:All comics|'''{{#expr:{{PAGESINCAT:All comics|R}}-1}}''' xkcd comics]],
</nowiki>, and it excludes [[404: Not Found| comic 404]] from the calculation. However, even Randall himself calls it a "real comic" (see the quote at the top of the page). So, can you please change the equation to re-add comic 404? [[User:B_for_brain|B for brain]] ([[User_talk:B_for_brain|talk]]) ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4bo-hj-mDyOOUp_Yp0pug youtube channel] [https://bforbrain.weebly.com/ wobsite (supposed to be a blag)]) 12:23, 26 December 2024 (UTC)
:Agreed! Ironically the -1 was useful because it actually displayed the real number, because of the [[Papyrus]] clone page that counted as two (see trivia). But recently i fixed that so 404 should definitely be counted! [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 09:04, 12 January 2025 (UTC)
::It would be even better if it were made editable by more users, or if more active admis were added. Right now basically nobody updates it [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 09:06, 12 January 2025 (UTC)

I have removed the number 1. I'm as far as I know the only active admin at this time. I have reached out to others, but have so far not received and reply. I cannot make other in to admins. But agree it would be great with more. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:52, 20 January 2025 (UTC)
:Thank you! You might want to get in touch with [[User:42.book.addict]], she's been hard at work trying to get a hold of the owners of the wiki. Maybe you two together, an admin and a very active editor, can create an unstoppable owner-contacting force? [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:10, 20 January 2025 (UTC)

== Uncooperating User ==
I have been feuding for a couple days with [[User:Lettherebedarklight]], asking them to first change their username from being a YouTube link to a {{w|Rickroll}} to something else that wouldn't confuse users in talk pages, as it had confused me. I will admit that although I wrongly cited {{w|WP:PROMONAME}}, as it applies to usernames, not signatures, my point still isn't incorrect. Instead, I should've cited {{w|WP:SIG#EL}}. After this, they changed their signature to some random mish mash of gibberish, singing off as <code>[[user talk:lett‪herebedarklight|(CTU) 4202 rebmeceD 12 ,61:70 [[</code>, <code>[[user talk:lett‪herebedarklight|(CTU) 4202 rebmeceD 42 ,24:41 [[</code>, and <code>[[user talk:lett‪herebedarklight|(CTU) 4202 rebmeceD 52 ,74:60 [[</code> respectively. How exactly they managed to flip the date and wikilink I don't know, but I ''do'' know that this sig is in violation of {{w|WP:SIGPROB}} in regards to the broken date format and {{w|WP:SIGLINK}}. After going back and forth with the user, I have decided to ask for help. Could one of the admins please have a talk with them? Thanks, '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 22:12, 26 December 2024 (UTC)
:I have written to him now.[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:56, 29 December 2024 (UTC)
::I noticed he has kept deleting his own talk page. I have just given him a [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Lettherebedarklight&oldid=362972 final warning]. Let me know if he deletes it once more! I might forget to check it out. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:00, 20 January 2025 (UTC)

== Creating new pages ==

To whom it may concern

Does anyone know how to create new pages? I'd like to make a page about Santa since we seem to be missing one. Thanks.

Edit: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Your assistance has been appreciated. --Albert McGee {{unsigned|Albert|10:20, 31 January 2025}}
:You're a new user (created less than an hour before you posted, with just <s>two</s> three(+?) edits, all of them with the above), and you don't get Page Creation rights for... a small while.
:Maybe somebody will see this and decide that you're right and use their longer experience to get Santa his own page, and integrate that onto the Characters page (under "Real people"? ;) ), or perhaps you'd have to be a new user for a while and learn the ropes until (at some point) you discover you can fulfil your aim yourself.
:Until either of these happy events, maybe you could prove your case by justifying the need. I suspect that most of his appearances are to be found in [[:Category:Christmas]] (but not all of them, which could be reason both for or against a "Comics with Santa Clause" page), but listing them and also finding any of his appearances (including under his various alternate names?) in ostensibly non-Christmas contexts would be interesting info to start off with.
:In short: earn your stripes, and you'll be okay (one way or another). Always good to see new and enthusiastic users getting to know the ropes. If in doubt, have a look around at other edit( historie)s and user contributions. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.129|172.70.86.129]] 11:01, 31 January 2025 (UTC)
::I’ll do it! Same question as him though, how? (I’ve haven’t been able to figure out that particular skill yet.) [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 16:36, 31 January 2025 (UTC)
:::You can just go to the link you want the page to be in, but I do not think we need such a category. We already have [[:Category:Christmas]], as IP said, and it could be hard to draw a line that defines a "Santa" eligible to be included in that category. If a user wants to browse Christmas comics, they already can. You'd also likely need to create a profile for Santa, and create the category by following the [[:Category:Characters|naming norms for characters]]. Or, you'd have to debate whether to consider Santa as a character or not, since they're neither a person nor an animal. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:56, 31 January 2025 (UTC)
:::If you search up the title of the page you want to make, there will be a line of text saying something along the lines of "<page> does not exist on this wiki, but you can create the page", with a link you can click. At least if you have the rights. [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you desire conversing]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 03:08, 1 February 2025 (UTC)

User talk:Elektrizikekswerk

2025-02-06T00:58:25Z

162.158.74.69:

Hi,

I managed to remove your edit in Exoplanet Names 2 during an edit conflict. Sorry about that :( I went to paste your text back in, but somebody else has editted that entry since.
Your edit text is below, if you wish to integrate it into the explanation. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 10:17, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

*As the title text a reference to [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/what_if%3F What if?]'s [http://www.what-if.xkcd.com/53/ 53], [http://www.what-if.xkcd.com/54/ 54] and comic [[1551: Pluto]]. Due to a drain in the Earth's ocean the Netherlands have not to worry about getting flooded, anymore and take the opportunity to conquer the world (including Antarctica becoming South Netherlands) in What if 53, Mars (New Netherlands) in What if 54, and a section of Pluto (again: New Netherlands) in comic 1551. This may also be a possible reference to [[1519: Venus]], but there seems to be no relation to the other conquests of the Netherlands.

Before I throw away the workings out I did, I changed the little calculator I did (for various hours-and-days-in-a-week combinations, in case it gave me anything surprising to report that I'd missed) to do hours-and-days-in-a-year. And did it with Julian years (365.25×24) because it was more accurate than using non-leaping years, but more useful than the hour-fractional Gregorian type. Anyway, I thought you might be interested....
*Factoring the whole hours gives 2*3²*487 (unpromising numbers, I know!), which gives twelve possible 'X hours in Y days' to make up a 'regular' J-Year. 487 18-hour days is by far the closest 'normal' cycle (the next longest day is 487 hours, and of course just 18 of them!). Of course, the daylights drift from solar-time even just looking at year-end (barring the additional Gregorian drift, it does of course repeat 'nicely' every four years).
*Giving it seconds of resolution gives us 180 options to evenly split a Julian Year into integer-seconds per day. 400 'days' of 78894 seconds (487 must feature somewhere in any factorisation!) or 360 days of 87660 on the other side of the 365.25×86400 (and not purely integered) 'normal'.
*And 365.2524 days (of 86400 seconds) isn't even an integer, so you'd need centisecond resolution (2⁷*3⁵*71*1429, giving 192 options and 324 or 384 as 'nearest to 'normal' numbers of days, and a headache when deciding how to allocate centiseconds within each day). Not so useful!
Assuming I copied the right details across (if I fell down, I'm going to assume its on the prime factors, perhaps missing one, or a bad copypasta at some point), but I'm deleting it all now anyway. Just FYI. For critique, if nothing else... :p [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.186|172.70.162.186]] 16:38, 27 June 2024 (UTC)
: Thanks for sharing :) [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 06:51, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

== You user page - is marked for deletion ==

Hi Elektrizikekswerk

Someone has marked your userpage for deletion. And I can see it was not you who created it in the first place. Would you like me to delete it, or would you rather write something in it? Or just remove the marked for deletion tag?

Regards the active admin
--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:25, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
: Hi! Why should it be deleted? Just remove the tag. Thanks! [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:28, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
::Sorry, that would be my fault. I was marking up a lot of user pages that various users had created just for the sake of not having a red link and marked your user page for deletion. Seeing as you want to keep it like that, I have removed the tag. '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 17:33, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
::(Started writing this before 42 replied, but after they'd reverted to don't delete. Hen got dragged away before I could post. Still, might be useful to see what I'd put.) You can check its history, but:
::*It was created in the first place not by you or, seemingly, ''for'' you. If I remember correctly, it was during one of the "I don't like seeing red links" phases that occasionally logged-in users go through (see a signature link in a Talk page, create it so it's valid).
::*Then it was later marked for deletion by someone in a "let's try and clean up unused pages" phase, as you'd clearly had no vested interest in it.
::*Then later unmarked by someone in "why are there so many Pages To Delete?" phase, then ''that'' reversed by someone probably in a "nothing's lost if it is" phase.
::Not that it was in rapid danger of being actually deleted. But, if it had been, you could always have created it again, I'm guessing... As of now (not at all imminently deleted, but still 'empty'), I might suggest you think of something to say there. It would at least prevent further deletion-ping-pong happening! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.26.100|172.71.26.100]] 21:12, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
:::if you don’t want to put anything about yourself on it, you could always just redirect it to this talk page! '''[[User:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:9pt;color:#A9C6CA">42.book.addict</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:42.book.addict|<span style="font-family:Cormorant Garamond;font-size:6pt;color:#516874">Talk to me!</span>]]</sup>''' 21:50, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
::::Possible, but... confusing. I'd rather see a User page say "I don't have anything to say about myself, but you can try to chat to me on my <link>Talk: page></link>" than go to a User: page and find myself wondering why it all looks like (''very'' like!) a User Talk: one. Of course, each user can do what they like, and often do, but I don't consider that a good suggestion. I mean, it's not even got novelty value..! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 00:58, 6 February 2025 (UTC)

730: Circuit Diagram

2025-01-02T21:14:25Z

162.158.74.69: Undo revision 360876 by FissNotHere (talk) Inserted a 'formatting example', clearly mis-clicked when editing. And you may be right about the statement, but I do think it adds more than not.

{{comic
| number = 730
| date = April 21, 2010
| title = Circuit Diagram
| image = circuit_diagram.png
| titletext = I just caught myself idly trying to work out what that resistor mass would actually be, and realized I had self-nerd-sniped.
}}

==Explanation==
Another fine example of [[356|nerd sniping]], as mentioned in the title text.
There are pieces of circuit diagrams, road maps, chemical diagrams, and other things all mixed in.
Explanations for each below!

{|class="wikitable table-padding left-align"
!Image Fragment
!width="130px" | Image Location
!Description
|-
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=19|Y=25|W=106|H=37|image=circuit_diagram-019-025-106-037-scale.png|text=A map scale. Lists kilometers and miles as equivalent. (And makes the diagram many miles wide.)}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=15|Y=62|W=40|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-015-062-040-085-antenna.png|text=An antenna. Typical of radio receivers or transmitters. Or the Turtle in {{w|Logo (programming language)|LOGO programming language}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=53|Y=60|W=41|H=87|image=circuit_diagram-053-060-041-087-inductor.png|text=A coil or {{w|inductor}}. Normal, but unlabeled.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=107|Y=86|W=85|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-107-086-085-093-cloverleaf.png|text=A {{w|cloverleaf interchange}} or junction is a feature of road networks that does not belong in a circuit diagram. Of course, other types of {{w|p–n junction|junctions}} are important in electronics.
A cloverleaf junction has previously been used in comic: [[253: Highway Engineer Pranks]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=184|Y=12|W=87|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-184-012-087-063-battery.png|text=A battery. The voltage of square root of two is strange, but getting about 1.41412... volts is not unheard of. This could also indicate an {{w|Root_mean_square|RMS}} voltage, although this is unlikely given that this is a DC power supply and not an AC generator. The marked polarity is also the reverse of what is implied by the symbol (where the larger terminal is positive). A possible reference to [[567: Urgent Mission]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=187|Y=110|W=94|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-187-110-094-071-resister.png|text=A 120 ohm {{w|resistor}} is normal enough. "Or to taste" is odd for a circuit diagram and more like instructions from a recipe, e.g., "1 tbsp tomato purée, or to taste".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=283|Y=50|W=90|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-283-050-090-063-switch.png|text=A normal {{w|switch}}, with a notation to glue it open. Reminiscent of the [http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/magic-story.html MAGIC/MORE MAGIC] switch.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=337|Y=101|W=69|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-337-101-069-064-transisitor.png|text=A {{w|Bipolar_junction_transistor#PNP|bipolar PNP transistor}}, except that it has two emitters and no collector. It also resembles one of the schematic symbols for a {{w|DIAC}}, except the arrows are backwards.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=52|Y=141|W=79|H=107|image=circuit_diagram-052-141-079-107-compass-points.png|text=Compass points. A map feature, not a circuit feature, but possibly useful given the circuit is many miles wide.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=18|W=63|H=58|image=circuit_diagram-415-018-063-058-resister.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled with color code. Brown-Blue-Orange would be 16000 ohms. {{w|Electronic color code|Resistor color codes}} are for reading the value on the physical device itself. They would not normally be shown on the circuit diagram, where it's much easier to just write the number, e.g. 16K.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=517|Y=14|W=42|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-517-014-042-032-diode.png|text=A normal {{w|diode}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=615|Y=55|W=73|H=74|image=circuit_diagram-615-055-073-074-666timer.png|text=A chip. The normal timer is a "{{w|555_timer_IC|555}}". "666" would be the number of the beast in [http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&c=13&v=18&t=KJV#18 Rev. 13:18]. The pin connected to "?" is the CTRL pin on a normal 555 timer, which would typically be connected to ground (via a decoupling capacitor) if used at all; the implication here seems to be that it would be connected directly to Hell itself.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=632|Y=138|W=69|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-632-138-069-041-bat.png|text=A Batman logo.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=650|Y=211|W=75|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-650-211-075-071-squirrel.png|text=A squirrel, or perhaps a wire bent into the shape of a squirrel. {{w|Electrical disruptions caused by squirrels|Squirrels are among the leading causes of disruptions to electrical grids,}} so having one as part of a circuit is inviting disaster. [[:Category:Squirrels|Squirrels]] also appear in past and future xkcd comics.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=606|Y=165|W=54|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-606-165-054-053-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor. An inductor in an AC circuit is analogous to a mass in an oscillating mechanical system; rather than listing the coil's inductance, the measurement of an analogous mechanical element is given: 11 kilograms of mass.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=538|Y=209|W=99|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-538-209-099-059-generator.png|text=A 240-volt AC generator (or other power source).}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=483|Y=186|W=111|H=103|image=circuit_diagram-483-186-111-103-shorted-generator.png|text=A shorting wire around a generator. The label reads "Omit this if you're a <u>wimp</u>." If this wire is included, it will quickly melt - or worse.
Theoretically, wimps will omit the wire, and people who know this fact will also; the only people who would willfully include it are those who feel that putting on a show of toughness outweighs actual logic.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=419|Y=78|W=57|H=75|image=circuit_diagram-419-078-057-075-scarab-beetles.png|text=A jar of {{w|Scarabaeidae|scarab beetles}}. Possibly a conflation of a {{w|Leyden jar}}, that is an actual very old-style electrical/electronic component, and something like a {{w|killing jar}} or other {{w|Insect trap|insect-collection equipment}}. Or even, due to the traditionally Egyptian beetles, a repurposed {{w|canopic jar}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=482|Y=47|W=28|H=44|image=circuit_diagram-482-047-028-044-variable-resister.png|text=A {{w|variable resistor}} with center tap. Normally, there would be an arrowhead on the center tap.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=507|Y=53|W=22|H=27|image=circuit_diagram-507-053-022-027-capacitor.png|text=A normal {{w|capacitor}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=577|Y=318|W=96|H=62|image=circuit_diagram-577-318-096-062-magic.png|text="{{w|Magic Smoke}}" is the legendary stuff that all circuit components require to function. This is why all components cease to function after releasing smoke. When an electrical component is subject to excessive current it often fails due to heat. This heat is often accompanied by a burning smell and smoke, right at the moment that the circuit fails. Hence the joke that the reason that the circuit failed is that "the magic smoke that makes it work has been released." }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=669|Y=315|W=51|H=66|image=circuit_diagram-669-315-051-066-frayed-wires.png|text=Some frayed or dangling wires. The wire on the left seems confused because it did not manage to cross with the one on the right.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=567|Y=392|W=58|H=48|image=circuit_diagram-567-392-058-048-buoy.png|text=An object which is either a {{w|Fishing float|float}} used in fishing, a {{w|Tippe top}}, or perhaps a {{w|Naval mine|mine}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=458|Y=336|W=111|H=86|image=circuit_diagram-458-336-111-086-moral-rectifier.png|text=A {{w|Diode_bridge|bridge rectifier}}, which would normally turn alternating current at the top and bottom into direct current on the left and right. In this case, it is labeled as a "moral rectifier". This is presumably a play on the idea of moral rectitude – it makes your circuit more moral. Why this matters in a circuit is unclear.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=423|Y=259|W=80|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-423-259-080-085-warm-front.png|text=This resembles both the schematic symbol for part of a {{w|transformer}} and the meteorological symbol for a warm front. A {{w|warm front}} is a feature on a {{w|Surface weather analysis|synoptic weather map}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=190|Y=199|W=54|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-190-199-054-052-battery.png|text=A normal 50-volt battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=200|W=89|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-173-200-089-056-shorted-battery.png|text=A battery is grounded on both sides. Something will melt or burn out quickly, unless these are separate "earth ground"s, in which case the ground might get a bit cooked.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=259|Y=198|W=174|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-259-198-174-025-pull-wire.png|text=Text reads "Pull this wire really tight". This kind of physical-property issue may indicate a high-frequency radio device. Or, given the absurdity of the context, it's a silly reference to a "high tension wire."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=141|Y=211|W=41|H=91|image=circuit_diagram-141-211-041-091-3-8-inch.png|text=A specified 3/8-inch separation. This probably indicates a carefully controlled capacitance issue. Also contradicts the scale of the drawing, by which the distance shown would be about 0.8 miles or 0.8 km. Or both.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=309|W=92|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-173-309-092-059-eel.png|text=An {{w|electric eel}}. This may be an effective power source in the circuit, capable of producing a shock at up to 600 volts and 1 ampere of current (600 watts), but for less than 2 ms.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=266|Y=307|W=35|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-266-307-035-041-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=222|Y=358|W=34|H=29|image=circuit_diagram-222-358-034-029-capacitor.png|text=A normal capacitor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=130|Y=335|W=44|H=40|image=circuit_diagram-130-335-044-040-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled "ë". This may be a play on {{w|e (mathematical constant)|Euler's Number}}, which doesn't normally have a {{w|tréma}} or an {{w|umlaut (linguistics)|umlaut}}. Alternatively instead of being an umlaut or tréma it may indicate the second {{w|derivative}} of e with respect to time in {{w|Newton's notation}}, in which case, as e is a constant, the resistance of this element is zero.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=65|Y=249|W=61|H=92|image=circuit_diagram-065-249-061-092-blender.png|text=Our best guess is that this is a {{w|blender}}. Due to the scale, this would certainly be the worlds largest blender. Record setting blenders are not typically part of computer circuits{{Citation needed}}}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=20|Y=342|W=115|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-020-342-115-073-arduino.png|text=An {{w|arduino}}, labeled "Arduino, just for blog cred". May refer to the fact that inexpensive, easy-to-integrate single-board computers like the arduino, which have contributed to the rise of {{w|Maker culture}}, are used and discussed frequently in that culture, and the use of one might impress readers. The comment implies that an arduino is not otherwise needed in this circuit, although it is necessarily hard to tell, given the other components of the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=39|Y=423|W=118|H=82|image=circuit_diagram-039-423-118-082-meca.png|text=A chip labeled "Most expensive chip available". The small curve at the top is a part of the packaging designed to show its orientation.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=159|Y=428|W=91|H=50|image=circuit_diagram-159-428-091-050-neck-strap.png|text=Labeled "Neck Strap". Perhaps a piece of torture equipment or indicating that the circuit is part of an {{w|electric chair}}? May also be a reference to the grounded wrist straps people working with electronics commonly wear, to prevent accidental static discharges from frying the circuitry.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=147|Y=480|W=110|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-147-480-110-088-switch.png|text=A switch labeled "Hire someone to open and close switch real fast." Possibly meant to perform the function of an {{w|Electronic oscillator|oscillator}} in a more hackish manner and the reason for the neck strap. Could also be a reference to {{w|Maxwell's Demon}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=273|Y=498|W=61|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-273-498-061-064-resistor.png|text=A 5 ohm resistor labeled "(decoy)". One end is not attached to anything. Perhaps this indicates wishful thinking that electrons might be tricked into entering this part of the circuit despite the fact that there's nowhere for them to go?}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=307|Y=453|W=103|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-307-453-103-056-tongue.png|text=A pair of contacts, labeled "Touch Tongue Here". Could be referring to the practice of daring someone to touch their tongue to the contacts of a 9V battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=301|Y=270|W=45|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-301-270-045-045-frown.png|text=A frowny-face. See the float/mine.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=294|Y=311|W=128|H=124|image=circuit_diagram-294-311-128-124-IC.png|text=A small integrated circuit. The lower gate is an {{w|Inverter (logic gate)|inverter}}, wired as a free-running oscillator. The upper gate is an {{w|XOR gate|XOR}} wired to act as either a free-running oscillator or a latch. Since the XOR will be slower than the inverter, the overall output of the upper gate is probably very chaotic. Two "input" wires are not connected at all. An additional wire is attached to the top with hot glue. This last wire probably acts to control static electricity and leakage.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=302|Y=235|W=91|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-302-235-091-025-curve.png|text=A caution sign at a curve. Another road feature in the circuit. This is a play on the notion that 90-degree corners on printed circuit board traces can disrupt signal integrity.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=401|Y=455|W=67|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-401-455-067-068-CH3.png|text=A {{w|methyl group}} (chemistry) attached to a corner. If the circuit were an organic chemical, it would be reasonable to find a number of these.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=453|Y=167|W=43|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-453-167-043-093-baloon.png|text=A balloon, possibly blowing in a breeze.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=572|Y=68|W=22|H=43|image=circuit_diagram-572-068-022-043-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=508|Y=96|W=42|H=20|image=circuit_diagram-508-096-042-020-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=534|Y=61|W=22|H=31|image=circuit_diagram-534-061-022-031-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=472|Y=49|W=134|H=140|image=circuit_diagram-472-049-134-140-solderr-blob.png|text=A {{w|Soldering#Soldering_defects|solder blob}} covering a portion of the circuit. Normally, this would not be part of the circuit diagram, but a mistake in building the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=493|Y=443|W=207|H=158|image=circuit_diagram-493-443-207-158-res-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of 1 ohm resistors. It is labeled "Oh, so you think you're such a whiz at EE201?" The name EE201 (Electrical Engineering 201) follows US course naming conventions for what appears to be a basic level course in electrical engineering (compare the term {{w|101 (term)|101}}), which would include being taught how to [http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Series-and-Parallel-Resistance calculate the effective resistance of various resistor networks]. Performing the calculation on a network this complex would probably be very difficult. Experimentally, the resistance of the mass can be measured as, likely coincidentally, about π/4.
A grid of 1 ohm resistors has appeared earlier in [[356: Nerd Sniping]], a comic also referred to in the title text.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=315|Y=533|W=232|H=200|image=circuit_diagram-362-531-151-167-arena.png|text=An {{w|arena}}, with a few bodies in it. Note the direction of movement enforced by the surrounding diodes, {{w|Mad_Max_Beyond_Thunderdome|"two men enter, one man leaves"}}, a film reference.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=569|Y=653|W=47|H=51|image=circuit_diagram-569-653-047-051-resistor.png|text=A "{{w|pi}}" ohm resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=610|Y=655|W=75|H=70|image=circuit_diagram-610-655-075-070-generator.png|text=A 500-volt AC generator. The wiring to the right shorts out this generator.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=481|Y=682|W=85|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-481-682-085-064-ground.png|text=A ground connection, labeled "Bury deep, but not too deep". This type of ground connection is called an "earth ground" The "too deep" part might be a reference to {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Moria}} in Lord of Rings. The dwarves dug too deeply and disturbed a Balrog. See also comic [[760]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=17|Y=610|W=75|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-017-610-075-073-fishhook.png|text=A ground connection at the end of a curve, looking like a fishhook. Means perhaps "earthed down under", i.e., Australia or the southern hemisphere.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=206|Y=662|W=66|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-206-662-066-045-yarn.png|text=A length of "wire" is labeled "yarn". This probably makes it a terrible conductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=102|Y=590|W=93|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-102-590-093-088-fluxcapacitor.png|text=The {{w|DeLorean time machine#Flux capacitor|flux capacitor}} from {{w|Back to the Future}}. This may be difficult to implement, since flux capacitors are not available to most people,{{Citation needed}} and connecting one to power may cause time travel or time distortions in the local area.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=138|Y=685|W=54|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-138-685-054-024-I95.png|text=A road sign for "I-95". {{w|Interstate 95}} is the main north-south highway on the east coast of the United States, running from Maine to Florida.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=12|Y=713|W=134|H=36|image=circuit_diagram-012-713-134-036-tothesun.png|text=A connection labeled "To center of Sun". A 93-million-mile or 150-million-km circuit is rather large.{{Citation needed}}}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=31|Y=753|W=144|H=177|image=circuit_diagram-031-753-144-177-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of wires. Everything winds up being connected. May also be a parody diagram of an [http://i.stack.imgur.com/np2p9.png undirected graph], from graph theory.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=22|Y=513|W=97|H=61|image=circuit_diagram-022-513-097-061-esf.png|text=A label reading "Electrons Single File". If this happens, the resistance in this section of wire would be rather high.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=256|Y=619|W=29|H=39|image=circuit_diagram-256-619-029-039-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=589|Y=600|W=58|H=46|image=circuit_diagram-589-600-058-046-vibrator.png|text=A vibrator, which would be a motor with an off-center weight attached to it.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=532|Y=779|W=74|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-532-779-074-052-motor.png|text=A motor, labeled "To Scale". This indicates that the physical size and shape of the motor must match the size of the parts around it, or is consistent with the specified scale of the drawing. }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=662|Y=822|W=73|H=109|image=circuit_diagram-662-822-073-109-holy-ground.png|text=A ground connection, in a beaker labeled "{{w|Holy Water}}", possibly creating {{w|Holy ground (religion)|holy ground}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=197|Y=740|W=48|H=55|image=circuit_diagram-197-740-048-055-speed.png|text=A sign indicating a speed limit of 55 MPH. This is a rather typical road sign, but inappropriate for a circuit diagram. It is presumably referring to the speed of individual electrons, which can normally vary up to almost the speed of light - although based on the width of the wire and assuming about 1A of current, the ''average'' speed of all electrons, the drift velocity, is likely to be in the order of 10<sup>-17</sup>mph.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=238|Y=706|W=100|H=116|image=circuit_diagram-238-706-100-116-flipflop.png|text=A pair of {{w|NOR gate}}s wired as a SR (set-reset) {{w|Flip-flop (electronics)|flip-flop}}. The label reads "May use an actual sandal instead", which is a play on the meanings of the term "{{w|Flip-flops|flip-flop}}". Also,the gate looks like a sandal.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=322|Y=708|W=70|H=54|image=circuit_diagram-322-708-070-054-holdingpen.png|text=Something that could be the side view of a fence, labeled "Holding Pen".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=339|Y=777|W=42|H=49|image=circuit_diagram-339-777-042-049-knot.png|text=A simple {{w|overhand knot}}. Also looks like a pretzel, which would have pretty high resistance.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=191|Y=889|W=149|H=33|image=circuit_diagram-191-889-149-033-ecg.png|text=This appears to be an {{w|Electrocardiography|electrocardiograph}} (ECG) trace, but not the sort that would be seen in a healthy person. If this were a real ECG trace, the absence of large, clear {{w|P wave (electrocardiography)|P waves}} might indicate {{w|Atrial Fibrillation|fine atrial fibrillation}}, but in some recording configurations, P waves are sometimes lost in the noise anyway. Additionally, without a time scale to tell us the ventricular heart rate, it is impossible to make a strong educated diagnosis of any hypothetical disease at all. If we assume it is atrial fibrillation, it is not clear if Randall intended this, or if he is just not familiar with how a normal ECG should look. Lastly, we should throw all of these findings out of the window, as it does not appear that this is an actual ECG machine, but simply a bent wire, much like the "Not a resistor" label nearby.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=223|Y=826|W=82|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-223-826-082-068-photodiode.png|text=A {{w|photodiode}}, labeled "Tear Collector". A photodiode is a light-sensing device.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=373|Y=859|W=49|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-373-859-049-068-lamp.png|text=A lamp. This is not [http://electronicsclub.info/circuitsymbols.htm the symbol used in electrical circuits], but a drawing of a lightbulb.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=450|Y=887|W=65|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-450-887-065-032-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=537|Y=847|W=120|H=72|image=circuit_diagram-537-847-120-072-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor, labeled "Take off shirt while wiring this part. Ooh, yeah, I like that." Stripping while wiring plays on the more mundane action of stripping a wire.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=504|Y=860|W=34|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-504-860-034-041-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "?". Presumably this means the resistance is unknown.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=459|Y=828|W=55|H=38|image=circuit_diagram-459-828-055-038-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "YES". Likely another improper unit - a reference to boolean values YES (TRUE) and NO (FALSE). Depending on the limits of a circuit, a resistor would still have a YES boolean value. Possibly indicating that this is a real resistor, as opposed to the one above it in the circuit, labeled "not a resistor." This may also be a reference to the question: "How much INSERT OBJECT HERE do you want?, Yes."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=389|Y=774|W=58|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-389-774-058-053-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "8 mm". Resistance is measured in ohms, and while it might be useful to specify the dimensions of a component to be used (usually on an actual assembly template, or other written documentation, rather than upon a connectivity diagram) the lack of required resistance rating/acceptable range adds far more doubt.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=443|Y=747|W=93|H=84|image=circuit_diagram-443-747-093-084-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "Not a resistor; wire just does this". Apparently the wire is or must be physically bent into a zig-zag shape, which would not serve much useful purpose in a low frequency or DC circuit, or perhaps it reflects the fact that any wire has a certain (small) amount of resistance just by being a wire. In a {{w|Radio frequency|high frequency circuit}} this can be actually useful, as the shape and length of the {{w|Transmission line|transmission line}} alters the {{w|Electrical impedance|impedance}} of the line. ([https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phaseshifter2.png Example])}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=863|W=82|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-415-863-082-024-unsure.png|text=A symbol for a feedthrough capacitor, labeled "3 Liters". Probable word-play on "capacity/capacitor." Also similar to the symbol for an orifice or flow restriction used on plumbing or hydraulic diagrams, in which case the "3 Liters" might mean 3 liters per minute or per second.}}
|}

==Transcript==
:[In the upper left corner there is a map scale, labeled with 1 mi (1 km).]
:[Underneath the scale is a circuit diagram with the following items connected:]
:An antenna symbol.
:A blender.
:An Arduino, labeled with "Arduino, just for blog cred".
:A chip, labeled "Most expensive chip available".
:A symbol for an inductor.
:A pattern that looks like a highway cloverleaf.
:A battery symbol (with the + and - symbols on the wrong ends) with a value of √2V.
:A resistor symbol label "120Ω or to taste".
:A switch that is labeled "glue open".
:A transistor with two emitters, one P and one N, and no collector.
:A jar of scarab beetles.
:A resistor labeled "brown blue orange".
:An unlabeled resistor with a center tap.
:A capacitor.
:A diode.
:A ground.
:An inductor.
:An another inductor.
::The two inductors and ground are all covered by a "solder blob".
:A "666 timer" that has pin 5 going into a question mark.
:A compass rose.
:A battery, labeled 50V, with grounds on both sides.
:A long horizontal wire that is labeled "pull this wire really tight".
:An AC source that is labeled 240V, shorted out, with a label on the short "Omit this if you're a wimp."
:An inductor that is labeled with "11kg".
:A Batman symbol.
:A squirrel.
:A wire that is labeled as a distance 3/8".
:A 50V battery.
:A frowny face.
:A vertical wire with a 90 degree bend labeled "caution".
:A balloon.
:An inductor symbol with a line on the bottom edge labeled as "warm front".
:A resistor labeled "ë".
:An electric eel.
:A capacitor.
:An unlabeled resistor.
:A gob of hot glue attached to a chip with an inverter hooked to an XOR gate, both with feedback into each other.
:A neck strap.
:A bridge rectifier labeled as "Moral rectifier".
:A bottle of magic smoke.
:A fishing bobber.
:A broken wire labeled with a question mark.
:A vertical wire labeled with "electrons single file".
:A switch labeled "Hire someone to open and close switch real fast."
:A contact labeled "touch tongue here".
:A resistor labeled "5Ω (decoy)" with only one terminal connected.
:A methyl group attached to a wire.
:A complex mesh of 1Ω resistors labeled with "Oh, so you think you're such a whiz at EE201?"
:A wire labeled "electrons single file".
:A wire bent in a U shape with an upside-down ground on the end.
:A flux capacitor with the bottom wire labeled "I-95".
:A wire labeled "yarn".
:An arena with two diodes going in and one leaving.
:An anode labeled "Bury deep, but not too deep."
:A motor labeled "vibrator".
:A resistor with a value of π.
:A 500V AC source.
:A wire that leads out of frame with a label "to center of sun".
:A 55 MPH speed limit sign.
:An SR latch (flip-flop) labeled "may use an actual sandal instead".
:A holding pen.
:A wire in a knot.
:A resistor labeled "8mm".
:A resistor symbol labeled "not a resistor; wire just does this".
:A motor symbol labeled "to scale".
:A tangled mess of wires connected and jumping over each other.
:A photo diode labeled "tear collector".
:A wire in the shape of a ECG.
:A light bulb.
:A capacitor-looking symbol labeled "3 liters".
:A resistor labeled "yes".
:An unlabeled inductor.
:A resistor with a question mark as a label.
:An inductor labeled "Take off shirt while wiring this part. Ooh, yeah, I like that."
:A ground symbol immersed in a beaker of holy water.

==Trivia==
This is one of the six [[Footer comics|footer comics]] featured in the bottom segment of [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Engineering]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Footer comics]]
[[Category:Squirrels]]
[[Category:Back to the Future]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Emoji]]

3015: D&D Combinatorics

2024-11-26T10:06:05Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ roll and multiply 2d6

{{comic
| number = 3015
| date = November 22, 2024
| title = D&D Combinatorics
| image = dnd_combinatorics_2x.png
| imagesize = 328x446px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Look, you can't complain about this after giving us so many scenarios involving N locked chests and M unlabeled keys.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HTML SHORTENING CODE TYPO - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{w|Dungeons and Dragons}} (D&D) is a {{w|tabletop role-playing game}} that usually has a "Dungeon Master" (narrator) that takes a team of players through scenarios where they attack monsters and go on quests.

Often, there will be semi-random events: e.g., when attacking a monster, often a player will roll a die and deal damage based on the result. D&D uses a variety of dice, from regular d6 (6-sided, cubic dice) to other {{w|Dice#Common_variations|polyhedral dice}}, with the number of faces denoted by dX (e.g., d10 is a 10-sided die, with numbers from 1 to 10 on it). Common sets include: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and occasionally d100 (typically not, however, the [[2626:_d65536|d65536]]).{{cn}}

With these, you can simulate events with a wide variety of denominators. In this case, Cueball gives a {{w|combinatorics|combinatorial}} problem:

* There are 10 arrows.
* 5 arrows are cursed.
* You randomly take two.
* What are the odds that neither of them are cursed?

Calculating using {{w|binomial coefficients}}, there are "10 choose 2" (45) ways to choose two arrows, of which there are "5 choose 2" (10) ways to choose 2 arrows that are non-cursed. As a result, the odds of taking all non-cursed arrows is 10/45, which simplifies to 2/9.

To see this in a different way, the probability of choosing one non-cursed arrow is 5/10, which then must be multiplied by the probability of choosing the second non-cursed arrow, which is now 4/9, giving 20/90 or 2/9, the same result as before.

The Dungeon Master (DM) in this case [[356: Nerd Sniping|has to]] map that probability into rolling multiple dice, whose sums are also not evenly distributed: i.e. if rolling 3d6 (3 six-sided dice) and a d4 (1 four-sided die), the sums can range from 4 to 22. It's pretty hard to do this in one's head, but it does happen that the odds of rolling 16 or more with this combination is 2/9, matching the probability that we want to simulate. Here's a table of all the 6*6*6*4=864 possible outcomes -

{| class="wikitable"
|+ All possible combinations of rolls for 3d6 + 1d4
|-
!Total!!4!!5!!6!!7!!8!!9!!10!!11!!12!!13!!14!!15!!16!!17!!18!!19!!20!!21!!22
|-
|Ways to roll it||1||4||10||20||34||52||71||88||100||104||100||88
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''71'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''52'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''34'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''20'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''10'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''4'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''1'' '''
|}

71+52+34+20+10+4+1 = 192

192/864 = 2/9, which matches the desired probability from earlier. The table of outcomes can either be bruteforced with a program, or can be derived using generating functions.

The caption elaborates that the DM has a degree in the relevant field, and is unable to resist applying this to the D&D game when the opportunity arises - opportunities that Cueball eagerly provides for this very reason.

There are several much easier ways of implementing this operation, without coming up with a more complex solution:
#Do not even attempt to abstract the chances with dice-rolls. Literally present 10 similar-looking arrows, or other objects that are taken to represent arrows (face-down playing cards, for example), where the assigned information of whether each one is cursed initially hidden away from Cueball, and then just let Cueball pick any two.
#Even just with D&D dice, the DM could ask Cueball to roll a 1d10 for the first arrow, and then again for the second, re-rolling the second so long as Cueball gets the same number as before (which emulates the same sort of process, but with a non-zero chance of having to make and reject an arbitrary number of extra dice-rolls). One could specify that 1-5 represents the cursed arrows and 6-10 represents the non-cursed arrows, following the convention that lower rolls are bad in D&D.
#Similarly, the player could be asked to roll a d20, with a score of 15 or 16 requiring a re-roll and 17–20 being successful choices. This would give a 4/18 chance, i.e., 2/9 for a successful roll on the first (and any subsequent) rolls. As with option 2, there would be a 1/10 chance of having to make and reject at least one extra dice-roll.
#If understanding the actual odds, but wishing to keep the dice in use simple, a 2/9 probability can also be found by saying Cueball would succeed when 2D6 produces a 9, 10, or 12 (4/36, 3/36, and 1/36 probability, respectively, giving 8/36, i.e., 2/9).
#Another method would be to roll 1d6 twice, using the first as a base number and the second as a control die where 1-2 = +0, 3-4 = +6 and 5-6 = +12 for a linear spread of 1-18. In this case a roll of 3, 4, 5, or 6 on the first roll coupled with a 5 or 6 on the second roll would indicate the top four of the eighteen possibilities, 4/18, or 2/9.
#Or to roll 1d6 twice and ''multiply'', rather than add, the results. A successful roll is 20 or more.
#Alternatively, approximate the odds by using a d100 (or equivalent roll of two D10s) and seeking an 78 or higher (i.e. the range of 78-99, assuming this roll can produce a zero/double-zero roll, instead of a 'natural 100' for which the range would have to start at 79), which gives a 22% chance, which may be sufficiently acceptable as it is substantially similar to 2/9's effective odds of 22.<span style="text-decoration:overline">222</span>%.
The first two options also instantly reveal cases of whether ''two'' cursed arrows are nominally chosen (an outcome that is at identical odds to the opposite possibility of neither being so), should this be useful roleplaying information in addition to the basic fact of ''failing'' to avoid at least one of them. The fourth option could also be used to suggest this if (for example) the complementary results of 2, 4 or 5 are rolled, and the final one in the event that the 'percentage' given is 0-21 (or 1-22).

One could argue that the above solutions do not have the "polished" D&D feel of rolling a certain number of dice, adding them up, and seeing if the result is greater than or equal to an entirely correct required total. This is a commonly used mechanic for difficulty checks, hit calculations, and other such chance-based events in D&D. The DM may feel that this dice format is a requirement, but this approach is far too clunky for most DMs to be practical. It may be inferred that as the DM's mind tends towards more combinatorial solutions, she is either unable or unwilling to consider more straightforward and less time-consuming solutions to this cursed arrow problem.

The title text claims that Randall only started doing this to the DM after she herself insisted on forcing another combinatorial puzzle on the players several times, involving a bunch of locked treasure chests and a multitude of keys to unlock them with. This might be a reference to an M-of-N encryption system, where a system has ''n'' valid passwords (instead of just one) but requires ''m'' of those passwords to be given before it will open; it is assumed m is greater than 1 but less than n. While this is easy enough to implement in a computer system, it would be extremely cumbersome to build for a physical lock with keys, and spreading the mechanism across multiple separate treasure chests would be impossible without literal magic (luckily, magic is in plentiful supply in a typical Dungeons and Dragons game).{{cn}}

==Transcript==
:[Cueball, Megan, Ponytail, White Hat, and Knit Cap are sitting around a table on office chairs. The first and last at either end and the other on the same side facing outwards. Everyone is looking at Cueball who is holding a finger up in front of him while speaking. Ponytail is facepalming while replying. The table is covered in sheets of paper and assorted dice.]
:Cueball: I grab 2 of the 10 arrows without looking and fire them, hoping I didn't grab one of the 5 cursed ones. Did I?
:Ponytail: Sigh. Umm. Okay.
:Ponytail: Roll... Uh... Hang on...
:Ponytail: Roll 3d6 and a d4. You need... 16 or better to avoid the cursed arrows.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I got '''''way''''' more annoying to play D&D with once I learned that our DM has a combinatorics degree and can't resist puzzles.

==Trivia==
When this comic was originally released, due to seeming error on Randall's end, the official title of the page was "xkcd: D[sic] Combinatorics", instead of "xkcd: D&D Combinatorics". The reason for this is currently unknown, and as of this writing has not been fixed.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Math]]

3015: D&D Combinatorics

2024-11-25T13:50:05Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ Someone inserted a new "item #3", so adjusting. (Should we include the new-third in this para?) If inserting/appeding others, change this *again*, ok,

{{comic
| number = 3015
| date = November 22, 2024
| title = D&D Combinatorics
| image = dnd_combinatorics_2x.png
| imagesize = 328x446px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Look, you can't complain about this after giving us so many scenarios involving N locked chests and M unlabeled keys.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT THAT GRABBED A CURSED ARROW - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a role-playing game that usually has a "Dungeon Master" (narrator) that takes a team of players through scenarios where they attack monsters and go on quests.

Often, there will be semi-random events: e.g., when attacking a monster, often a player will roll a die and deal damage based on the result. D&D uses a variety of dice, from regular d6 (6-sided, cubic dice) to other polyhedral dice, with the number of faces denoted by dX (e.g., d10 is a 10-sided die, with numbers from 1 to 10 on it). Common sets include: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and occasionally d100 (typically not, however, the [[2626:_d65536|d65536]]).{{cn}}

With these, you can simulate events with a wide variety of denominators. In this case, Cueball gives a {{w|combinatorics|combinatorial}} problem:

* There are 10 arrows.
* 5 arrows are cursed.
* You randomly take two.
* What are the odds that neither of them are cursed?

Calculating using {{w|binomial coefficients}}, there are “10 choose 2” (45) ways to choose two arrows, of which there are “5 choose 2” (10) ways to choose 2 arrows that are non-cursed. As a result, the odds of taking all non-cursed arrows is 10/45, which simplifies to 2/9.

To see this in a different way, the probability of choosing one non-cursed arrow is 5/10, which then must be multiplied by the probability of choosing the second non-cursed arrow, which is now 4/9, giving 20/90 or 2/9, the same result as before.

The Dungeon Master (DM) in this case [[356: Nerd Sniping|has to]] map that probability into rolling multiple dice, whose sums are also not evenly distributed: i.e. if rolling 3d6 (3 six-sided dice) and a d4 (1 four-sided die), the sums can range from 4 to 22. It's pretty hard to do this in one's head, but it does happen that the odds of rolling 16 or more with this combination is 2/9, matching the probability that we want to simulate. Here's a table of all the 6*6*6*4=864 possible outcomes -

{| class="wikitable"
|+ All possible combinations of rolls for 3d6 + 1d4
|-
!Total!!4!!5!!6!!7!!8!!9!!10!!11!!12!!13!!14!!15!!16!!17!!18!!19!!20!!21!!22
|-
|Ways to roll it||1||4||10||20||34||52||71||88||100||104||100||88
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''71'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''52'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''34'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''20'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''10'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''4'' '''
| style="background:#ffffcc;" | ''' ''1'' '''
|}

71+52+34+20+10+4+1 = 192

192/864 = 2/9, which matches the desired probability from earlier. The table of outcomes can either be bruteforced with a program, or can be derived using generating functions.

The caption elaborates that the DM has a degree in the relevant field, and is unable to resist applying this to the D&D game when the opportunity arises - opportunities that Cueball eagerly provides for this very reason.

There are several much easier ways of implementing this operation, without coming up with a more complex solution:
#Do not even attempt to abstract the chances with dice-rolls. Literally present 10 similar-looking arrows, or other objects that are taken to represent arrows (face-down playing cards, for example), where the assigned information of whether each one is cursed initially hidden away from Cueball, and then just let Cueball pick any two.
#Even just with D&D dice, the DM could ask Cueball to roll a 1d10 for the first arrow, and then again for the second, re-rolling the second so long as Cueball gets the same number as before (which emulates the same sort of process, but with a non-zero chance of having to make and reject an arbitrary number of extra dice-rolls). One could specify that 1-5 represents the cursed arrows and 6-10 represents the non-cursed arrows, following the convention that lower rolls are bad in D&D.
#Similarly, the player could be asked to roll a d20, with a score of 15 or 16 requiring a re-roll and 17–20 being successful choices. This would give a 4/18 chance, i.e., 2/9 for a successful roll on the first (and any subsequent) rolls. As with option 2, there would be a 1/10 chance of having to make and reject at least one extra dice-roll.
#If understanding the actual odds, but wishing to keep the dice in use simple, a 2/9 probability can also be found by saying Cueball would succeed when 2D6 produces a 9, 10, or 12 (4/36, 3/36, and 1/36 probability, respectively, giving 8/36, i.e., 2/9).
#Alternatively, approximate the odds by using a d100 (or equivalent roll of two D10s) and seeking an 78 or higher (i.e. the range of 78-99, assuming this roll can produce a zero/double-zero roll, instead of a 'natural 100' for which the range would have to start at 79), which gives a 22% chance, which may be sufficiently acceptable as it is substantially similar to 2/9's effective odds of 22.<span style="text-decoration:overline">222</span>%.
The first two options also instantly reveal cases of whether ''two'' cursed arrows are nominally chosen (an outcome that is at identical odds to the opposite possibility of neither being so), should this be useful roleplaying information in addition to the basic fact of ''failing'' to avoid at least one of them. The fourth option could also be used to suggest this if (for example) the complementary results of 2, 4 or 5 are rolled, and the final one in the event that the 'percentage' given is 0-21 (or 1-22).

One could argue that the above solutions do not have the "polished" D&D feel of rolling a certain number of dice, adding them up, and seeing if the result is greater than or equal to an entirely correct required total. This is a commonly used mechanic for difficulty checks, hit calculations, and other such chance-based events in D&D. The DM may feel that this dice format is a requirement, but this approach is far too clunky for most DMs to be practical. It may be inferred that as the DM's mind tends towards more combinatorial solutions, she is either unable or unwilling to consider more straightforward and less time-consuming solutions to this cursed arrow problem.

The title text claims that Randall only started doing this to the DM after she herself insisted on forcing another combinatorial puzzle on the players several times, involving a bunch of locked treasure chests and a multitude of keys to unlock them with. This might be a reference to an M-of-N encryption system, where a system has ''n'' valid passwords (instead of just one) but requires ''m'' of those passwords to be given before it will open; it is assumed m is greater than 1 but less than n. While this is easy enough to implement in a computer system, it would be extremely cumbersome to build for a physical lock with keys, and spreading the mechanism across multiple separate treasure chests would be impossible without literal magic (luckily, magic is in plentiful supply in a typical Dungeons and Dragons game).{{cn}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball, Megan, Ponytail, White Hat, and Knit Cap are sitting at a table. Everyone is looking at Cueball. Ponytail is facepalming. The table is covered in sheets of paper and assorted dice.]<br>
:Cueball: I grab 2 of the 10 arrows without looking and fire them, hoping I didn't grab one of the 5 cursed ones. Did I?
:Ponytail: Sigh. Umm. Okay.
:Ponytail: Roll... Uh... Hang on...
:Ponytail: Roll 3d6 and a d4. You need... 16 or better to avoid the cursed arrows.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I got '''''way''''' more annoying to play D&D with once I learned that our DM has a combinatorics degree and can't resist puzzles.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Math]]

3014: Arizona Chess

2024-11-21T12:46:55Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3014
| date = November 20, 2024
| title = Arizona Chess
| image = arizona_chess_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x315px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Sometimes, you have to sacrifice pieces to gain the advantage. Sometimes, to advance ... you have to fall back.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a DAYLIGHT SLAYING BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[[White Hat]] and [[Cueball]] are playing a timed game of tournament-style chess. At the start of the comic White Hat has the advantage because, as well as having more pawn than Cueball, he has more time left to play his remaining moves — 6 minutes and 35 seconds, versus Cueball's 28 seconds, as shown on the {{w|chess clock}} above them.

However, Cueball has an unexpected advantage. The building is sited across the border of Arizona with another state, with White Hat on the Arizona side, and the game is being played at a very particular time of year, when (most of) the United States exits {{w|Daylight Saving Time}}, which happens at 2:00 AM on the morning of the first Sunday in November. As Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), unlike neighboring US states, only one clock gains an hour. White Hat's time remains normal, but Cueball's time "falls back" one hour, as his departure from daylight saving time occurs. Due to the way the timer clock apparently calibrates its display (perhaps in part based upon something like the self-adjusting [https://en.cppreference.com/w/c/chrono/localtime localtime()] function), Cueball is suddenly given more time in the game. White Hat, whose clock is governed by a different locale, protests, as this is not typically how these clocks should function. Daylight <em>Slaying</em> Time is a pun on Daylight <em>Saving</em> Time, but note that the comic takes place as the non-Arizona clock joins the Arizona clock in Standard Time.

The title text is a pun on "falling back" strategically from an attack and the term "fall back" in the mnemonic used to remember which way the clock changes when we go in and out of DST: "spring forward, fall back" (we advance the clock forward when entering DST in the spring, and move it backward when leaving it in the fall or autumn).

A handful of buildings even extend across international boundaries (these are known as {{w|line house}}s) and many more cross state or local boundaries in the US (a city, county or tribe may sometimes decide to use a different time zone than the rest of the state, so any of these can become a zone boundary, whether or not international databases reflect it).

While it is possible to arrange a table across a timezone boundary, a bigger challenge is to arrange for a chess clock to take advantage of this. Most do not account for timezones at all, as an internal timer should not be left susceptible to external conditions. They are also usually about 12 inches across, at most, which is not far above the positioning error in GPS; assuming that this was the way each 'clock half' tried to obey local conditions. Cueball would, in this case, have needed to find a clock that was capable of tracking time zones separately for each of the two internal clocks and had an excellent GPS receiver for each side (capable of detecting a several-inch difference in position as corresponding to another zone).

The alternative would be for there to be a way to manually enter two different configurations into the time-tracking circuits (an unlikely capability, and even the need to configure it with just the one would seem to be a feature that [[463: Voting Machines|introduces more problems than it solves]]), which might require more active interference in the clock by Cueball (or convenient collusion/mishandling on the part of any officials). In this case, it would have been trivial to set up this situation in ''any'' place (and for any time/date), although lacking the 'justification' for its effect.

Though current chess-timers should merely measure out time (mechanically or electronically), apportioning out the passage of time(/countdown) to one or other subunits, the game could be played in the future where standard chess clocks are different. Many sports are starting to embrace "electronic timing systems" that are increasingly integrated into more generic consumer-level electronics, and may find themselves susceptible to normally unforeseen interactions beyond the core timing functions they are supposed to be upholding.

Ongoing state-level efforts to end time changes could also increase the number of places where this situation could happen, as more DST/non-DST boundaries arise.

The comic was published five days before the start of the {{w|World Chess Championship 2024}} in Singapore.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[White Hat and Cueball are sitting across from each other playing chess. The time, shown above them in white on a black screen, reads 6:35 for White Hat, and 0:28 for Cueball.]
:White Hat: It’s late, I’m up a pawn, and you’re out of time. It’s over.
:Cueball: Ah, you’re forgetting something.

:[Cueball gestures with one hand above the chessboard. His time now reads 0:19.]
:Cueball: Did you know this building straddles the Arizona border?
:Cueball: It actually runs right through the table. You're on the Arizona side.

:[Cueball raises his hand further to gesture at his time. It beeps and is now blank and white.]
:Cueball: This tournament started Saturday, November 2nd. Now it's almost 2AM on the 3rd.
:Cueball: And there's something you should know about Arizona.
:Chess clock: BEEP

:[White Hat raises his head slightly to look at the timer. Cueball's time now reads 60:07. Cueball lowers his hand to make a move.]
:White Hat: '''''What?!''''' No! That's not how... '''''No!!'''''
:Cueball: Looks like it's daylight '''''slaying''''' time.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Chess]]
[[Category:Daylight saving time]]

3012: The Future of Orion

2024-11-19T22:11:58Z

162.158.74.69: Undo revision 357334 by The-Ergster (talk) It's a day old... probably not complete. Could do with a lot of editing, of course.

{{comic
| number = 3012
| date = November 15, 2024
| title = The Future of Orion
| image = the_future_of_orion_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x300px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Dinosaur Cosmics
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a TYRANNOASTRUS REX - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Stars in the night sky sometimes change, occasionally varying in brightness, very rarely exploding, and imperceptibly moving. For example, {{w|Betelgeuse}}, a star in the constellation {{w|Orion (constellation)|Orion}}, is expected to explode as a {{w|supernova}} between [https://astrobites.org/2023/07/01/betelgeuse-betelgeuse-betelgeuse-is-it-supernovatime/ tens of] and [https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/betelgeuse-will-explode-someday/ a thousand] years, and then disappear from the night sky. And all stars move relative to us and each other, which results in apparent movement in the sky called {{w|proper motion}}, a function of a star's relative movement in three dimensions and its distance from us.

This comic shows changes in Orion from Betelgeuse disappearing and three of its fastest moving stars, and recommends revising the {{w|constellation}} (or creating a new {{w|Asterism (astronomy)|asterism}}) from one which depicts a hunter to another matching a different hunter, the {{w|Tyrannosaurus}} from Ryan North's [https://www.qwantz.com Dinosaur Comics].

Depending upon the artistic imagination of the observer, western (and northern-hemisphere) traditions may evoke the right 'string' of stars as either Orion's bow-arm holding a bow (perhaps having loosed an arrow towards {{w|Taurus (constellation)|Taurus, the Bull}}, with his off-arm raised aloft and behind having just released the bowstring) or else holding some creature he has caught/is fighting (with his off-arm, the other arm holding a raised club/sword that will strike the beast), with other astronomical traditions maybe 'recognising' various similar or different imageries according to their own cultural ideas (and perspective upon the constellation, e.g. from a southern orientation). In the form adjusted to match the "dinosaur comics" image, the rightmost group becomes the creature's tail and the upper-left maps to the open-jawed head and neck. The torso and legs (the latter sometimes depicted as leading only down to the kneeling Orion's knees, depending upon the imagined pose, hence the enclosed trapezoid of either his lower knee-length robe or from one lower leg crossing the ground, excusing the apparently anomolous leg-to-torso ratio that doesn't fit a hunting human quite as much as the depicted dinosaur) are essentially the same in both versions, but mirrored in sidelong profile, with the minor difference of both shoulders' positions within the asterism, and the traditionally short and stubby T-Rex arms not being granted 'star arms' in their own right.

It should be noted that the main stars (but not the nebula) of {{w|Orion's Sword}} are drawn, but do not fit the dinosaur image in any way. In the original Orion constellation, they are rarely connected with the 'lines' of the constellation, but are matched against a sword (or its scabbard) when rendered as a more pictorial Orion. In the full dinosaur they match nothing from the image, but may be considered to be dripped saliva, discarded blood/torn flesh from whatever it might currently be eating or, perhaps (from its subpelvic position), other expelled material...

The proper motion of {{w|Chi1 Orionis|χ¹ Orionis}} shown near the top at the end of Orion's arm (and the back of the dinosaur's head) is 0.20 arcseconds per year, so it will traverse the depicted angular distance of 0.84 degrees in about 15,000 years. {{w|Pi1 Orionis|π¹ Orionis}} at the top of Orion's bow (and the end of the dinosaur's tail) has a proper motion of 0.14 arcseconds per year, so it will traverse its distance of 0.87° in about 23,000 years. However, with a proper motion of 0.46 as/yr, {{w|Pi3 Orionis|π³ Orionis}}, in the middle of the bow, will take only about 9,600 years to traverse its longer depicted distance of 1.24°. (The angular distances traversed by the stars were measured relative to the distance between Orion's two outermost belt stars, {{w|Alnitak}} and {{w|Mintaka}}, the dinosaur's hips.) Thus, the new constellation won't form until its current name has lasted more than three times as long as it already has. There are various other stars that notably move around within or near the vicinity of Orion, given {{w|File:OrionProper.gif|suffiently long}} viewing time, perhaps allowing Randall some small leeway in what way to re-represent the original hunter's pose, though the 'resemblance' of the reworked constellation to its dinosaur image remains a remarkable coincidence.

[[File:School of Athens Raphael detail 03.jpg|thumb|Hipparchus and Ptolemy compare globes in {{w|Raphael}}'s famous fresco ''{{w|The School of Athens}}''. Ptolemy is shown with a crown because of his erroneous association with the royal house of Ptolemaic Egypt.]]
There are no official constellations depicting dinosaurs. However, {{w|Draco (constellation)|Draco}} represents a mythological reptilian dragon, and the lizard {{w|Lacerta}} was described in 1687. The first fossil to be later identified as a dinosaur was found in 1676, but the term "dinosaur" was not introduced until 1842. The earliest constellations in the northern hemisphere were recognized around 3000 BC. By the 2nd century AD, the Greek mathematician and astronomer {{w|Ptolemy}} listed 48 constellations visible from the northern hemisphere in his ''{{w|Almagest}},'' following the star catalogs and globes made by {{w|Hipparchus}} which have since been lost to history. The remaining modern southern constellations were mostly finalized by {{w|Nicolas Louis de Lacaille}} in 1756. Dozens of {{w|former constellations}} have been recognized, sometimes for hundreds of years, before being disregarded, replaced by others, or because they were only recognized by cultures apart from dominant Western traditions. ({{w|Micronesian navigation#Navigation by the stars|Polynesian navigators}} settled {{w|Polynesian Triangle|a vast expanse of the south Pacific Ocean}} from 26,000 to 950 years ago apparently without naming constellations, but instead [https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/items/f617b33c-531b-41b4-b550-5aec81face2c recording the positions of stars] on {{w|Compass rose#Sidereal|sidereal compass dials}}.) The {{w|International Astronomical Union}} established the current official list of 88 constellations in 1922.

The title text is another joke regarding Dinosaur Comics, replacing "comics" with "cosmics" because we're talking about a dinosaur in the sky.

Orion is also mentioned in [[1020: Orion Nebula]]. T-Rex is also featured in [[1452: Jurassic World]]. In 2006, [[Randall]] emulated the style of Dinosaur Comics with [[145: Parody Week: Dinosaur Comics]] and he lists the comic as one of those comics [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|he enjoys]]. Randall and Ryan North are known to be friends. And on the day Randall posted this comic, Ryan wrote the following in his "[https://web.archive.org/web/20241117023759/https://qwantz.com/ What are the haps my friends]" section beneath his own comic: November 15th, 2024: [https://xkcd.com/3012/ HEY DID YOU SEE XKCD TODAY??]

==Transcript==
:[Star map of the Orion constellation at present, everything black on white background. The majority of the twenty-three points are connected with the traditional constellation lines. As is usual, the three stars of "Orion's Sword" are left unconnected, and neither is Sigma Orionis, in its position very close to Alnitak on Orion's Belt. In a frame above the stars there is a label:]
:Orion Today:

:[In the next panel the same stars are drawn (except Sigma Orionis, which features in no further panels) but without the constellation lines. Three of the dots that mark the stars are drawn in grey, and from them a short red line is going to an additional red dot that marks a new star position. A fourth star has a red cross over it. There are two labels in red. From the upper label goes two long red arrows in opposite directions towards the red and grey stars and lines (two of those are close together beneath the label, one is above). A small red arrow goes from the other label to the crossed out star. The rest of the stars remain unchanged. In a frame above the stars there is a label:]
:Predicted Changes:
:Upper label: Star movement
:Lower label: Star Death (Betelgeuse)

:[Star map of the future Orion constellation, all map features black on white, with Betelgeuse now missing and the three moved stars where their red 'new' positions were in the prior panel. A set of mostly different constellation lines are drawn joining the majority of the twenty-one points (excepting the traditional Sword stars). A red label is written with a red arrow pointing to a constellation line at the top right. In a frame above the stars there is a label:]
:Orion in the future:
:Label: Suggested lines

:[In the last panel the same stars with constellation lines are drawn. It overlays an image of Dinosaur Comics T-rex, the full color habitual 'final pane' pose, but flipped left/right to match and generally encompasses the new constellation lines in a way typical of more classical artistic constellation depictions. In particular, bow and right arm of Orion (in some versions, left arm holding captured prey) now matches the dinosaur tail, whilst the raised left arm (sometimes considered the right arm, holding a club aloft) now matches the neck and dropped jaw of its head. The stars of "Orion's Sword" remain as three dots between the legs constellation/dinosaur legs, without any connection to either, or indeed any 'sword'-equivalent.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]

Category:Cats

2024-11-19T15:02:31Z

162.158.74.69: kotek

Comics that include cats or reference cats.
{{navbox-characters}}
[[Category:Animals]]

Talk:3010: Geometriphylogenetics

2024-11-14T15:26:23Z

162.158.74.69:

Does the phrase "maximum likelihood" have any relationship to phylogenetics? [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 03:01, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
: {{w|Computational_phylogenetics#Maximum_likelihood|Profoundly so}}. Most contemporary analyses, especially of large datasets, use either maximum-likelihood methodologies or Bayesian inference (q.v.). I will see if I can say something coherent and comprehensible about this in the explanation. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.147.58|172.71.147.58]] 03:30, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
::If it was you who added the explanation for the title text, nicely done! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 05:04, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

"Pointy circle" is, of course, an oxymoron. Randall is also making a joke about how older phylogenetic trees were based on anatomy, like saying that squares and triangles are close because they have exoskeletons with straight lines and joints. Now, the tree is (where possible) based on genetic similarity. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 05:10, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Hippos can't swim? Did the BBC lie to us? https://youtu.be/X20NjqMiQyo?si=8pN-xwgKJEWM08ZF
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.186.135|172.68.186.135]] 06:18, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
:Fiona the Hippo begs to differ. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-YRJCSZRJU] [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:40, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
::Not sure if you're being ironic, but that video shows that Fiona ''can't'' swim. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 17:23, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Why was phylogenetic analysis required to establish this relationship? Reuleaux triangles are an intermediate form, demonstrating a close relation between circles and triangles. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.130.208|172.71.130.208]] 06:24, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

''Obviously'', he's doing phylogenetics wrong: the pentagons (& hexagons, not shown) should also be shown as descending from the circles. Plus, the ovoids (far more than a middle step between lentiform & triangle, truly an extant branch in their own right) are not represented ''at all''. A major oversight, to cut such corners, given the point he's circling about?
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 06:31, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
:There are two competing theories of the origin of circles. They are either very basal polygons (having one side) or very derived (having infinite sides). It's possible that both are true and 'circle' is a polyphyletic group. [[User:RegularSizedGuy|RegularSizedGuy]] ([[User talk:RegularSizedGuy|talk]]) 16:19, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
::Circles are priests, obviously. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.43.183|172.69.43.183]] 23:46, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Someone should add something about how circles and triangles are related through trig in a way that the rest aren't. Sorry I am new to this and don't know how to format my comment correctly.

I'm sure you could develop a 'DNA' sequence for geometric shapes. [Number of active vertices + angle, Number of curves in each side + variation from straight + orientation from centre, thickness of stroke, etc] basically the sort of data in any drawing data of said shape. Thus you could have two circles that look every similar, but one being an extreme Reulaux triangle and the other a 10,000 sided polygon with no side curvature at all! C.f. Swift and swallow! YMMV [[User:RIIW - Ponder it|RIIW - Ponder it]] ([[User talk:RIIW - Ponder it|talk]]) 10:38, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
: The result would be a taxon x character data matrix, the first step in all forms of phylogenetic analysis. On such a small matrix, you could probably perform maximum parsimony analysis by hand, as Hennig did. However, with such a small number of characters per taxon, taxon resolution would probably be low (lots of polytomies instead of fully resolved dichotomies), and [https://wiki.christophchamp.com/index.php?title=Bootstrapping bootstrap support values] would be horrible. The resulting consensus tree would likely be [<em>ahem</em>] sharply criticized - not least because it would be a "mere" {{w|Analysis_of_similarities|similarity analysis}} and not a true phylogeny (not a reconstruction of descent with modification of progeny). Do not submit such a tree for peer review, and <em>especially</em> do not take it to a meeting of the [https://cladistics.org/ Willi Hennig Society]. You have been warned. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.42.130|162.158.42.130]] 13:56, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

:I’m reminded of the incircle and circumcircle of a triangle. Triangles are the only shape where all polygons of that edge count are guaranteed to have an incircle and a circumcircle (unless, of course, it is degenerate). [[Special:Contributions/172.71.24.5|172.71.24.5]] 13:34, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Sorry, but I don't believe in this "Theory of Polygon Evolution". I believe all abstract polygons were created in their current state by intelligent mathematicians. [[User:Mathmannix|Mathmannix]] ([[User talk:Mathmannix|talk]]) 12:21, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

:Heathen - The One True Creator is Euclid! 😉 [[User:RIIW - Ponder it|RIIW - Ponder it]] ([[User talk:RIIW - Ponder it|talk]]) 12:38, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Reminds me of pedigree genetic charts as well, anyways you geomreationists are so absurdly wrong it's laughable /j [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.130|108.162.238.130]] 13:24, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

'''Obviously''' both triangles and squares descended from circles. But, while triangles evolved from circles with protrusions that extended into points for improved dynamics, squares evolved from circles that developed flattened sides for more stability. Looking forward at their descendants, we see that both shapes have crab-like descendants. But again, developed from very different mechanisms: The evolved triangles's points split and reformed into the crab claws, while the squares evolved into rectangles which developed concave ends that eventually consolidated into the crab claw shape. [[2314: Carcinization]] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.41.73|162.158.41.73]] 20:11, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

It also reminds me of the quadrilateral family tree (google it, I guess), which has always bothered me exactly because it shows just how unapplicable phylogenetics is to geometry, or they are just super incestuous in a time-traveling sort of way? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.43.29|172.70.43.29]] 20:14, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
:Also (re-)interbreeding. c.f. parallelograms that (regularised) become rhombi, but also the "kite" branch can lead, by regularising, to a rhombus. And rhombi descend to the special case of squares, as do special cases of rectangles (differently special cases of parallelograms than rhombi). If anything, the most interesting sub-family of quadrilateral are all the ones that (while not self-intersecting, adding further complications) manage not to be a rhombus, parallelogram ''or'' trapezium. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.43.183|172.69.43.183]] 23:46, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland Circles are descended from polygons and squares are descended from triangles], at least according to the renowned expert [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Abbott_Abbott Edwin Abbott Abbott]. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.175.23|172.71.175.23]] 21:48, 12 November 2024 (UTC)

Exciting new research may have found the universal common ancestor, which is being called a 'point'.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.111|172.70.86.111]] 09:32, 13 November 2024 (UTC)

If anyone would like to peer review me, I've filled in the "missing links" https://jimmysfiles.com/misc/evolution-of-shapes.png {{unsigned ip|172.69.194.78|10:18, 13 November 2024}}
:Nice! I did a very different ancestor reconstruction. Not to take any of this too seriously, but making an ancestor that is intermediate between the descendants (as in your triangle subtree) is rarely parsimonious because it requires mutations on both branches. So I end up with a circle as the root. I do like what you did with the quadrilaterals though, where changing an angle or side length counts as a mutation. Maybe angles are more fundamental in shape DNA than concepts like parallel and symmetric; who knows?
:[[File:geometriphylogenetics_annotated.png]]
: --[[User:Quantum7|Quantum7]] ([[User talk:Quantum7|talk]]) 13:44, 14 November 2024 (UTC)

; Is this a flatworld reference?

Intentional or unintentional, treating geometric shapes as related life forms is quite reminiscent of flatworld. {{unsigned ip|172.68.245.207|14:33, 14 November 2024}}
:Probably not, as it flat-out (npi!) contradicts the known lore of Flatland (if that's what you meant), without even obviously ''deliberately'' and knowingly doing so. It's just a general geometry thing, of which Flatland is a different branch of parody entirely. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 15:26, 14 November 2024 (UTC)

2769: Overlapping Circles

2024-11-13T10:15:31Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2769
| date = April 28, 2023
| title = Overlapping Circles
| image = overlapping_circles_2x.png
| imagesize = 369x260px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = "The Venn diagram of the sun and the moon is a circle." --someone being snarky at totality
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows two overlapping circles. This is a simple example of a {{w|Venn Diagram}}, which is a way that set theorists often illustrate the relationships between sets. Venn diagrams can consist of a number of overlapping shapes to describe the similarities and differences between any number of objects. Up to three overlapping circles can be used to represent every combination of membership of those separate sets. Beyond this, circles cannot suffice and other shapes (ovals or even concave shapes) are needed, but just two such areas is as trivial as shown, with the portion of the diagram where the two circles overlap represents the intersection of the sets (items that are in both sets). There are [[:Category:Venn diagrams|several other comics about Venn diagrams]].

The two sets in this diagram are set theorists and astronomers. Set theorists would find the shape here interesting because such diagrams would appear regularly in their work. Astronomers also find overlapping circles interesting, because this is what they see during {{w|eclipses}}, when one astronomical body is directly or partially in front of another. In the overlapping section in the middle would be people who are both set theorists and astronomers. The joke here is that these people would be particularly excited by the shape, because it represents the overlapping of both their fields of study.

Note that Randall seems to have chosen humor over scientific accuracy. Read literally, this diagram appears to be saying that the only people who are excited about the shape are those who are both set theorists and astronomers. The label that is in the {{w|Intersection (set theory)|intersection}} of the two circles should properly apply to their {{w|Union (set theory)|union}}. However, a pedantic person might note that the label is actually within the union of the two circles, so perhaps all is well after all.

A common snarky comment on the Internet is "The Venn diagram of [x] and [y] is a circle" (for example, "xkcd fans" and "virgins"), implying that the two sets are identical. {{w|Totality}} describes a total (full) eclipse, when one astronomical body completely blocks the light from another. During totality, the shape of the eclipse is a circle. The title text references the totality that occurs during a total solar eclipse and its corresponding shape (or "Venn diagram," as the title text phrases it).

This comic was released 8 days after the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 20, 2023}}, which was visible across parts of South East Asia and Australia, and of which an excited astronomer would certainly be aware.

==Transcript==
:[The comic is an image of Venn diagram, which is used to compare groups of objects.]
:[The Venn diagram in the comic has two overlapping circles. The leftmost circle is labeled "set theorists," the rightmost circle is labeled "astronomers," and the intersection between the circles is labeled "people who get excited about this shape."]

[[Category:Venn diagrams]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia

2024-10-17T19:57:49Z

162.158.74.69: Undo page blanking by Whocaresatptbh (talk)

He forgot the Idaho abbreviation. [[User:Danger Kitty|Danger Kitty]] ([[User talk:Danger Kitty|talk]])
hello[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.64|172.68.54.64]] 19:49, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

:: And Mississippi has stolen Michigan's abbreviation! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.206.240|172.70.206.240]] 23:18, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

5 likes and I will make this a reality [[User:CalibansCreations|'''<span style="color:#ff0000;">Caliban</span>''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 20:10, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

Probably this is because I'm more familiar with the map of Australia than of the US, but Melbourne seems to have moved quite a bit to the east and is now presumably in Gippsland? Oddly that's the most jarring change for me... [[User:Zoid42|Zoid42]] ([[User talk:Zoid42|talk]]) 20:26, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

:: Yep. {{w|Melbourne Florida}}. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.47.10|172.70.47.10]] 21:56, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

An eight-legged gator with fangs the size of your arm, six eyes, and the ability to spin webs is truly a horrifying thought. [[User:Psychoticpotato|P?sych??otic?pot??at???o ]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 21:07, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

:: At that point most of the NT would become to dangerous for people to live. [[User:SomeRandomNerd|SomeRandomNerd]] ([[User talk:SomeRandomNerd|talk]]) 23:21, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

If find it weird how tasmania is florida, as while they are in the same place, they are the least alike 2 places you could think of. [[User:SomeRandomNerd|SomeRandomNerd]] ([[User talk:SomeRandomNerd|talk]]) 22:35, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

:: Agreed. If cartoons and television have taught me anything, one is home to a bunch of snarling, slobbering, ravenous beasts, moving across the landscape as whirlwinds of wanton destruction. And the other is Tasmania. [[Special:Contributions/172.64.238.130|172.64.238.130]] 04:59, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

Part of the joke is that the contiguous 48 States plus DC have nearly the same area as Australia, though the US has a larger total area. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.109.166|141.101.109.166]] 01:00, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

As an Australian citizen, this map hurts my soul. This is amazingly painful and I kinda love it. [[User:OmniDoom|OmniDoom]] ([[User talk:OmniDoom|talk]]) 01:36, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

:: I apparently now live in Adelaide/Louisiana (or New Orleans/South Australia). [[User:FourW|FourW]] ([[User talk:FourW|talk]]) 06:32, 17 October 2024 (UTC)FourW

Environmentalists will be upset with Randal for finally finishing the {{w|Cross Florida Barge Canal}}. And just in time for the centennial!--[[User:The Mess|The Mess]] ([[User talk:The Mess|talk]]) 07:33, 17 October 2024 (UTC)
:I was wondering if it was a sidelong comment upon the effects of {{w|Hurricane Milton}}... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.188|172.70.160.188]]

:: No, no, no. It's the Gap Chasm.[https://xanth.fandom.com/wiki/Gap_Chasm]

The distortion of Washington State, where I live, is painful, but funny. Can't wait for comic 3000! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.146.58|172.71.146.58]] 16:00, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

Being about to shift to the right at an election next weekend, it is very prescient (and scary) that SE Queensland, where I live, is in North Carolina. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.64.212|172.68.64.212]] 18:53, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

==Request: Map Merge/Morph==
Could someone please post a simple map outline of the contiguous US and of Australia, and then try to merge / morph the two maps together? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.47.88|172.70.47.88]] 17:24, 17 October 2024 (UTC)
:could you please elaborate on how you want to merge these two maps? [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 18:22, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

2987: Tectonic Surfing

2024-09-20T22:02:13Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ punc

{{comic
| number = 2987
| date = September 18, 2024
| title = Tectonic Surfing
| image = tectonic_surfing_2x.png
| imagesize = 447x210px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The worst is when you wipe out in the barrel and you're trapped for several million years until erosion frees you.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an OVERCROWDED SURFBOARD - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|Surfing (disambiguation)|Surfing}} is a sport where the participant tries to stand or otherwise remain stable on a moving surface as long as possible. Traditionally the name "{{w|surfing}}" refers to riding a {{w|surfboard}} that is itself floating on the {{w|Wind wave|ocean waves}} as they crash into shore, but in colloquial English it is possible to "surf" other things such as a {{w|Crowd surfing|crowd of people}}, the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN9I2kwQLbw floor of a moving bus], or the {{w|Internet}}.

In this comic, [[Beret Guy]] is surfing the Earth's tectonic plates. Tectonic plates move very slowly compared to a normal surfing experience.{{Citation needed}} So slowly, ordinary people perceive them to be stationary ground. But Beret Guy, in typical Beret Guy fashion, sees the broader picture in the most whimsical way possible and is now surfing the plates across the Earth's mantle below. He seems to be moving horizontally at about 4-5 cm/year (~1 m/20 yrs) which would put him on one of the moderately fast plates,<ref>https://www.pnsn.org/outreach/about-earthquakes/plate-tectonics</ref><ref>https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tectonics.html</ref> at least relative to the more stable North American plate.

While doing this he says [https://www.wavetribe.com/blogs/surfboards-waves/glossary-of-surfing-terms-and-surf-slang#R "Radical"], [https://www.starsurfcamps.com/news/know-your-surfing-lingo-surf-jargon/ "Gnarly"], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka_sign "Hang loose"] which are commonly used among surfers. After 20 years, he is still standing there, having moved about 1 meter with the continental plate. This is thus another of the [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|Strange powers of Beret Guy]], being able to stay in place for 20 years. This was also seen in [[1088: Five Years]], where he waited five years to find out where he would be after that time.

The title text refers to riding the barrel, in which one surfs inside the hollow part of a breaking wave, while a wipe out means you get swept off your surf board. If you wipe out in a barrel, you most likely submerge under water. If this were possible in tectonic surfing, you would be stuck under a tectonic plate and you would have to wait until the material in which you're trapped erodes. In reality, there's no such thing as breaking waves in plate tectonics, but there are {{w|Fold (geology)|geological folds}} that can be seen as similar to the way that turbulent water mixes. Things do get trapped when two tectonic plates collide in a process called {{w|subduction}}, in which one plate disappears below another.

Of note, Beret Guy is mentioned to have a "subduction license", as seen in [[1388: Subduction License|this comic]], so he may have some recourse in such a situation. Due to said license, he would survive and reemerge from the continental plate barrel in a million years time.

A previous comic about tectonics being slow is [[2061: Tectonics Game]].

==Transcript==
:[Cueball walks up to Beret Guy who is standing with one leg in front of another and his arms spread wide.]
:Cueball: What are you doing?
:Beret Guy: Tectonic surfing!

:[Cueball is standing behind Beret Guy, who is in the same pose.]
:Beret Guy: Radical!
:Beret Guy: Gnarly!
:Beret Guy: Hang loose!

:[Beret Guy is alone, still in the same position in the center of the panel.]

:[Beret Guy is in the same position, but at the right edge of the panel with his head partly outside the right edge. Above him is a box with a Caption:]
:20 years later:

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Geology]]

Talk:1926: Bad Code

2024-09-16T11:38:55Z

162.158.74.69: /* someone should make this */ new section

Is it just me or is the fact that this page was created by a bad coder slightly funny? [[User:Halo422|Halo422]] ([[User talk:Halo422|talk]]) 16:56, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
:Sometimes on this wiki we change the created by text to something relevant to the comic Halo. [[User:DPS2004|DPS2004]] ([[User talk:DPS2004|talk]]) 16:58, 8 December 2017 (UTC)
:Slightly, yes. :oP[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.16|141.101.76.16]] 14:13, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

"MAY be the same Cueball and Ponytail as the Code Quality series"???!?! As far as I'm concerned, this is the latest entry in the Code Quality series! Oh, and my interpretation of her "Wait, crap." was her saying she realized he's actually done that before, thrown hammers at that wall. I feel like the giving-him-bad-ideas explanation makes more sense, though. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 17:56, 8 December 2017 (UTC)

:I don't see this that way. Cueball from Code Quality series was a beginner, self-taught coder. This one seems much more mature with programming skills.[[User:Kshksh|kshksh]] ([[User talk:Kshksh|talk]]) 20:45, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

:: That happens sometimes. I.e. people get better over time. But in this case I'd agree with Ponytail that Cueball is not showing "programming skills and is not showing maturity.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 20:35, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

:::I know that people get better over time, but I'm picking more on indirect clues here. Cueball comments that "it's nothing wierd ''THIS TIME''", which means he's written many wierd projects. This means that he likes programming, and possibly have written some non-wierd projects. He also says "nothing depends on it", which means that he has written something that ''could'' depend on it. And while we have no direct indication of how much time passed in between comics, all of the Code Quality seems to happen in one sitting, while this is obviousely different situation.[[User:Kshksh|kshksh]] ([[User talk:Kshksh|talk]]) 20:45, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

:::: I've usually understood that Cueball isn't so much a beginner (in other Code Quality strips), but that he never bothered learning GOOD programming (format, syntax, efficiency, etc). He slaps together code and tries to nudge it and twist it into working, ending up needing assistance to get it done. Brute force programming, no finesse... Instead of using a loop, copies a command sequence 10 times over. That kind of thing. Besides, if he's always just a beginner, why is he always programming? Seems to me he has a passion for it and as such he keeps trying, but never bothers trying to improve (and, honestly, I feel like it takes a large, robust program to inspire such colourful comments from Ponytail. A simple beginner Hello, World progam couldn't have much to say other than "Put a semicolon here" and "You should indent these lines", stuff like that). And part of why his code is usually bad is because he writes programs to do weird things, hence his describing this one as not so bad. Actually, in this respect I wonder if this is ALSO related to the "Cueball has the weirdest computer problems" series, essentially tying those two series together: Cueball gets weird problems because he writes bad code to do weird things which has unexpected results. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:49, 12 December 2017 (UTC)

The hammer-throwing may also be a call-back to xkcd 905, "Homeownership", where Cueball accidentally destroys his home by getting carried away drilling holes in the walls?

Wait, so nobody thinks calling it "Bad Code" instead of the prior "Code Quality" is a veiled reference to Mr Robot? Randall clearly watches the show; I thought he was referring to the show's repeated assertion that careless people are like bad code, their actions dangerously in need of revision. IE that some people have a knack for really messing stuff up which reaches far beyond the minimal effort they put into choosing their actions.

I'm almost certain that "parsing html" is a reference to this: https://stackoverflow.com/a/1732454
[[User:Waterlubber|Waterlubber]] ([[User talk:Waterlubber|talk]]) 20:16, 8 December 2017 (UTC)

Isn't it ponytail who tries to destroy the wall, since by Cueball's logic it doesn't matter if she does it?

Without the title text, I'd believe the wall is actually (already) bearing some kind of dependency into Cueball's spreadsheet, hence the reaction from Ponytail. Rather than giving him ideas to destroy it. It still makes sense because he's the kind of person to do messy things like that. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.46|162.158.92.46]] 00:29, 10 December 2017 (UTC)

I just loaded this xkcd comic (7/20/2021, 21:45 Pacific Daylight Time), and the page took time loading, then just shows "Bad Code" *UNDER* the title, in a different font. Page may be using some disfunctional code to display the comic, which, when it fails, displays "Bad Code".

Haskell, incidentally, has powerful parser combinators, one of the crown jewels of the language, that make it easy to parse HTML, or for that matter, anything. So, Cueball is just likely bad at Haskell. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.55.112|172.70.55.112]] 04:23, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

== someone should make this ==

it would be funny

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 11:38, 16 September 2024 (UTC)

1695: Code Quality 2

2024-09-16T11:36:02Z

162.158.74.69: /* E. E. Cummings and usernames */

{{comic
| number = 1695
| date = June 17, 2016
| title = Code Quality 2
| image = code_quality_2.png
| titletext = It's like you tried to define a formal grammar based on fragments of a raw database dump from the QuickBooks file of a company that's about to collapse in an accounting scandal.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is the second in the [[:Category:Code Quality|Code Quality]] series:
* [[1513: Code Quality]]
* [[1695: Code Quality 2]]
* [[1833: Code Quality 3]]
* [[1926: Bad Code]]
* [[2138: Wanna See the Code?]]

Although [[Cueball]] is not seen in this comic, we can surmise that he is speaking from off-panel based on continuity with [[1513: Code Quality]].

As in the first comic in the series, we again see [[Ponytail]] being introduced to the messy {{w|source code}} Cueball has written. This comic evidently takes place some time later, as Ponytail now appears to be familiar with Cueball's code, and dreads reading it.

In this comic she continues the trend started in the first comic by using a parade of vivid similes to convey the incomprehensible nature of Cueball's code.

===OCR, Scrabble, and Javascript-reserved words===
In her first simile, Ponytail makes a reference to using OCR ({{w|Optical Character Recognition}}) to recognize the letters on a {{w|Scrabble}} board. OCR is notoriously imperfect and often gets letters wrong, resulting in garbled words. The fact that a Scrabble board has criss-crossing words, with some of them traversing the board vertically, would make OCR output even less reliable.

Ponytail observes that Cueball’s code includes the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Lexical_grammar#Keywords JavaScript reserved words] more often than a typical Scrabble board would, a concession that the code looks at least vaguely code-like. In programming, a reserved word is a word that has meaning to the programming language, and therefore is not permitted to be used as a variable name. Common examples are 'function', 'if', and 'return'. The reference to "triple points" refers to the fact that Scrabble's scoring system is based on the point values of individual letters; certain modifier squares on the board can double or triple those values. If Javascript reserved words are worth triple, that would incentivize the players to play them whenever they can, which could give the vague appearance of some kind of code structure.

===Weather forecasts and woodpeckers===
In her second simile, Ponytail references naval weather forecasts, avian interference, and indentation. A weather forecast is a complex, multidimensional array of data used in predicting or assessing the atmospheric conditions of a geographical area over a set time. [https://web.archive.org/web/20191115003453/https://aviationweather.gov/static/help/taf-decode.php Naval weather forecasts] (archive) use an extremely condensed code to send their information, rendering them unintelligible to an untrained reader. This is similar to the common bad coding practice of using unhelpful variable names - typically ones that are short and have no obvious meaning, or may even be misleading.

Transcribing such a weather forecast would be further complicated by a {{w|woodpecker}} randomly pecking the Shift key on the keyboard. Woodpeckers are wild birds famed for their ability to very rapidly peck at a target, which they use to make holes in trees, and also to create a loud "drumming" sound that can be heard a long way. Having a woodpecker peck at the Shift key would result in many letters being randomly capitalized, further reducing the readability of the output.

Ponytail then suggests that the output is "randomly indented". Indentation is the practice of shifting a section of text further from the starting margin. In coding, indentation typically has no semantic function, but rather is a way to visually indicate blocks of code in a hierarchical fashion. Without indentation, code becomes extremely hard to read - as an example, see the entries in the {{w|International Obfuscated C Code Contest}} to see just how bad this can get.

The Python programming language is famous for actually making indentation part of its semantics - a Python program ''must'' be correctly indented, or it will not run.

If a piece of code was ''randomly'' indented, this could be even worse than having no indentation at all, as it could lead readers to see structures where there are none.

===E. E. Cummings and usernames===
<div class="poem" style="float: right; clear: both; margin: 0 0.5em; font-size: 90%">
<pre class="poem preformatted">Buffalo Bill's
defunct
who used to
ride a watersmooth-silver
stallion
and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat
Jesus
he was a handsome man
and what i want to know is
how do you like your blueeyed boy
Mister Death</pre>
<div class="poem attribution" style="text-align: right">–E. E. Cummings, "Buffalo Bill's" (1920)</div>
</div>
Ponytail's third simile references famous poet {{w|E. E. Cummings}}. Edward Estlin Cummings was a poet who used capitalization, punctuation, and line breaks in unconventional ways, suggesting that Cueball's naming conventions are esoteric and hard to follow. She follows this up by restricting the vocabulary to "the usernames a website suggests when the one you want is taken". Websites that offer membership typically require users to create a username that uniquely identifies them. This means that two people cannot have the same username, so if you try to request a name that's already in use, the website will ask you to pick another. Some websites try to help out by suggesting alternative usernames which are close to, but not quite the same as, the one they requested.

For example, if the username "[[119: Worst Band Name Ever|Hedgeclipper]]" is already taken, the site may recommend "Hedgeclipper1234" or "H3dg3clipp3r" instead, depending on the algorithm behind the suggestions. These names are usually harder to read and less elegant than the one the user actually wanted. An E. E. Cummings poem written entirely out of these semi-random suggestions would make the resulting poem even more "unusual" than his work is already considered.

===Markov bots and bus timetables===
The final simile involves {{w|Markov chain|Markov chaining}}, bus schedules, and potential gross vehicular negligence. A Markov chain is a sequence in which each symbol depends only on the previous symbol. This is often used to simulate real-world concepts such as speech simulation and decision making. For example, in English text, you can make reasonable predictions as to what the next letter might be, based on the knowledge of which letters tend to be used together (and which don't). Thus, a Markov bot programmed with basic knowledge of English letter frequencies could produce plausible-looking text. However, the text would make absolutely no sense, as Markov processes are probabalistic and have no knowledge of how English semantics work.

Bus schedules are [http://elb-jpinstances-1463028547.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com/ccg3/XSLT_STT_REQUEST?mode=direct&line=ccg:01065:%20:H:y15&sessionID=0&requestID=0&itdLPxx_template=tableResults&type_stt=any&language=en&coordOutputFormat=WGS84%5Bdd.ddddd%5D&outputFormat=0&name_stt=10111816&contentFilter=allstops often complicated and full of notation], and are notorious for confusing people who are not used to reading them. Using these as the input to a Markov bot would result in an even more garbled and unreadable mess, as the Markov bot doesn't understand bus timetables either.

The issue is further complicated when Ponytail suggests that the schedules are from a city where "the buses crash constantly", which would be horrifying if it happened so regularly that the schedules actually took crashes into account. However, this is likely just Ponytail adding an additional layer of convolution to the simile.

Cueball finally comments that "… it runs fine for now" which indicates he knows the code has problems but is reluctant to fix them because it's more-or-less serving its function. This is a well-known cop-out in software development, and is considered poor practice - the fact that the code is running ''for now'', or runs in the specific circumstances the developer tested it in, does not mean that it is well-written, or that it will integrate with other parts of the system, or that it will continue to run reliably in the future.

Ponytail quips back that "So does a burning bus", which also meets Cueball's low standard - a burning bus can still drive despite being on fire, but most people would not enjoy traveling in such a vehicle,{{Citation needed}} and there will eventually come a point where the fire will endanger the occupants and interfere with the operation of the bus. This could be the reason the buses are always crashing in Ponytail's hypothetical scenario.

===Title text===
In the title text, Ponytail compares the code to a formal grammar, which is a way of describing a set of strings by providing a list of mapping rules that generate those strings. The resulting output would be a laborious list of rules which would all randomly reference each other, akin to {{w|spaghetti code}}. Furthermore, she suggests that the grammar is based on fragments of a raw {{w|database dump}}, which would be an export of the data from a database in a "raw" format that contains no processing to make it easy for humans to read. {{w|QuickBooks}} is an accounting software package, which could imply that the code Cueball has written is related to finance in some way. If the company using QuickBooks is embroiled in an accounting scandal, their database is likely already in a mess, even in human-readable format.

==Transcript==
:[Zoom in on Ponytail sitting in front of a computer screen typing. Cueball speaks only off-panel, but since this is a direct continuation of comic 1513: Code Quality where Cueball is shown, there can be no doubt it is him.]
:Ponytail: Ugh, I hate reading your code.
:Cueball (off-panel): I know, I know.

:[Zoom out of Ponytail in an office chair in front of the computer on a desk.]
:Ponytail: It's like you ran OCR on a photo of a Scrabble board from a game where Javascript reserved words counted for triple points.

:[Zoom in on Ponytails head.]
:Ponytail: It looks like someone transcribed a naval weather forecast while woodpeckers hammered their shift keys, then randomly indented it.

:[Zoom out back to the setting of the second panel.]
:Ponytail: It's like an E E Cummings poem written using only the usernames a website suggests when the one you want is taken.

:[Zoom in to Ponytails head and the screen in a wider panel. Finally Cueball again answers off-panel.]
:Ponytail: This looks like the output of a Markov bot that's been fed bus timetables from a city where the buses crash constantly.
:Cueball (off-panel): Whatever, it runs fine for now.
:Ponytail: So does a burning bus.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Code Quality]]
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Code Quality 02]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] 
[[Category:Language]] 
[[Category:Animals]] 
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Cueball Computer Problems]]

Talk:1659: Tire Swing

2024-08-20T23:49:18Z

162.158.74.69:

my explanation of the comic, which was sort-of obsoleted by someones edit:
<blockquote>Girl1 and Girls2 just finished making a tire swing. They did not use a discarded tire but rather stole one, even fighting the rightful owner turning the theft into a robbery.</blockquote>

the women do not look like Megan and Hair Bun Girl to me, are they new?
sorry for commenting here, but I do not have rights to create a new page, which seems to be necessary for posting the fire comment. Will move once the comment section is created.
I think they are Thelma and Louise (from the movie) given the looks of their hair {{unsigned|Chichak|March 23, 2016}}

I think they're children [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:33, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

:The first one certainly looks like Hair Bun, but the second one (which in in the explanation is presented as Megan) has a somewhat curly hair. Could she be another character, perhaps? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.166|108.162.218.166]] 17:05, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

::As the tire comes from a truck and it's diameter is more than half the height of these small girls they are definitely kids (not that Randall could not have made adults make a swing as like in [[150]]). Also this makes it much more funny that they both stole a car and beat up an angry adult. And now they are going all environmental after wards. So they are not Megan (which looks nothing like a curly haired girl) and also not Hair Bun Girl as it is defined that these characters are adults. There are many stories using kids and they will never represent Cueball, Megan or Ponytail etc. Those with hats are for instance never drawn small! Have thus corrected the explanation. But it still seems to miss much more on the environmental issue which is the subject/point of the comic if not the joke --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:19, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

:::Actually, those with hats have been depicted as children before! For example, comics "Rubber and Glue" and "Thumb War". Also, I'm kind of new to ExplainXKCD, so I don't really know how to make links to the comics. If anyone could go through and link them, that would be great! {{unsigned ip|172.68.245.123|22:11, 20 August 2024}}
:::;Even better, a crash course in "how to link".
:::*Internal links, like you want to use, put the page title in [[]]s. e.g. <code><nowiki>[[Talk:1659: Tire Swing]]</nowiki></code>, although you can put <code><nowiki>[[Talk:1659: Tire Swing|some other text]]</nowiki></code> to give it different link-text (that's a 'pipe' symbol between the page and the optional parameter). All comic pages are primarily "<number>: <name>", but should also have a page for "<number>" alone and "<name>" alone that redirects there.
:::**Though occasionally a comic ''name'' is a number, which obviously causes issues with that, depending upon whether "<lower number>: <title number>" or "<higher number>: <title number>" results. But almost always better to use the full one, anyway, so you could never get confused between [[2614: 2]] (aka [[2614]]) and [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]] (aka [[Petit Trees (sketch)]]) if you try to link to [[2]].
:::*There's also 'external links' that use single []-brackets and templated things like handily abbreviated ways of doing wikilinks (and others), which use {{}}s, but you can probably examine the source of a page that has such things in while editing to try to work the details out. Or ask here and I/someone else will probably go into more depth.
:::...please do feel free to make the edit yourself, how you want it. Use the "Show preview" button to check that it looks right, if you're not ''completely'' sure (better than having to correct things after going through any CAPTCHA at least once before, etc). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 23:49, 20 August 2024 (UTC)

:She looks like the girl in #1058, who is also a child. I feel like she's been in multiple strips but I didn't see a tag for her anywhere. {{unsigned ip|162.158.56.29}}
::The girl in [[1058: Old-Timers]] has two buns compared to only one for most other "girl" or women with any hair buns. So in that respect the is not quite like the one here or the one in [[1352: Cosmologist on a Tire Swing]] mentioned already below (and now in the explanation). There are several comics with kids, but so far there have been no category for neither kids nor any specific kids. Maybe there should be? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:58, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

Maybe they got the truck from Black Hat's garage? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:34, 23 March 2016 (UTC)
:Then they would have lost the fight: [[433: Journal 5]]! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:22, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

I have yet to use a tire swing that was made from a worn tire (worn by the road not by swinging). From my experience, expired tires used by automobiles typically have sharp metal protruding from the rubber. This would make a dangerous tire swing. I thought landscaping (rubber mulch) and playgrounds was the preferred recycling method for used tires?--[[User:R0hrshach|R0hrshach]] ([[User talk:R0hrshach|talk]]) 15:35, 23 March 2016 (UTC)
:I think you are correct. We have one for our kids (though it sucked and we took it down again) and that was a brand new tire, but not one I think would be suitable for any car though. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:22, 23 March 2016 (UTC)
::Not sure how that's relevant, would you explain for me? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 00:42, 24 March 2016 (UTC)
:::I think it's relevant because the previous post was about whether tire swings were made out of used tires. You can make them out of used tires if you use good ones. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.172|108.162.237.172]] 04:44, 24 March 2016 (UTC)
:::: interesting, I have never seen a tire swing made from a new tire! The steel at the bead can wear through, you just don't use one of those for your swing. I question the part of the explanation about the tire being weak. Tires have very strong bands in them, that's why they don't decompose. The rope for your swing will rot away 10 times, and the tree will grow old and die, before the tire gives out and breaks. [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 05:53, 24 March 2016 (UTC)
:::::Have reworded so it is not stated that it is always a new tire. But the one we bought was, and would probably bot be useful as a tire for a car. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:51, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

It is debatable which is better for the environment given global warming: leaving the tire to sit in a landfill, thus locking up the carbon in it for the lifespan of the rubber (certainly hundreds if not thousands of years in a landfill) vs burning it, thus releasing the carbon into the atmosphere and making global warming worse.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:30, 24 March 2016 (UTC)
:Put this in the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:51, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

;Similarity to Calvin and Hobbes
A very similar Calvin and Hobbes cartoon came up on [http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2016/03/18 gocomics.com just last week]. I don't think Randall would have copied it intentionally, but I suspect some chain of suggestion led to re-use of this idea. [[User:Foobarbecue|Foobarbecue]] ([[User talk:Foobarbecue|talk]]) 15:02, 24 March 2016 (UTC)
:Great thanks have put it in the explanation --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:49, 25 March 2016 (UTC)
;Connections
Looks to me like the same girls as we saw in [[1352]]: Cosmologist on a Tire Swing. But I'm not sure what, if anything, the significance of that is. -- (xtifr) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.252.149|162.158.252.149]] 08:39, 25 March 2016 (UTC)
:Well only one girl in that comic, but she looks like the girl with the hair bun The cosmologist is clearly adult and is also correctly listed as Megan. But great with the ref, thanks, have put it in the explanation --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:49, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

;Hair Bun Girl now called Hairbun
There have for some time been an attempt to make a '''[[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Rename_Hair_Bun_Girl|debate]]''' regarding the name of [[Hair Bun Girl]], as a user wished to drop the girl and change to simply [[Hairbun]] along the lines of the name of [[Ponytail]]. After his comic was released the user decided to change the name, and this is why she now goes by the name Hairbun. If anyone has any feelings towards this (also positive) please add to the debate, which never really got started. I put this comment here, as this was the last comic released at the time of the change (and Hair Bun Girls name had even been used in the explanation though she is not part of the comic, which would be the last time before the change occurred). --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:04, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

;Toxicity
Used tires are not a good choice for making swings as they're highly toxic and cancerogen. Former ideas of making tables, shoe-soles or swings out of them are highly discouraged. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.87.35|162.158.87.35]]

;same girl as 1370
The first girl looks like the teenager in [[1370: President]] --[[User:HCanon|HCanon]] ([[User talk:HCanon|talk]]) 07:30, 12 April 2018 (UTC)

2971: Celestial Event

2024-08-14T16:39:42Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ Brought references up from 'default reveal at the bottom' to where they're most useful. (Using links, not delayed references seems better in these cases, but I'm not arguing...)

{{comic
| number = 2971
| date = August 12, 2024
| title = Celestial Event
| image = celestial_event_2x.png
| imagesize = 471x300px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = If we can get a brood of 13-year cicadas going, we might have a chance at making this happen before the oceans evaporate under the expanding sun.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CURSED SHOP THAT APPEARS EVERY FOUR POINT THREE BILLION YEARS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic was posted shortly after some people reported seeing the aurora in conjunction with the perseids meteor shower.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/the-2024-perseid-meteor-shower-and-northern-lights-overlapped-in-a-rare-cosmic-display-see-photos-of-the-dazzling-event/ar-AA1oJKKC</ref> It lists several events that are considered special to be witnessed due to their rarity. Total solar eclipses, auroras and comet sightings are all rare events. This year, all three of these events happened in parts of Massachusetts, United States, where the author lives.

Although it might be, conceivably, possible to witness all three at once in a given location (in this case, the author's neighborhood), the odds stack up to make that occurrence extremely improbable. To boot, those events can only be observed with a clear sky (a 50:50 chance), so that too has to be accounted for in the calculation.

"Total eclipse" presumably refers to total solar eclipses, as total lunar eclipses are visible from any side of the Earth that the Moon is visible. Using [https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/JSEX/JSEX-index.html this nifty tool from NASA], we can estimate the frequency of solar eclipses for a given location. For example, for the city of Boston, MA, there are 14 total solar eclipses in a 4500 year interval, an average of once every 320 years, which is close to the author's estimate. It must be noted that the author did not include annular eclipses, possibly because it would be harder to witness the aurora and the comet sighting during those. Also, unlike the other factors, the 1/350 implies that a total eclipse can be seen for the whole year, when in fact that variable would be (when generous) a mere hour every 350 years.

17-year {{w|Periodical cicadas|cicadas}} are also special in the sense that a brood will only emerge from the ground once every 17 years. Periodical cicadas recently became the object of media furor in 2024 as a 13-year brood and a 17-year brood happened to emerge together in parts of the US, an event that for the same two broods only happens once every 13x17 = 221 years. This caused a lot of noise and double the amount of dead cicadas after they had mated. Needless to say, having a cicada emergence co-occur with all those previously mentioned events would be extra rare, and thus extra special.

How rare, exactly, is the point of this calculation. The resulting product is the expected frequency that all of them would occur at the same time at that location. The value he calculates is once every 4.3 billion years. This is in the same ballpark as the current age of the Earth, about 4.5 billion years.

There are multiple inaccuracies in this type of calculation (though, given the extravagant nature of the proposed event and the unfeasible time scale, perhaps that hardly matters). Multiplying probabilities only works for random variables that are entirely independent. If nothing else, orbits are (luckily<sup>[<em><span style="color:#1144aa !important; ">maybe</span></em>]</sup>) not random.{{Citation needed}} It also requires that all of the probabilities remain constant over time. In reality, cicadas will not exist for very long compared to the time scale, since Earth will become uninhabitable to complex life within a billion years' time and all life will be extinct within {{w|Future of Earth|4 billion years}}. Also, the Moon is moving away from Earth, and total solar eclipses will cease to occur in about [https://www.space.com/37627-total-solar-eclipse-earth-moon-alignment-future.html 600 million years]. Luckily, this is not the time that you are ''always'' going to wait, merely the (usual) period between one occurance and the next. A person starting to wait at a random point in the cycle, and not knowing anything else, would ''on average'' only have to wait ''half'' the time. (If very lucky, it could happen tomorrow, as it hypothetically might have done a bit over four billion years ago; if unlucky, it would indeed be slightly more than four billion years, having most recently happened yesterday; if ''very'' unlucky, the frequencies are slightly less defined, do not actually align as expected for the next conclusion of the cycle and additional billions of years need to be waited until the next example when it 'might' indeed occur as anticipated. Finally, if '''extremely''' unlucky, you will never get a clear sky. Ever.)

In order for the math to work out, some unit conversion is necessary. To solve "20 days / 11 years", one can consider 1 year = 365.25 days (a reasonable approximation that accounts for most leap years and is used in common {{w|Julian year (astronomy)|astronomical calculations}}). For "2 months / 50 years" and "2 months / 17 years", the simplest way is to convert 1 year into 12 months. Unit cancelation works out, and you end up with a number in years that corresponds to the average amount of time between events when all those different things are happening at once. (The implied unit for eclipses is events per year, and that's the unit you get as a result, so the actual length of the eclipse doesn't influence the result much.)

In the title text, Randall mentioned swapping 17-year cicada broods for 13-year ones, to have some chance at witnessing the proposed super-event before life on Earth becomes impossible. Massachusetts is near the northern limit of {{w|Periodical_cicadas|<em>Magicicada</em>}} distribution, and only one 17-year brood is established there (and not in Cambridge, MA). However, the introduction of a different brood could, with some help from global warming, be feasible. There are other variables that are possibly available for manipulation: clear skies can be arranged with various methods of {{w|Weather modification|weather control}}; special cicada broods may be bred or bioengineered specifically to coincide with the other factors of the celestial event; and while the aurora cannot currently be manipulated by humans, there may be artificial methods to make it possible.

Earth's oceans may evaporate in about one billion years<ref>https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216142310.htm</ref>. In order to beat that, we need to better our odds. Using 13-year cicadas in our calculations reduces the average interval between events to 3.29 billion years. We can lower that further by hoping that we'll have clear skies by then (who knows, we might get good enough at manipulating weather that we can *make* it happen). That gives us an average interval between events of about 1.6 billion years. Which means a larger than 50% chance that we'll get our special super-event to happen within a billion years, therefore beating ocean evaporation. Of course, cicadas still may not last that long.<sup>[<em><span style="color:#1144aa !important; ">baseless conjecture</span></em>]</sup> <sup>[<em><span style="color:#1144aa !important; ">trust the cicadas</span></em>]</sup>

===References===
<references/>

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:<u>Approximate frequency in my area</u>

:Active northern lights: 20 days per solar cycle

:A naked-eye "Great Comet": 2 months every 50 years

:Total eclipse: once every 350 years

:Clear skies: 50% of the time

:17-year cicada emergence: 2 months every 17 years

opening bracket

20 days over 11 years multiplied by

2 months over 50 years multiplied by

1 over 350 years multiplied by

one half multiplied by

2 months over 17 years

closing bracket to the power of -1

equals 4.3 billion years

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Every 4 billion years or so, my neighborhood gets to see a ''really'' spectacular show.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Time]]
[[Category:Animals]]

2969: Vice President First Names

2024-08-11T01:09:39Z

162.158.74.69: /* Contextual table of names */ With split-lines, not even any reason to now abbreviate Bill's birth name (in case we think, like Harry S. Truman, these 'initials' are the whole of the respective parts of his name).

{{comic
| number = 2969
| date = August 7, 2024
| title = Vice President First Names
| image = vice_president_first_names_2x.png
| imagesize = 364x556px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [Political pundit on the ScrabbleTV News channel] "After four years of defying orthographic pressure, Joe ceded the top of the ticket to Kamala, who--after considering Josh, Mark, Andy, Roy, and Pete--picked Tim."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by CORNELIUS LYSANDER THROCKMORTON "BOT" BOTTINGFORD - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Randall observes that American {{w|Vice President of the United States|Vice Presidents}} since the 80s have almost all gone by short first names. It should be noted that all of the "short" first names in this strip, with the exception of John (F. Kennedy) are diminutives (or initials) of longer names, but all represent the names which the candidates preferred and publicly used. This comic was published one day after {{w|Kamala Harris}} (who replaced Biden as presidential candidate) chose {{w|Tim Walz}} as her running mate for the {{w|2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election}}. Both the Republican and Democratic tickets are present for 2024, since the 2024 election had not yet concluded when this comic was made. Either party winning would match the observation.

In the comic's caption, Randall amusingly describes this as an emerging "political consensus."

While not a "political" consensus per se, the observed phenomenon is a type of consensus — reflecting a multi-decade change in US societal norms — and is not simply a random coincidence.
* There has been a national US trend toward shorter names since the 1980s and 1990s, with a rise in the popularity of baby names like Ryan, Kyle, Amy and Lisa. (The trend has continued, with even shorter names like Ava, Mia and Max becoming more common in the 2000s and 2010s.)
* This has paralleled a trend in shorter business names, with companies like Dell, Cisco and eBay before the turn of the millennium and Google, Uber and Lyft after (cf. pre-1980 businesses like AT&T, BNSF or 3M which had to convert their very long names into acronyms to adapt). Product naming also began to simplify in the late 20th century, driven by marketing strategies that favored brevity and memorability, exemplified by Apple's iconic "iMac" and "iPhone" products (again, cf. names like "Tandy 1000", "Ford F 500" or "Little Debbie's Oatmeal Creme Pies").
* All of these naming trends reflect a ''general'' societal trend toward minimalism and less formality, also seen with corporate logos, product design (Apple), clothing design (Gap), furniture design (IKEA) and web/app design.

This societal shift may explain why many politicians with given names like Albert and Richard might have preferred to go by shorter, less formal sounding, more approachable names like Al and Dick, to match the zeitgeist. James Danforth Quayle additionally used his middle name (that being another common self-naming decision; or one arising from family tradition/convenience, given that James Cline Quayle was his father), one less commonly seen than the other unabbreviated name from which "Dan" might have come.

Given that trend, it is noteworthy that Vice Presidents have generally adopted shorter names, but presidents have been less likely to do so. It's possible to create theories around this (eg, the office of President is expected to have more gravitas and formality, while the Vice President has less of an official role, and wants to be more approachable), but the size of the group is small enough that it could easily be coincidence, particularly since many of those names (such as George, Barack and Kamala) can't be easily shortened. The exception, Donald Trump (which can be shortened to Don), did not become a politician until late in life, when he was already nationally famous using his full name.

The '''title text''' amusingly suggests (1) the existence of a ScrabbleTV News channel (named after {{w|Scrabble|the word game}}) staffed with (2) political pundits who (3) report Biden's decision to end his re-election campaign as being driven by orthographic (related to the writing of words) pressure to conform to the aforementioned political consensus. Having Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as VP violated this pattern, but elevating Harris to the presidency and selecting a short-named running mate would restore it. In addition to Tim Walz, all of the candidates considered most likely as running mate had short first names: Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear, Roy Cooper and Pete Buttigieg. This could also be a subtle joke about political pundits tending to give confident, inaccurate hot-takes. (Biden's decision was driven, among other things, by worsening polling, rising concerns about his age, a poor debate performance against Trump and subsequent pressure from other leading Democrats.)

This is Randall's second recent comic about US politics and Kamala Harris, the first being [[2962: President Venn Diagram]] which was published right after she rose to the top of the Democratic ticket.

It is interesting that, even ignoring the stricter definition of having less than four letters in their name, only four pairings have a Presidential given (or adopted) name that is shorter than the Vice-Presidential one, and just two further cases (one of these not involved in winning an election) have equal length names. Whether either version of this trend continues prior to the comic's particular slice of history, and whether there is (anti-)correlation to unsuccessful pairings is an investigation not covered by the comic but could be easily researched.

===Contextual table of names===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Presidential and Vice-Presidential names, for the period within the comic, in chronological order.
! Year !! President !! Vice-President
|-
| 1952<br/>(also 1956) || '''Dwight''' David "Ike"<ref name="ike">"Ike" was a shared nickname within the ''Ei''senhower family ("Big Ike", "Little Ike"), which became {{w|Ike for President (advertisement)|commonly used}} for himself, though never became a full replacement of his chosen (re-arranged) 'first' name.</ref> {{w|Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower}}<br/>''né David Dwight "Little Ike" Eisenhower'' || '''Richard''' Milhous {{w|Richard Nixon|Nixon}}
|-
| 1960 || style="background-color:lightyellow" | '''John''' "Jack" Fitzgerald {{w|John F. Kennedy|Kennedy}} || '''Lyndon''' Baines {{w|Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson}}
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1963<ref name="dallas">JFK's assassination meant LBJ acceded to the role, but he made no new appointment to Vice-President prior to his subsequent re-election bid.</ref><br/>(Not in comic.) || colspan="2" | '''Lyndon''' B. Johnson
|-
| 1964 || '''Lyndon''' B. Johnson || '''Hubert''' Horatio {{w|Hubert Humphrey|Humphrey}} Jr.
|-
| 1968<br/>(also 1972) || ‎'''Richard''' Nixon || '''Spiro''' Theodore {{w|Spiro Agnew|Agnew}}
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1973<ref name="watergate">Changes occuring within a Presidential term, in response to an emerging political scandal</ref> || '''Richard''' Nixon || '''Gerald''' Rudolph {{w|Gerald Ford|Ford}} Jr<br/>''né Leslie Lynch King Jr.''
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1974<ref name="watergate"/> || ‎'''Gerald''' Ford || '''Nelson''' Aldrich {{w|Nelson Rockefeller|Rockefeller}}*
|-
| 1976 || ‎James "'''Jimmy'''" Earl {{w|Jimmy Carter|Carter}} Jr. || '''Walter''' Frederick "Fritz" {{w|Walter Mondale|Mondale}}
|-
| 1980<br/>(also 1984) || '''Ronald''' Wilson {{w|Ronald Reagan|Reagan}} || '''George''' Herbert Walker {{w|George H. W. Bush|Bush}}
|-
| 1988 || '''George''' H.W. Bush || style="background-color:lightyellow" | James Danforth "'''Dan'''" {{w|Dan Quayle|Quayle}}
|-
| 1992<br/>(also 1996) || style="background-color:lightyellow" |William "'''Bill'''" Jefferson {{w|Bill Clinton|Clinton}}<br/>''né William Jefferson Blythe III'' || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Albert "'''Al'''" Arnold {{w|Al Gore|Gore}} Jr.
|-
| 2000<br/>(also 2004) || '''George''' Walker {{w|George W. Bush|Bush}} || style="background-color:lightyellow" |Richard "'''Dick'''" Bruce {{w|Dick Cheney|Cheney}}
|-
| 2008<br/>(also 2012) || '''Barack''' Hussein {{w|Barack Obama|Obama}} II || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Joseph "'''Joe'''" Robinette {{w|Joe Biden|Biden}} Jr.
|-
| 2016 || '''Donald''' John {{w|Donald Trump|Trump‎}}‎ || style="background-color:lightyellow" |Michael "'''Mike'''" Richard {{w|Mike Pence|Pence}}
|-
| 2020 || style="background-color:lightyellow" | "'''Joe'''" Biden || '''Kamala''' Devi {{w|Kamala Harris|Harris}}
|-
| 2024<br>({{w|Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats}} win) || '''Kamala''' Harris || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Timothy "'''Tim'''" James {{w|Tim Walz|Walz}}
|-
| 2024<br>({{w|Republican Party (United States)|Republicans}} win) || '''Donald''' J. Trump || style="background-color:lightyellow" | James David "'''JD'''" {{w|JD Vance|Vance}}<br/>''né James Donald Bowman''
|}

:Complete titles are given in the first occurance, providing a full context of options for identification purposes; subsequent mentions may be reduced to their 'typical' name. Any relevent self-acknowledged sobriquets are inserted in quotes.
:Bold is used to indicate the individual's actually most commonly used single given name, as referenced within the comic. Surnames (also commonly used, with or without the title or other disambiguation) are wikilinked upon their first appearance.
:Italics indicates birth names, where different.
:Darkened rows show transitions not made via an {{w|List of United States major party presidential tickets|'ticket'}} at the end of each 4-year electoral cycle.
:Yellow cells echo the highlights the comic's indication of '''given names''' being four or fewer characters in length.
<references/>

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Tables are bad? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A table is shown in a panel. Names of "Four letters or fewer" are shown in the comic on a yellow background (bolded in the table below).]
:{| class="wikitable"
! !! President !! VP
|-
| 2024 ||? Kamala<br />? Donald || '''Tim ?<br />JD ?'''
|-
| 2020 || '''Joe''' || Kamala
|-
| 2016 || Donald‎ || '''Mike'''
|-
| 2008 || Barack‎ || '''Joe'''
|-
| 2000 || George || '''Dick'''
|-
| 1992 || '''Bill''' || '''Al'''
|-
| 1988 || George || '''Dan'''
|-
| 1980 || Ronald‎ || George
|-
| 1976 || ‎Jimmy || Walter
|-
| 1974 || ‎Gerald || Nelson
|-
| 1973 || ‎Richard || Gerald
|-
| 1968 || ‎Richard || Spiro
|-
| 1964 || Lyndon || Hubert
|-
| 1960 || '''John''' || Lyndon
|-
| 1952 || Dwight || Richard
|}

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Since the 1980s, a political consensus has emerged: vice presidents should have short first names.

==Trivia: Other ways to shorten names==
Politicians can also use a more casual name by using an already less unwieldy middle name (as with {{w|Mitt Romney|Willard Mitt Romney}}, but doubly-averted in Dan Quayle's case). Even when they're not shortened to four or fewer letters, names can be made more casual in other ways (as with {{w|Bernie Sanders|Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders}}). As well, some politicians were commonly called by short nicknames even if they did not run under those names (Dwight 'Ike' Eisenhower).

Some of these may have been adult decisions, a personal choice to mark adulthood (or a change of career) by a more character-distinguishing variation, others may have been 'imposed' upon them by family, friends or peers over time and become happily accepted as the norm by the recipient without any great personal consideration.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]

2969: Vice President First Names

2024-08-11T00:23:23Z

162.158.74.69: /* Contextual table of names */ Fiddling with the title.

{{comic
| number = 2969
| date = August 7, 2024
| title = Vice President First Names
| image = vice_president_first_names_2x.png
| imagesize = 364x556px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [Political pundit on the ScrabbleTV News channel] "After four years of defying orthographic pressure, Joe ceded the top of the ticket to Kamala, who--after considering Josh, Mark, Andy, Roy, and Pete--picked Tim."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by CORNELIUS LYSANDER THROCKMORTON "BOT" BOTTINGFORD - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Randall observes that American {{w|Vice President of the United States|Vice Presidents}} since the 80s have almost all gone by short first names. It should be noted that all of the "short" first names in this strip, with the exception of John (F. Kennedy) are diminutives (or initials) of longer names, but all represent the names which the candidates preferred and publicly used. This comic was published one day after {{w|Kamala Harris}} (who replaced Biden as presidential candidate) chose {{w|Tim Walz}} as her running mate for the {{w|2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election}}. Both the Republican and Democratic tickets are present for 2024, since the 2024 election had not yet concluded when this comic was made. Either party winning would match the observation.

In the comic's caption, Randall amusingly describes this as an emerging "political consensus."

While not a "political" consensus per se, the observed phenomenon is a type of consensus — reflecting a multi-decade change in US societal norms — and is not simply a random coincidence.
* There has been a national US trend toward shorter names since the 1980s and 1990s, with a rise in the popularity of baby names like Ryan, Kyle, Amy and Lisa. (The trend has continued, with even shorter names like Ava, Mia and Max becoming more common in the 2000s and 2010s.)
* This has paralleled a trend in shorter business names, with companies like Dell, Cisco and eBay before the turn of the millennium and Google, Uber and Lyft after (cf. pre-1980 businesses like AT&T, BNSF or 3M which had to convert their very long names into acronyms to adapt). Product naming also began to simplify in the late 20th century, driven by marketing strategies that favored brevity and memorability, exemplified by Apple's iconic "iMac" and "iPhone" products (again, cf. names like "Tandy 1000", "Ford F 500" or "Little Debbie's Oatmeal Creme Pies").
* All of these naming trends reflect a ''general'' societal trend toward minimalism and less formality, also seen with corporate logos, product design (Apple), clothing design (Gap), furniture design (IKEA) and web/app design.

This societal shift may explain why many politicians with given names like Albert and Richard might have preferred to go by shorter, less formal sounding, more approachable names like Al and Dick, to match the zeitgeist. James Danforth Quayle additionally used his middle name (that being another common self-naming decision; or one arising from family tradition/convenience, given that James Cline Quayle was his father), one less commonly seen than the other unabbreviated name from which "Dan" might have come.

Given that trend, it is noteworthy that Vice Presidents have generally adopted shorter names, but presidents have been less likely to do so. It's possible to create theories around this (eg, the office of President is expected to have more gravitas and formality, while the Vice President has less of an official role, and wants to be more approachable), but the size of the group is small enough that it could easily be coincidence, particularly since many of those names (such as George, Barack and Kamala) can't be easily shortened. The exception, Donald Trump (which can be shortened to Don), did not become a politician until late in life, when he was already nationally famous using his full name.

The '''title text''' amusingly suggests (1) the existence of a ScrabbleTV News channel (named after {{w|Scrabble|the word game}}) staffed with (2) political pundits who (3) report Biden's decision to end his re-election campaign as being driven by orthographic (related to the writing of words) pressure to conform to the aforementioned political consensus. Having Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as VP violated this pattern, but elevating Harris to the presidency and selecting a short-named running mate would restore it. In addition to Tim Walz, all of the candidates considered most likely as running mate had short first names: Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear, Roy Cooper and Pete Buttigieg. This could also be a subtle joke about political pundits tending to give confident, inaccurate hot-takes. (Biden's decision was driven, among other things, by worsening polling, rising concerns about his age, a poor debate performance against Trump and subsequent pressure from other leading Democrats.)

This is Randall's second recent comic about US politics and Kamala Harris, the first being [[2962: President Venn Diagram]] which was published right after she rose to the top of the Democratic ticket.

===Contextual table of names===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Presidential and Vice-Presidential names, for the period within the comic, in chronological order.
! Year !! President !! Vice-President
|-
| 1952<br/>(also 1956) || '''Dwight''' David "Ike"<ref name="ike">"Ike" was a shared nickname within the ''Ei''senhower family ("Big Ike", "Little Ike"), which became {{w|Ike for President (advertisement)|commonly used}} for himself, though never became a full replacement of his chosen (re-arranged) 'first' name.</ref> {{w|Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower}}<br/>''né David Dwight "Little Ike" Eisenhower'' || '''Richard''' Milhous {{w|Richard Nixon|Nixon}}
|-
| 1960 || style="background-color:lightyellow" | '''John''' "Jack" Fitzgerald {{w|John F. Kennedy|Kennedy}} || '''Lyndon''' Baines {{w|Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson}}
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1963<ref name="dallas">JFK's assassination meant LBJ acceded to the role, but he made no new appointment to Vice-President prior to his subsequent re-election bid.</ref><br/>(Not in comic.) || colspan="2" | '''Lyndon''' B. Johnson
|-
| 1964 || '''Lyndon''' B. Johnson || '''Hubert''' Horatio {{w|Hubert Humphrey|Humphrey}} Jr.
|-
| 1968<br/>(also 1972) || ‎'''Richard''' Nixon || '''Spiro''' Theodore {{w|Spiro Agnew|Agnew}}
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1973<ref name="watergate">Changes occuring within a Presidential term, in response to an emerging political scandal</ref> || '''Richard''' Nixon || '''Gerald''' Ford
|-style="background-color:lightgray"
| 1974<ref name="watergate"/> || ‎'''Gerald''' Rudolph {{w|Gerald Ford|Ford}} Jr<br/>''né Leslie Lynch King Jr.'' || '''Nelson''' Aldrich {{w|Nelson Rockefeller|Rockefeller}}*
|-
| 1976 || ‎James "'''Jimmy'''" Earl {{w|Jimmy Carter|Carter}} Jr. || '''Walter''' Frederick "Fritz" {{w|Walter Mondale|Mondale}}
|-
| 1980<br/>(also 1984) || '''Ronald''' Wilson {{w|Ronald Reagan|Reagan}} || '''George''' Herbert Walker {{w|George H. W. Bush|Bush}}
|-
| 1988 || '''George''' H.W. Bush || style="background-color:lightyellow" | James Danforth "'''Dan'''" {{w|Dan Quayle|Quayle}}
|-
| 1992<br/>(also 1996) || style="background-color:lightyellow" |William "'''Bill'''" Jefferson {{w|Bill Clinton|Clinton}}<br/>''né W. J. Blythe III'' || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Albert "'''Al'''" Arnold {{w|Al Gore|Gore}} Jr.
|-
| 2000<br/>(also 2004) || '''George''' Walker {{w|George W. Bush|Bush}} || style="background-color:lightyellow" |Richard "'''Dick'''" Bruce {{w|Dick Cheney|Cheney}}
|-
| 2008<br/>(also 2012) || '''Barack''' Hussein {{w|Barack Obama|Obama}} II || style="background-color:lightyellow" | "'''Joe'''" Biden
|-
| 2016 || '''Donald''' John {{w|Donald Trump|Trump‎}}‎ || style="background-color:lightyellow" |Michael "'''Mike'''" Richard {{w|Mike Pence|Pence}}
|-
| 2020 || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Joseph "'''Joe'''" Robinette {{w|Joe Biden|Biden}} Jr. || '''Kamala''' Devi {{w|Kamala Harris|Harris}}
|-
| 2024<br>({{w|Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats}} win) || '''Kamala''' Harris || style="background-color:lightyellow" | Timothy "'''Tim'''" James {{w|Tim Walz|Walz}}
|-
| 2024<br>({{w|Republican Party (United States)|Republicans}} win) || '''Donald''' J. Trump || style="background-color:lightyellow" | James David "'''JD'''" {{w|JD Vance|Vance}}<br/>''né James Donald Bowman''
|}

:Complete titles are given in the first occurance, providing a full context of options for identification purposes; subsequent mentions may be reduced to their 'typical' name. Any relevent self-acknowledged sobriquets are inserted in quotes.
:Bold is used to indicate the individual's actually most commonly used single given name, as referenced within the comic. Surnames (also commonly used, with or without the title or other disambiguation) are wikilinked upon their first appearance.
:Italics indicates birth names, where different.
:Darkened rows show transitions not made via an {{w|List of United States major party presidential tickets|'ticket'}} at the end of each 4-year electoral cycle.
:Yellow cells echo the highlights the comic's indication of '''given names''' being four or fewer characters in length.
<references/>

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Tables are bad? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A table is shown in a panel. Names of "Four letters or fewer" are shown in the comic on a yellow background (bolded in the table below).]
:{| class="wikitable"
! !! President !! VP
|-
| 2024 ||? Kamala<br />? Donald || '''Tim ?<br />JD ?'''
|-
| 2020 || '''Joe''' || Kamala
|-
| 2016 || Donald‎ || '''Mike'''
|-
| 2008 || Barack‎ || '''Joe'''
|-
| 2000 || George || '''Dick'''
|-
| 1992 || '''Bill''' || '''Al'''
|-
| 1988 || George || '''Dan'''
|-
| 1980 || Ronald‎ || George
|-
| 1976 || ‎Jimmy || Walter
|-
| 1974 || ‎Gerald || Nelson
|-
| 1973 || ‎Richard || Gerald
|-
| 1968 || ‎Richard || Spiro
|-
| 1964 || Lyndon || Hubert
|-
| 1960 || '''John''' || Lyndon
|-
| 1952 || Dwight || Richard
|}

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Since the 1980s, a political consensus has emerged: vice presidents should have short first names.

==Trivia: Other ways to shorten names==
Politicians can also use a more casual name by using an already less unwieldy middle name (as with {{w|Mitt Romney|Willard Mitt Romney}}, but doubly-averted in Dan Quayle's case). Even when they're not shortened to four or fewer letters, names can be made more casual in other ways (as with {{w|Bernie Sanders|Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders}}). As well, some politicians were commonly called by short nicknames even if they did not run under those names (Dwight 'Ike' Eisenhower).

Some of these may have been adult decisions, a personal choice to mark adulthood (or a change of career) by a more character-distinguishing variation, others may have been 'imposed' upon them by family, friends or peers over time and become happily accepted as the norm by the recipient without any great personal consideration.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]

1005: SOPA

2024-07-11T08:14:20Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1005
| date = January 18, 2012
| title = SOPA
| image = sopa.png
| titletext = In protest of SOPA, I'm currently getting totally blacked out.
}}

==Explanation==
SOPA, the {{w|Stop Online Piracy Act}} and PIPA, the {{w|Protect IP Act}}, were a pair of controversial bills being considered by the United States government in late 2011 and early 2012. The bills contained the ability for the US government to deny American internet users access to certain sites at a judge's request. These would be activated if the government could prove to a court that a site was primarily used to harbor illegally distributed copyrighted goods, such as video games, music, and TV shows.

Many people considered this to be censorship and were concerned that this could instead be used by larger corporations to squelch smaller competing sites who may not have the resources to challenge a "take-down notice" in court, should judges continually agree with the larger corporation.

As the bills gained infamy online, many popular websites and web comics participated in a mass protest on January 18, 2012, to announce their displeasure with the bill in an attempt to convince the House of Representatives to reverse their judgement, which had at the time been considered likely to pass if drafted.

This was [[xkcd|xkcd's]] participation in the protest. [[Randall]] discusses below the black panel that if he was having better copyright protection with these new acts then he would never have gotten this popular since his fans would not have been allowed to distribute the comic gaining him new followers.

In typical xkcd fashion, this comic contains several layers of depth that may not be immediately obvious to the casual observer. In this instance, the apparently solid-black region contains a hidden image revealed with simple brightness+contrast manipulation (or simply loading the image into Microsoft Paint and using the fill tool), with [[Black Hat]] saying "A message from sysadmins everywhere: Seriously, don't screw with DNS. If you break this internet, we are ''<u>not</u>'' making you a new one." This stems from the fact that sites could be ordered taken down by allowing manipulation of the {{w|DNS}} itself, effectively making a site completely disappear from the web. This court-enforced DNS manipulation was considered by many technical professionals to damage the underlying structure of the internet, as well as potentially criminalizing recent work to improve its security.

[[File:sopa hidden message.png||upright=2|The comic image with the message revealed.]]

The title text referred to a common theme across protesting sites: a {{w|Protests against SOPA and PIPA|blackout of the internet}}. Sites such as Google changed to a black background, while Wikipedia prevented access by linking their sites to a black page with white text explaining their participation. On the day of the protest, xkcd was similarly "blacked out," with all comics redirecting to this one. The humor is that Randall has jokingly misinterpreted this "blackout" to mean that he should instead protest by "getting totally {{w|Blacking out|blacked out}}" – i.e. by drinking so much {{w|Alcoholic drink|alcohol}} that he {{w|Drunk|gets drunk}}, {{w|Passing out|passes out}}, and wakes up the next day having no memory of his actions or experiences during his drunkenness; despite Randall's good intentions, this would probably not help the protest against SOPA/PIPA.{{cn}}

After the protest, the bills were postponed from being drafted on January 20, 2012.

==Transcript==
:[A completely black panel with white text. All non-capital letter, in square brackets:]
::[don't censor the web.]

:[Hidden in the background, and only visible under certain conditions, is an inverted Black Hat (i.e. white), with the text from above still visible written across his forehead. Above him is the first line of text, and then he speaks the next line:]
:A message from sysadmins everywhere:
:Black Hat: Seriously, don't screw with DNS. If you break this internet, we are <u>''not''</u> making you a new one.

:[Below the black panel is a visible message from Randall written normally black on white in xkcd style.]
:I make my living drawing xkcd, which wouldn't have been possible if people
:hadn't been able to freely share my comics with each other all over the internet.
:As a copyright holder and small business owner, I oppose SOPA and PIPA.
:[Randall Munroe's signature, with a little drawing of Cueball on one of the tails. Below that a last message.]
:''Randall Munroe''
:See the links below to learn more.

==Trivia==
*The following were the links and text listed below the last message (and below the comic):
:::Learn more:
:{{w|Electronic Frontier Foundation|EFF}}: [https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/One-Page-SOPA_0.pdf One-page guide to SOPA] <small>([https://web.archive.org/web/20120118194022/https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/One-Page-SOPA_0.pdf archived])</small>
:{{w|reddit}}: [http://blog.reddit.com/2012/01/technical-examination-of-sopa-and.html A technical overview of the SOPA and PIPA bills] <small>([https://web.archive.org/web/20120118015844/http://blog.reddit.com/2012/01/technical-examination-of-sopa-and.html archived])</small>
:{{w|Dyn (company)|DYN}}: [http://dyn.com/sopa-breaking-dns-parasite-stop-online-piracy/ How these bills would break DNS] <small>([https://web.archive.org/web/20130321051254/http://dyn.com/blog/sopa-breaking-dns-parasite-stop-online-piracy archived])</small>
:{{w|Electronic Frontier Foundation|EFF}}: [https://www.eff.org/free-speech-weak-link Free speech on the web] <small>([https://web.archive.org/web/20120118014050/https://www.eff.org/free-speech-weak-link archived])</small>
<br>
:::{{w|USA.gov|Act}}:
:[http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml Contact information for US elected officials] <small>([https://web.archive.org/web/20120117165307/https://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml archived])</small>

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Politics]]

Talk:202: YouTube

2024-07-05T09:40:07Z

162.158.74.69: aint no way bruh

In the transcript, it says simpleplan2009's comment was posted 3 minutes ago. However, in the image, it clearly says 5 minutes. [[User:Caagr98|Caagr98]] ([[User talk:Caagr98|talk]]) 19:01, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
:I agree. In theory a 3 and a 5 could be hand-written to be hard to differentiate, but here it is clear. Changed. (And added the first line.) [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 10:56, 19 April 2013 (UTC)
::Changed it back, as the actual transcript on the comic page (as seen in the webpage source, and upon which the comic searches are based) says "3". I've added the reasoning in the explanation. [[User:NixillUmbreon|NixillUmbreon]] ([[User talk:NixillUmbreon|talk]]) 15:31, 20 January 2014 (UTC)
:::The image is the first source for the transcript here. Randall's transcript simply doesn't match the image.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:11, 20 January 2014 (UTC)

On Gunpistolman's comment, is [http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~det/phy2060/heavyboots.html the heavy boots story] worth a mention? [[User:B jonas|B jonas]] ([[User talk:B jonas|talk]]) 16:31, 1 November 2013 (UTC)
:Not needing a mention in the explanation, but thank you for the link. Richard Feynman would be glowing in his grave at the state of science education in this country. {{unsigned ip|108.162.219.223}}
:Frankly, oh God that is TERRIBLE. The PHYSICS STUDENTS thought that light items float on the Moon but heavy things don't? That... That's worse than the Flat Earth Society! [[User:Jacky720|That's right, Jacky720 just signed this]] ([[User talk:Jacky720|talk]] | [[Special:Contributions/Jacky720|contribs]]) 23:17, 5 March 2018 (UTC)

The British sketch comedy TV show ''That Mitchell and Webb Look'' has an excellent [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6MOnehCOUw Moon Landing Sketch] with similar humor to this joke. [[User:Beolach|Beolach]] ([[User talk:Beolach|talk]]) 22:18, 31 March 2014 (UTC)

I think that it's possible the video is the Astronaut music video by Simple Plan. Led to believe it by the username simpleplan2009 {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.124}}

American sheep are very offended by this. if sheep could read. --[[User:Dalonacueball|Dalonacueball]] ([[User talk:Dalonacueball|talk]]) 17:27, 24 March 2015 (UTC)

I'm with GradeAUnderA on this one... FOR YOUTUBE! http://www.prdaily.com/Uploads/Public/exclamation-mark-yelling.jpg FOR YOUTUBE FOR YOUTUBE FOR YOUTUBE. I'm way too much of a 'tuber

All of the comments in the comic are actual YouTube comments, taken from the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vml7pZJujF0 (although the usernames were changed, presumably to protect the stupid). Should that be mentioned in the description? [[User:HiddenWindshield|HiddenWindshield]] ([[User talk:HiddenWindshield|talk]]) 20:44, 19 July 2015 (UTC)

Might the last comment be in reference to the SMBC comic http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=120 (which came out a few years before this xkcd)? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.104|108.162.215.104]] 20:44, 23 October 2015 (UTC)

The comic did not copy the YouTube video comments, rather the other way round. I updated the explanation to add this.[[User:Jojonete|Jojonete]] ([[User talk:Jojonete|talk]]) 23:29, 4 November 2015 (UTC)

Do we really need a citation for "humans haven't landed on Mars"? Seriously? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.164|108.162.215.164]] 17:45, 27 June 2016 (UTC)
:Citation needed is a recurring joke. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.88|162.158.78.88]] 18:03, 16 March 2017 (UTC)

Since the very first time I read this panel, I have wished that the alt-text gave a reply to the 'Americans are Sheep' comment: "I did not have sexual relations with that sheep! -BillClintonPOTUS"[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.127|172.68.54.127]] 03:56, 16 November 2016 (UTC)
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.127|172.68.54.127]] 03:53, 16 November 2016 (UTC)

I have observed that the Lunar Module in this comic looks like a butt. This is very important information. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.88|162.158.126.88]] 09:41, 22 July 2019 (UTC)

As a frequent YouTube user, I can clarify that the comments have gotten better over the years. (Not sure about 4chan though.) {{unsigned ip| }}
:No. Just, no. {{User:PoolloverNathan/Signature}} 17:56, 19 March 2021 (UTC) <br/>

Would it make sense to list the specific grammar errors made in each comment? I think this is an important part of the joke [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.179|162.158.106.179]] 07:05, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

wait

michael huang, the bfdi guy? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 09:40, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

2759: Easily Confused Acronyms

2024-07-02T08:40:44Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2759
| date = April 5, 2023
| title = Easily Confused Acronyms
| image = easily_confused_acronyms_2x.png
| imagesize = 557x444px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Lever' was originally an acronym for Load Emplification by the Vimulated Emission of Radiation.
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic, [[Randall]] compared the acronym "laser" with various other five-letter acronyms.

He first explained "laser" correctly. Then "maser", which is a type of laser and changes only one word in the acronym, he also explains correctly. Although in both cases he includes the definite article into the expanded phrase ("by the", instead of just the more usual "by"), to the same ultimate meaning and with short words that are traditionally not so often used in the initialisms (like "of" is not, here, also) and thus allows them to be more pronounceable acronyms that have become words in their own right rather than more awkward initialisms.

He then makes the following three entries, and the further actual word from the title text, follow precisely the same pattern by simply taking the full phrase for "laser"/"maser" and changing the first word, as appropriate, and the initial letter of any other words that need to change to fit. The replacement first word is correct for these acronyms, but the other words formed from changing the first letter are nonsense.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
!Acronym !! Comic !! Actual
|-
| {{w|Laser}} || ✅ Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation || '''L'''ight '''A'''mplification by '''S'''timulated '''E'''mission of '''R'''adiation
|-
| {{w|Maser}} || ✅ Microwave Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation || '''M'''icrowave '''A'''mplification by '''S'''timulated '''E'''mission of '''R'''adiation
|-
| {{w|Sonar}} || ❌ Sound Omplification by the Nimulated Amission of Radiation || '''SO'''und '''N'''avigation '''A'''nd '''R'''anging
|-
| {{w|Radar}} || ❌ Radio Amplification by the Dimulated Amission of Radiation || '''RA'''dio '''D'''etection '''A'''nd '''R'''anging
|-
| {{w|Lidar}} || ❌ Light Implification by the Dimulated Amission of Radiation || '''LI'''ght '''D'''etection '''A'''nd '''R'''anging
|-
| {{w|Lever}} (title text) || ❌ Load Emplification by the Vimulated Emission of Radiation || (not an acronym in common usage)
|}

Laser and maser are true-to-life acronyms. The remaining three acronyms' true expansions are as given in the table. The false definitions suppose that all of the acronyms simply follow the same model as the first two correct ones, and swap out the necessary letters to fit in a square-peg-round-hole manner. Note that the latter three in the table each include the second letter from their first word, for their partly-{{w|Abbreviation#Syllabic abbreviation|syllabic abbreviation}} as derived from their true phrase of origin.

The title text extends this to the five-letter word "lever". This is an ordinary word, not a commonly used acronym. Levers have been used since time immemorial ([https://quatr.us/physics/levers-simple-machines-physics.htm even animals have been known to use them]), and predates high-tech uses of radiation by millennia (it's one of the {{w|simple machines}} that {{w|Archimedes}} studied in Ancient Greece). [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2722:_Etymonline Etymonline] traces the origin of the word to the year 1300, from the French "levier", which shares the same definition.

==Transcript==

:Easily-Confused Acronyms
:Cheat Sheet

:Laser

:Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation

:Maser

:Microwave Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation

:Sonar

:Sound Omplification by the Nimulated Emission of Radiation

:Radar

:Radio Amplification by the Dimulated Amission of Radiation

:Lidar

:Light Implification by the Dimulated Amission of Radiation

==Trivia==
LEVER is an uncommonly used acronym for Light Electric Vehicle Education and Research.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category: Science]]
[[Category: Language]]

Talk:2940: Modes of Transportation

2024-06-01T00:28:19Z

162.158.74.69:

I'd say a bicycle is way less dangerous than a car
:Considering only the two vehicles themselves, I would probably agree with you but this comic is about convenience and danger of various means of transport. Wouldn't you agree that using a bicycle for transport in crowded city traffic is rather more dangerous to the cyclist than using a car is to the driver?
:It depends on whether you're comparing worst case injuries versus injury rate. Since airliners are considered one of the safest, I think it's injury rate. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 22:07, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Most deaths are either due to involved cars or people doing races or stunts.

I would not count "died because plane crashed onto road" into car dangers, as I would not count F1 driver death into the same bucket as car commuters.

So I would do the same for bikes. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

It's not actually true that a hot air balloon has only one possible direction of travel. It seemed relevant so I added a couple of sentences to the explanation. I suspect Randall is aware of this of course, being a weather nerd. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 00:28, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

So which modes of transports belong in the white band between the "Zone of specialty and recreational vehicles" and the Hot air balloons? I would suggest the Autogyro (see [[1972:_Autogyros|#1972]]) between the skis and the hot air balloon. Any other suggestions? [[User:Frog23|Frog23]] ([[User talk:Frog23|talk]]) 22:44, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

== Sign error ==

I came here to find out what a sign-error is, but the description assumes I already know.

Are American hot air balloonists commonly fond of taking sniper rifles up with them? [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 23:11, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2940: Modes of Transportation

2024-05-31T22:58:36Z

162.158.74.69: /* Sign error */ new section

I'd say a bicycle is way less dangerous than a car
:Considering only the two vehicles themselves, I would probably agree with you but this comic is about convenience and danger of various means of transport. Wouldn't you agree that using a bicycle for transport in crowded city traffic is rather more dangerous to the cyclist than using a car is to the driver?
:It depends on whether you're comparing worst case injuries versus injury rate. Since airliners are considered one of the safest, I think it's injury rate. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 22:07, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Most deaths are either due to involved cars or people doing races or stunts.

I would not count "died because plane crashed onto road" into car dangers, as I would not count F1 driver death into the same bucket as car commuters.

So I would do the same for bikes. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

So which modes of transports belong in the white band between the "Zone of specialty and recreational vehicles" and the Hot air balloons? I would suggest the Autogyro (see [[1972:_Autogyros|#1972]]) between the skis and the hot air balloon. Any other suggestions? [[User:Frog23|Frog23]] ([[User talk:Frog23|talk]]) 22:44, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

== Sign error ==

I came here to find out what a sign-error is, but the description assumes I already know.

Talk:168: Reverse Euphemisms

2024-04-25T22:24:07Z

162.158.74.69:

It should probably be noted that 'dysphemism' is a real word. Though it usually applies to using derogatory terms as opposed to politically correct ones. [[Special:Contributions/130.160.145.185|130.160.145.185]] 20:03, 9 March 2013 (UTC)
<p></p>
I bet people who make Swiss cheese enjoy saying 'this year's batch of cannabis was below par'. [[User:BlueRoll18|BlueRoll18]] ([[User talk:BlueRoll18|talk]]) 01:52, 16 June 2013 (UTC)

Why is this not a good example of a reverse euphemism? His kids are shit. The toilet bowl is basically a pool for shit. "Take a shit" translates directly to "Drop kids off at the pool".
In a true euphemism, "pass away" translates directly to "died".
The two seem similar.

[[User:Flewk|Flewk]] ([[User talk:Flewk|talk]]) 11:57, 25 December 2015 (UTC)

One day I want to be able to really confuse someone by saying "we had to buy some more paint the other day because my dad died" [[Special:Contributions/108.162.223.221|108.162.223.221]] 14:48, 28 January 2016 (UTC)Dream

I am unfamiliar with "seeing a man about a horse" meaning "taking a piss". Is there any reason why man and horse are related to urination? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.137|162.158.34.137]] 16:30, 6 May 2016 (UTC)
:Fun fact: the phrase "taking a piss" is British slang for messing around/joking. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 21:09, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
::..."taking ''the'' piss"... Or are you extracting the urine? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 22:24, 25 April 2024 (UTC)

"Going to see a man about {something / an animal}" is a way of giving a reason for your absence, rather than announcing an intent to perform a bodily function, or simply a polite way of saying "Where I'm going is none of your business". [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.69|141.101.98.69]] 22:01, 30 May 2016 (UTC)

Actually it's more of a reference to ''The Godfather'' isn't it? Where the singer wakes up in bed with a dead horse head? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.131|162.158.106.131]] 03:38, 14 October 2021 (UTC)

Category:Chronicles of Narnia

2024-04-25T07:34:10Z

162.158.74.69:

''{{w|The Chronicles of Narnia}}'' is a series of fantasy novels [[Randall]] seems to like. It was originally published in London between 1950 and 1956, and depicts one or more alternate worlds within which more magical, mystical and spiritual themes hold sway, in what is can be understood as the author's own clearly written but unobtrusive religious allegory. Common fantasy tropes, such as fantastic beings and sentient animals, are encountered by magically-transported humans (or ones from neighbouring lands) who typically find themselves involved in prophesies and conflicts before returning home. Those from our world will then find that time over here has barely progressed in their absence, a 'feature' of the stories that has been referenced most often in the comics that involve this theme.

Some [[:Category:Furries|furries]] may relate to the talking animals found within the works, but Randall has not yet associated comics related to the concept of Narnia with any such fandom-related depictions, such as the use of {{w|fursona}}s. A reference may be made to Aslan, "a very real lion" who is this land's incarnation of the nurturing deity and described as "not safe, but good", or the {{w|Faun}} known as {{w|Mr. Tumnus}}. Because of the series's use of animal characters with human characteristics (that is, anthropomorphic animals), in some cases it may separately warrant falling into the same category of works as those created in the furry fandom, but this is not automatic as over half the comics that reference Narnian concepts (e.g. the wardrobe) completely avoid any such element.

[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Comics by topic]]

2920: Survey Marker

2024-04-16T08:29:24Z

162.158.74.69: /* Transcript */ that's clearly megan

{{comic
| number = 2920
| date = April 15, 2024
| title = Survey Marker
| image = survey_marker_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x272px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Fun fact: The standard North American NAD83 coordinate system is misaligned from the actual Earth, off-center by about 7 feet. Someone knows where I am, and I'm in the wrong place.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GUIDED MISSILE THAT MISSED THE TARGET DUE TO COORDINATE DRIFT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
When they update the database, Cueball's position changes to compensate.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[Zoomed in view of a marker on the floor] U.S. Geological survey bench mark
Elevation above sea 447 feet

Cueball [standing on the marker]: I love finding these survey markers. It's somehow reassuring.
I like that someone, somewhere, knows where this spot is.
If I stand on it, they know where I am.

Megan: But the NAD83 and NAVD88 datums are getting replaced soon. That marker's coordinates could shift by like 5 feet.

Megan [looking at her phone]: Oh look, it just got updated.

Cueball [floating and waving his arms at the top right of the panel]: Hey! Put me back!

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2912: Cursive Letters

2024-03-28T09:20:00Z

162.158.74.69:

That Q is pretty easy to read, but a lot of people write it in a way that looks more like 2. That Q always throws me off. The 2 goes close to the bottom left, neither cool nor legible. [[User:EebstertheGreat|EebstertheGreat]] ([[User talk:EebstertheGreat|talk]]) 21:28, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

Cursive has been in the news lately, almost half the US states have recently passed laws requiring that cursive writing be taught in elementary schools. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 21:30, 27 March 2024 (UTC)
:Recently? I think only California did it recently, most of those laws are older. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 22:14, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

Is this the default cursive taught in US American schools? I’ve often seen this capital I, G and Q on (older) Hollywood films, but the (standard) cursive writing in Germany or France looks completely different. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.99|162.158.154.99]] 21:49, 27 March 2024 (UTC)
:Yes for the most part, at least from when I was taught (early 2000s). Though, we were taught the Q that looks like a 2, like the poster above comments on. [[User:ZeWaka|ZeWaka]] ([[User talk:ZeWaka|talk]]) 06:43, 28 March 2024 (UTC)

Labelled: https://i.imgur.com/dTdLgO6.png [[User:Bewa|Bewa]] ([[User talk:Bewa|talk]]) 22:09, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

:This labelled should go in the explanation - without it I couldn't tell what half those were. In the UK cursive capitals haven't been taught in schools for at least 60 years, I don't know of anyone under 80 who could write these! {{unsigned ip|172.70.163.24|08:25, 28 March 2024}}
::Interestingly, when I was at primary school (mostly in the '70s), we were absolutely not allowed to use biros and (cursively or not, but we certainly learnt how to 'connect' our letters) our writing was full of various serifs and nib-flourishes.
::On moving to secondary school, we were absolutely ''required'' to use ball-points (so no more squeezing out those ink-capsules all over the place, or messing with blotting paper!), but I believe "joined up" writing was encouraged so long as it was legible. You definitely have to make more effort to add serifs with biros, though, where a nib positively encourages it. (BTW, the worst pens were the 'erasable biros', probably because their ink was made to be abraded off by their hard, gritty rubber, but this also made it so easily smearable by a hand when other inks would have more quickly dried in.)
::My handwriting was never that good, in either case. I did (separately, at night-school) pick up actual caligraphy, but that just let me write very neatly (and yet often unreadable - imagine the word "minimum" in what I know as "black gothic", close to that ided as 'Textur' on {{w|Blackletter|this page's sidebar}}...) but ''extremely slowly''... If I need to write ''readably'' (sometimes even by myself), it helps if I downplay that cursiveness that I certainly did learn.
::But at least my cursive letters aren't as exotic as those alleged-Zs. The most 'unblock' character is the 'k' (which loops between 'arms' not too dissimilarly to the comic version). I tend to reserve "looping verticals" to 'l' used for the litre (to differentiate from my digit 1, e.g. looks a bit like "|ℓ" for "one litre", so as not to look like eleven). My "£" (GBP) and "&" do both flourish significantly, even without any opportunity or reason to go fully-connected by cursivity, but perhaps to make them distinguishabld from the more similar alphabetic glyphs.
::I had a quick look for other people's experiences in the UK, and it seems to distil down into [https://www.quora.com/Do-British-people-use-cursive-writing-If-yes-what-does-it-look-like this sort of answer] (look out for Quora's latest attempt to answer with 'AI bot' and get you to sign in, it's just the human answer that's relevent, etc...). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.167|172.70.160.167]] 09:15, 28 March 2024 (UTC)

Meanwhile if this was Russian/Cyrillic cursive, almost every letter would be at y=0! [[Special:Contributions/172.69.7.49|172.69.7.49]] 00:10, 28 March 2024 (UTC)

Is that a "u" in the lower left? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 03:11, 28 March 2024 (UTC)
:Hi, so this is my first ever comment; feel free to yell at me if I’m doing it wrong. But to answer your question, nope, that’s a lowercase v. That said, the two can be frustratingly similar in some handwritings. Also, while this isn’t the point of the comic (and I assume it uses Munroe’s own handwriting) some of those letters can be made more legible and/or much cooler looking if you just write them with an alternate style. — [[User:ThatSciNerd|ThatSciNerd]] ([[User talk:ThatSciNerd|talk]]) 03:31, 28 March 2024 (UTC)

Could someone add an image of the title text? My phone apparently can't display it - just those good ol' unicode boxes. The transcription let's me know what it says, but without seeing it in cursive it's not really the same effect. thanks to whoever added the transcription though! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 08:07, 28 March 2024 (UTC)

RE: the purpose of cursive - wasn't it developed so you didn't have to lift your quill so much, reducing blobbing and spattering of ink?

2023-12-25T20:54:50Z

162.158.74.69:

F1RST P0ST!!

827: My Business Idea

2023-12-18T13:30:25Z

162.158.74.69: /* Explanation */ added link

{{comic
| number = 827
| date = November 29, 2010
| title = My Business Idea
| image = my_business_idea.png
| titletext = We didn't believe you at first, but we asked like three people who were at that party. They not only corroborated your story, but even said you totally mentioned wanting to start a company someday. Sorry! If this isn't enough money, let us know.
}}

==Explanation==
Many people have shared [[Cueball]]'s experience of seeing someone else make a profit from an idea that they themselves had. This comic plays with the thought of what would happen if {{w|intellectual property}} thinking was taken to an extreme, and if companies or people were keener on "setting things right" than money.

In reality, having a great idea alone, of course, does not create a profitable business; there must generally be an enormous amount of effort put in to create a business from scratch, popularize it, and keep it standing. Having done none of this, Cueball would probably not deserve close to the "30% cut" he claims even if intellectual property did work the way it is presented here. Multiplying $20,000,000 by 30% gives $6,000,000, which would be a lot of cash for doing nothing but having an idea and telling it to someone.

The delivery address is to an address on 'Ash Tree Lane', referencing the space-warping house on the same street from the mysterious '{{w|House of Leaves}}' book.

The title text is an extension of this story, presumably coming from the company, comedically apologising for not knowing sooner about [[Cueball]]'s idea, and revealing that they corroborated this claim with his friends at a party about this venture, even kindly offering him a larger share of their revenue.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting at his desk, pointing at his laptop.]
:Cueball: Dude! I had this idea like five years ago, and some company just got rich doing it! - I want my cut.

:[Cueball starts typing.]
:Person off-screen: That's not how it works.
:Cueball: Sure it is. I'm applying for my share now.
:Person: Wait, what?

:[A browser window with the title 'Department of Ideas'. It has a series of text boxes.]
:Date you had the idea:
::Like five years ago.
:Proof you had it:
::I told my friend Mike - you can ask him! I was all "you know what would make a great business idea?" and he was all...
:Their profit so far:
::$20,000,000
:Share you deserve (be fair!):
::[Drop-down.]
:::25%
:::'''30%'''
:::35%
:Mailing address:
::137 Ash Tree Ln

:[Cueball still at the laptop, above him is a SUBMIT button, and it shows a pointing hand cursor.]
:CLICK

:[Last panel set slightly lower than the rest.]
:[Cueball is in front of an open box full of cash, with cash in his hand. A FedEx delivery guy is on the other side of the box with his PDA and pen.]

==Trivia==
This comic was originally called [[827: Business Idea]], but Randall renamed it on 11:35 AM UTC to resolve a conflict on [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. The conflict was created when he released the comic [[1721: Business Idea]] around five years after this comic's release because both comics shared the same name and filename. This is the third time Randall has released a comic with a [[:Category:Comics sharing name|name exactly the same]] as a previous comic.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Business Idea]]