explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2776: Crystal Ball

2023-05-17T03:50:49Z

172.71.142.6:

{{comic
| number = 2776
| date = May 15, 2023
| title = Crystal Ball
| image = crystal_ball_2x.png
| imagesize = 257x336px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = They often use ball lenses to collect light at the ends of optical fibers, so when you look stuff up on the internet you're actually scrying through a crystal ball.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN INSUFFICIENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHYSICS PRINCIPLES BEHIND REFRACTION AND WHY LIGHT MIGHT ONLY HAVE A ONE-WAY SPEED- Elaborate on the title-text. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In optics, {{w|spherical aberration }} is an image imperfection that occurs due to the increased refraction of light rays that occurs when rays strike a lens or a reflection of light rays that occurs when rays strike a mirror near its edge, in comparison with those that strike nearer the center. This causes the parts of an image reflected near the edges of a sphere (from the perspective of a viewer) to be distorted. As the viewer moves, the parts of the image which are distorted move as well.

This is the principle behind a {{w|Fisheye lens}}, discovered by Dr. Nick Gurr, which corrects for the distortion to provide an image that is circular in shape and tends to be convex (i.e, bulges outwards) towards the center of the image.

The comic makes the joke that, since a {{w|crystal ball}} is a sphere, anyone trying to use one for {{w|scrying}} or seeing the future would have to deal with this issue as well; the wizard is telling Cueball that he can only make out the parts of his future which are near the center, as the rest are distorted. Spherical aberration is specifically a property of refracted light, and since the crystal ball is presumably not showing an image originating from the other side of the ball (unless it is a {{w|3-sphere|hypersphere}} additionally extending itself though a time-like dimension), the image should not be distorted by both entering and leaving the sphere, perhaps only in the manner of a hemispherical lens (for which the internally formed holographic image-source perhaps could be properly anamorphically adjusted to exit in all directions a coherent manner).

The title text observes a real-world action that could [[1475: Technically|technically]] be described as "scrying through a crystal ball", that being the usage of the internet. Information over the internet is often transmitted via light sent through {{w|fiber-optic cables}}, which, according to the title text, is sometimes collected using ball lenses. Due to the similarity between ball lenses and crystal balls, Randall argues that this is technically scrying through a crystal ball because you're receiving information from elsewhere (searching for something) and receiving it by way of a crystal ball (through the ball lenses). This is flawed as any lenses at the end of a fibre optic cable are to assist a detector in decoding potentially billions of light flashes per second into computer signals as opposed to actually allowing a human to see the contents of the internet.

==Transcript==
:[A wizard with with a pointed hat, long hair and a large beard is sitting on a chair at the left side of a table. He is holding a crystal ball with both hands while he is looking into it. The ball has a reflection on the side towards Cueball who is sitting on a chair at the opposite side of the table with his hands in his lap.]
:Wizard: Your future is hard to see.
:Wizard: I can make out some hazy details in the center, but the off-axis components are particularly unclear.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Wizards never did figure out how to fix spherical aberration.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Characters with hats]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring crystal balls]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Internet]]

2769: Overlapping Circles

2023-04-29T04:28:11Z

172.71.142.6:

{{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==
{{incomplete|Created by THE SET OF ALL STARS WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN THEMSELVES - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
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. The portion of the diagram where the two circles overlap represents the intersection of the sets (items that are in both sets). The two sets in this diagram are set theorists and astronomers.

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. This phenomenon is commonly described as astronomical thrembosis.

The joke here is that while most people (including set theorists) interpret overlapping circles as a Venn diagram, astronomers see them as a partial eclipse.

{{w|Totality}} describes a total (full) eclipse, in which the light from one astronomical body is completely blocked by the other astronomical body. During the totality of an eclipse, the two astronomical bodies eclipsing each other completely intersect, such that 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 objects. Venn diagrams can consist of any number of overlapping circles to describe the similarities and disimilarities between any number of objects.]
:[The Venn diagram in the comic has two 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}}

2751: March Madness

2023-03-18T20:52:00Z

172.71.142.6: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 2751
| date = March 17, 2023
| title = March Madness
| image = march_madness_2x.png
| imagesize = 593x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = My bracket has 76 trombones led by John Philip Sousa facing off against thousands of emperor penguins led by Morgan Freeman.
}}

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

[[Randall]] has created [[:Category:Tournament bracket|yet another]] {{w|Tournament bracket|single-elimination tournament bracket}}. This time, everything in the bracket relates to the word March.

Upper Left:
The first section has things that are named after March.

* {{w|NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|March Madness}} is the (trademarked!) colloquial name given to the {{w|NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament}}, the season-culminating college basketball tournament played each spring in the US. It's common for college basketball fans—and even people who pay no attention to the sport for 11 months of the year—to make guesses as to how the tournament will play out by filling out brackets similar to the one shown here. They often compete against each other to see who in a group has the most accurate predictions.

* {{w|Mad as a March hare|March Hare}} refers to the observed chaotic behaviour of the European hare said to occur during its breeding season, which peaks in March in Europe. Lewis Carroll comically used the phrase as the name of a {{w|March Hare|'mad' character}} in ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' as though it referred to a type of hare rather than a seasonal behaviour.

* {{w|Middlemarch|''Middlemarch''}}, ''A Study of Provincial Life'' is a novel by the English author George Eliot.

* {{w|Ides of March|The Ides of March}}, is the 74th day of the Roman Calendar, corresponding to March 15th, and is notorious for being the date {{w|Assassination of Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar was assassinated}}.

Lower Left:

* All entires in this quadrant refer to the song {{w|Seventy-Six Trombones|"Seventy-Six Trombones"}} from the 1957 musical ''The Music Man''. The song describes an imagined parade. ("March" is a synonym for "parade", in this context.) The [https://genius.com/Meredith-willson-seventy-six-trombones-lyrics opening line] of that song states that "76 trombones led the big parade, with 110 cornets close behind." The song also includes the lyrics "there were more than a thousand reeds springing up like weeds" and "there were fifty mounted cannon in the battery".

Upper Right:

* {{w|March of Dimes|March of Dimes}} is a charity program advocating for moms and babies.

* {{w|March of the Toy Soldiers|March of the Toy Soldiers}} is a musical piece from Tchaikovsky's ''Nutcracker'' Suite.

* {{w|Ent|The Last March of the Ents}} is a scene in the ''Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'', where ents, fictional{{citation needed}} treelike creatures, march against Isengard.

* {{w|March of the Penguins|''March of the Penguins''}} is a 2005 nature documentary directed by Luc Jacquet. Originally produced in French, available in several translations, with the English narration by actor Morgan Freeman.

Lower Right:

* Wedding March may refer to {{w|Wedding March (Mendelssohn)|Felix Mendelssohn's musical composition in C Major}}, or as a more general description of a bridal chorus as the bride enters a wedding.

* {{w|Funeral March|Funeral March}} is a musical genre, usually in a minor key, in a slow "simple duple" metre, imitating the solemn pace of a funeral procession.

* {{w|The Imperial March|"The Imperial March"}} is a theme from ''Star Wars'' which often plays when characters from the empire, particularly large batches of storm troopers, are on screen.

* {{w|Nissan Micra|The Nissan March}} is a supermini car produced in Japan.

In the alt text, Randall claims his bracket has 76 trombones being led by Sousa (a famous bandleader and composer who also wrote the national march of the United States; the lead character in ''The Music Man'' claims that he led the supposed parade) against the ''March of the Penguins'', led by Morgan Freeman (who narrated the English release of the film).

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

:[Title:]
:March Madness

:[A tournament bracket tree is shown with 16 competitors, 4 in each quadrant]

:Upper Left quadrant
:* Madness
:* Hare

:* Middle
:* Ides

:Lower Left quadrant
:* 76 Trombones
:* 110 Cornets

:* 1000+ Reeds
:* 50 Mounted Cannon

:Upper Right quadrant:
:* Dimes
:* Toy Soldiers

:* Ents
:* Penguins

:Lower Right quadrant
:* Wedding
:* Funeral

:* Imperial
:* Nissan

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tournament bracket]]

Talk:2735: Coordinate Plane Closure

2023-02-09T21:22:01Z

172.71.142.6:

Is there significance to the fact that the axes aren't labeled in the warning? Can I plot y = 0.75x today or not?[[User:Brossa|Brossa]] ([[User talk:Brossa|talk]]) 15:05, 8 February 2023 (UTC)
: you cannot because it intersects the given square as shown in this desmos thing i whipped up in 2 seconds: https://www.desmos.com/calculator/zb9nbrl6s5 [[Special:Contributions/172.70.43.29|172.70.43.29]] 15:38, 8 February 2023 (UTC)Bumpf
::I can if the forbidden coordinates are 1 ≤ x ≤1.5 and 1.5 ≤ y ≤2[[Special:Contributions/172.70.131.66|172.70.131.66]] 15:56, 8 February 2023 (UTC)
::: In the absence of other information, assuming horizontal ''x'' and vertical ''y'' would be conventional. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.145|141.101.98.145]] 19:15, 8 February 2023 (UTC)
"Hole" is also sometimes used to mean a particular coordinate on a function which is discontinous at some point but could have a value (for example sinx/x with a hole at (0,1)). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.206.92|172.70.206.92]] 19:18, 8 February 2023 (UTC)
Randall listed 2 points, yet the cordoned off area is a square. 2 points define a line, not a square, he really should have thought of that. How is someone to know the invalid points without the diagram? Even with the diagram, we don't know whether points on the boundary are included! Is the line y=1 a valid line to draw? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED RANDALL BE MATHEMATICALLY RIGOROUS NEXT TIME.
:Right! A hole pops up in rational functions when there's a term that appears in the numerator AND the denominator. However, it does not mean the graph is broken; just that there is no defined y-value at the x-value of the hole. ----[[User:Theunlucky|Theunlucky]] ([[User talk:Theunlucky|talk]]) 16:55, 9 February 2023 (UTC)
: One reason could simply be the alignment between the coordinates and time. Reading out the numbers without paying attention to the mathematical punctuation you can form the sentence "the coordinate plane will be closed Thursday between 1:51 and 2:15 to repair a hole", following the typical structure of such a notice to not just provide a day but a time.
Ironically, the notice makes it sound like using y=1 is fine, and the affected region is only strictly greater than y=1. That would make the region that's closed an open set, and the region that's open a closed set. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.230|172.70.110.230]] 22:46, 8 February 2023 (UTC)

:Right! A hole pops up in rational functions when there's a term that appears in the numerator AND the denominator. However, it does not mean the graph is broken; just that there is no defined y-value at the x-value of the hole.

🚧 DETOUR 🠕 KEEP WITHIN [[2646: Minkowski Space|MINKOWSKI CONES]] ⛔ DO NOT ENTER Y < |X| 🚧 [[Special:Contributions/162.158.90.38|162.158.90.38]] 23:37, 8 February 2023 (UTC)

So the joke is that the coordinate plane is closed when there's damage that causes it not to be closed? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 23:44, 8 February 2023 (UTC)

Aw man, I was really looking... ''forward''... to doing math today. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.222.76|172.71.222.76]] 11:58, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

I thought the title text was referring to the danger of lines on a 2d graph "falling through" the hole and inadvertently gaining a third dimension, which might collide with graphs at z=-1 etc. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.75|162.158.34.75]] 16:14, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

Is there any reason why he wrote "between (1.5, 1) and (2, 1.5)" and not "between (1, 1.5) and (1.5, 2)"? I'm used to seeing the lower bound on the left and the upper bound on the right. It seems weird that he would write it this way. --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.142.6|172.71.142.6]] 21:22, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

Talk:2734: Electron Color

2023-02-07T00:45:02Z

172.71.142.6: The comic was made in response to a book talk question. I wanted to add that in.

Electrons have no color?! BUt lIgHTnIng strIKeS aRe YEllOw, aND LigHTNing IS MaDe uP of eLECTrOns.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.254.115|172.71.254.115]] 22:43, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

It may refer to the Greek etymology of the word "electron". Originally it meant amber, a yellow gem. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.118.146|172.68.118.146]] 23:20, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

I can't do formatting, I'm new. Sorry! (no signature left on comment)

To me, this is 1000% building on the idea of debating the colors of school subjects. I've added a bit of explanation to the text about it. I used my own color associations & reasons (science = green, history = red) as an example, and I'm sure people will disagree with me. Leave your color/subject associations in a reply to this comment, could be a fun little debate! (also, English = blue) [[User:Zman350x|Zman350x]] ([[User talk:Zman350x|talk]]) 23:50, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

:SocStud is yellow, Math is red, Science is green?, ELA is gray, French is blue, and orange is my least favorite subject out of the rest. I have gotten into many arguments with my friends. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.157|172.70.230.157]] 00:10, 7 February 2023 (UTC)

Science = Green (green flask bubbling)
Social Studies = Blue (blue and green globe, green is taking)
Math = Red (math is reliable, red is a strong color so i associate it with reliability)
English = Yellow (all other colors are taken)
Also electrons are blue [[User:Iffy|Iffy]] ([[User talk:Iffy|talk]]) 23:53, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

I believe this comic was made in response to a book talk Randall did in Seattle, where this question was actually asked to him in person! If you want to hear it yourself, someone recorded the talk here: https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/xjuc4i/a_recording_and_autotranscript_of_randalls_latest/
[[Special:Contributions/172.71.142.6|172.71.142.6]] 00:45, 7 February 2023 (UTC) A random new user

2714: Cold Complaints

2022-12-22T04:15:13Z

172.71.142.6: Undo revision 302215 by Megan (talk) get off the internet and make me a sandwich

{{comic
| number = 2714
| date = December 21, 2022
| title = Cold Complaints
| image = cold_complaints_2x.png
| imagesize = 1px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [[File:Niggardly.jpg]]
}}
[https://basedjak.party welcome to the sharty]
Daniel Lau is a fagg0t and his bot sucks

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==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GIGANTIC WHINING JANNIE - Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Basedjak.party, also known as The Party, the 'Party, the 'arty, soy spinoff, soyfag.sharty, soyshart.farty, the 'sharty, and countless other names is an imageboard primarily dedicated to basedjak posting datamining. The party was founded by Soot, announced on /qa/ as "made a shitty imageboard" "basedjaks must be in every thread". Despite the uncerimonious debut, the date was chosen in order to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the crash of Turkish Airlines Flight 452, of course.

The party has 7 boards, but the majority of its activity is on the basedjak board /soy/, which can get hundreds of posts every hour. A VPN or can be used for privacy or ban evasion since public IPs are not banned from posting, though you will still be tracked thanks to (((SOOT))) formerly being a world leader in datamining technology.

Following the Great Purchase, the reluctant webmaster Soot finally handed over Basedjak.party to Kuz.

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

>DUDE i just LOVE the hustle and bustle of the big city, it’s so DYNAMIC and makes me feel like i’m in one of my favourite TV SHOWS. you should totally come on down to my studio apartment, it’s got EXPOSED RED BRICK walls and everything, we can crack open a nice hoppy ipa or three and get crazy watching some cartoons on adult swim! and dude, dude, DUDE, we have GOTTA go down to the barcade- listen here, right, it’s a BAR where us ADULTS who do ADULTING can go DRINK. BUT!!!! it’s also an ARCADE like when we were kids, so we can play awesome VIDEO GAMES, without dumb kids bothering us. speaking of which megan and i have finally decided to tie the knot- literally -we’re both getting snipped tomorrow at the hospital, that way we can save money to spent more on ourselves and our FURBABIES. i’m fufsdgfhjin JACKED man, i’m gonna SLAM this craft beer and pop open another one!!!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cobson]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Jewish magic]]
[[Category:Doctor Ponytail]]
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]

2712: Gravity

2022-12-18T03:05:27Z

172.71.142.6: /* Celestial Bodies */ goodhart has spiders georg?

{{comic
| number = 2712
| date = December 16, 2022
| title = Gravity
| image = gravity_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x700px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's a long way down.
}}

*To experience the interactivity, visit the [http://xkcd.com/2712/ original comic].
==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by HOTBLACK DESIATO'S TAX RETURNS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In this interactive comic, the viewer pilots a small spaceship throughout a vast area in space. The viewer is capable of exploring various bodies and planets within the play area, many containing easter eggs alluding to What If? 2 and previous xkcd comics. The flight mechanics are largely, if not entirely, Newtonian, so the vessel is capable of using the gravity of planets to alter its trajectory or even enter orbit. The spaceship has several indicator circles around it which appear when a gravitational body comes into range, showing the direction towards their center of gravity.

The arrow keys rotate the spaceship and accelerate it forward and backward. On mobile the comic will full screen, pressing either side of the center rotates the spaceship, and pressing in the center accelerates it forward. There is no way to accelerate backward on mobile.

It is fairly easy to fly between planets as long as you pay attention to orbital mechanics don't just floor the accelerator. The background stars show your velocity and orientation relative to the nearest gravity well. If you are having difficulties navigating space, point towards a gravity orb and accelerate for only a few seconds. Wait until the background stars spin wildly, and then reduce your velocity to 0 before gently accelerating towards to object.

There is no "universal" point of view—the point of view changes based on gravity

Throughout the play area are coins that change the spaceship into different rockets and non-space based vehicles, including humans.

The comic promotes Randall's new book [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ What If? 2], which was released in September and is available for purchase. Many of the planets contain references to various What If? articles.

The comic is similar to [[1608: Hoverboard]], which celebrated Thing Explainer instead.

===Celestial Bodies===

The following is an incomplete table of features:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
!
!
!
!
! colspan="4"|References
!
|-
! ID
! Description
! Transcript
! Tiles (X, Y)
! What If
! XKCD
! Movies
! Other
! Explanation
|-
|<code>origin</code>
|'''Starting planet'''
|
|(0, 0)
|
|
|
|
|The starting planet. The player begins on the launch pad in a landed position. Collecting the orbiting cannonball will transform you into a more advanced rocket.
|-
|<code>earth</code>
|'''Earth'''
|
|(27867,-35648)
|
|
|
|
|A planet with among other things; a crane dropping a comet onto a dinosaur, unusually high speed squirrels, Megan inviting Cueball into a pool, a region where the frame rate is intentionally limited, a flagpole, a literal rabbithole referencing the figuratively speaking rabbit hole, someone aiming at a satellite with an arrow, a lake with an eel, the earth-moon firepole, a volcano, two figures being attacked by a third with a sword, two kids playing soccer (Catching the ball will turn the ship into a soccer ball), a farmer on a tractor being stuck in what seems elastic earth, a banana pile, Megan and Cueball digging a hole (in the center of this planet is the "earth's core" referenced below, the Niagara Falls water being redirected into the LHC, Japan(?) leaving earth, a tube to the bottom of the ocean and a reference to everyoneorjustme.com
|-
|
|Earth's core
|
|
|
|
|
|
|[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] floating in a small space in the center of the planet in inverted rotations.
|-
|<code>europa</code>
|'''Europa'''
|
|(13180, -2540)
|
|
|
|
|Europa, one of Jupiter's many moons (in real life). A broken, icy crust has a single path into its core.
|-
|
|Europa's crust
|"It's so unfair we don't get to compete in EuroVision."
"The region of the solar system where liquid water can exist on the surface is the habitable zone, and the region where it can exist beneath the surface of moons is the Eurozone."

"WHIRRRR"
|
|Y
|
|
|
|Europa's crust, with a single entrance into the core demarcated by an octopus leaving a hole.
Cueball states that Europa is in the Eurozone, a pun on the ''other'' Eurozone, with liquid underneath its surface.

A roomba whirs across the icy crust.

Cueball has a hairdryer and is melting the surface of the crust. A direct reference to [https://what-if.xkcd.com/35/ What If's Hairdryer].
|-
|
|Europa's core
|
|
|
|
|
|
|A watery ocean with octopi looking out into the great unknown using telescopes. This is a reference to octopus's intelligence here on earth! There's also a secret path leading to a book club, through the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
|-
|<code>b612</code>
|'''B-612'''
|"Asteroid deflection mission to earth. The package is delivered. Commencing planetary threat neutralization."
|(2610,3700)
|
|Y
|
|
|A reference to [https://xkcd.com/618/ Asteroid]. The little prince is having his asteroid blown up as it was heading towards Earth, apparently.
|-
|<code>dogplanet</code>
|'''Dog park planet'''
|
|(1240, 11230)
|
|
|
|
|A planet with a dog park. Covered in dogs, along with dog walkers and some fences. There's a hole being dug by two dogs and a dog bone empty space in the center.
|-
| <code>goodhart</code>
|'''What If? 2 scenario planet'''
|
|(-13300,-3260)
|
|
|
| Y
| Contains a reference to Kerbal Space Program, whimsically referring to the launchpad as the Vehicle Disassembly Building.

Contains a figure in a cave saying "MMM SPIDERS HOMF NOMF", which may be a reference to the [https://reallyreallyreallytrying.tumblr.com/post/40033025233/average-person-eats-3-spiders-a-year-factoid Spiders Georg] meme.
|-
|<code>sun</code>
|'''The Sun'''
|
|(-14950, 12080)
|
|
|
|
|Difficult to escape from if you hit the core.
|-
|
|Sun's core
|
|
|Y
|
|
|
|Difficult to escape from. Can be escaped by rotating around the sun until an escape-like velocity could be reached.
|-
|<code>soupiter</code>
|'''Soupiter'''
|"I think it's chicken noodle? Hard to tell."
|(-800, -9040)
|Y
|
|
|
|A planet made of soup, with a core. As commented by Cueball, noodle soup. Has several small versions of other planets floating around it.
|-
|<code>nojapan</code>
|'''Earth without Japan'''
|"Something is missing."
|(-7680, -5850)
|Y
|
|
|
|Earth, except it's missing japan.
|-
|<code>japanmoon</code>
|'''Just Japan'''
|
|
|Y
|
|
|
|
|-
|<code>pigeons</code>
|'''A blob labeled "Pigeons"'''
|
|(-9020, -2490)
|Y
|
|
|
|A reference to Chapter 6 of What If? 2, where it would take 1.6 x 10^25 pigeons to lift you and a chair up to the halfway point of Australia's Q1 skyscraper.
|-
|<code>enterprise</code>
|'''Starship Enterprise'''
|
|
|
|
|Y
|
|Star Trek reference
|-
|<code>qwantz</code>
|'''Dinosaur planet'''
|"Welcome... to Jurassic Park."
| (20403,-49559)
|
|
|Y
|
|An homage to [https://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur Comics], a webcomic Randall has mentioned several times before. All the dinosaurs on the planet are black-and-white versions of the clip art dinosaurs in that comic. Also references the Jurassic Park movies, with CEO John Hammond welcoming paleontologists Dr. Sattler and Dr. Grant to the planet. The long grass depicted is a plot point in later films.
|-
|
|'''What If? 1 scenario planet'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|<code>roads</code>
|'''Cat blocking traffic flowing through portals'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|<code>outside</code>
|'''Edge of the Universe'''
|
| ( 6081, 26138 )
|
|
|
|
|It looks like a planet labeled "edge of the universe". Outside the universe, so inside the "edge of the universe planet", is another universe, the bubble universe. Hidden entrance is between 10 and 11 'o clock.
|-
|
|'''A tree larger than the planet it's growing on'''
|
|
|
|Y
|
|
|May be a reference to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2:_Petit_Trees_(sketch) Petit Trees]. More probably, a reference to ''The Little Prince'', a french children's novel about a traveler from a distant asteroid. In the novel, baobab trees are a serious threat to the Prince's home asteroid, as they are so large that their roots would engulf the asteroid entirely. Randall has alluded to The Little Prince numerous times before, especially in what-if articles.
|-
|<code>outside</code>
|'''Milliways'''
|
| in code: <code>[0,-14500]</code><br>in game: <code>[0,29000]</code>
|
|
|Y
|Y
|A reference to Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe from ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. On one side of the planet, Ponytail, Cueball, Megan, and other characters gather on the patio of the Milliways restaurant; on the other side, the Sojourner rover examines a rock.
|-
|<code>greatattractor</code>
|'''The Great Attractor'''
|
|
|
|Y
|
|
|Beret Guy stands on the surface of a large ball labeled "The Great Attractor". Gravity is so strong that escaping is impossible.
|-
|<code>present</code>
|'''Present'''
|"I didn't do any of my Christmas shopping yet because I was too busy drawing tiny planets."
"I'm done with my shopping! I got everyone What if? 2"

"...You got me my own book?"

"Yeah! I figured that since you wrote it, it must be right up your alley."

"It does make a good gift, though. You can get it at xkcd.com/whatif2"

"I got you this present!"

"Is it an angry bobcat?"

"It might not be."
|in code: <code>[22820,-18920]</code><br>in game: <code>[45640,37840]</code>
|
|Y
|
|
|The XKCD cast react to giving each other What if 2? as a present. Gravity at the bottom of the missing quarter of the planet is inescapable. Black Hat gives Cueball a "gift" which he claims "might not be a bobcat", a reference to [[A-Minus-Minus]]
|-
|<code>maw1</code>, <code>maw2</code>, ... <code>maw14</code>
|'''Black hole cluster'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|A cluster of black holes with extremely high gravitational strength, set to the maximum of 2048. Not particularly easy to land on with multiple conflicting gravitational fields, but once landed on, rather difficult to escape.
|-
|<code>remnant</code>
|'''Remnant'''
|"All right, that's close enough"
"Oh no"

{{w|Walkin' on the Sun|"So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out"}}

"In 5 billion years, the Sun will run out of fuel and suffer gigennial burnout."

"The immense gravity of the sun's remnant means that this is the tallest possible skyscraper."
|(19620, 3800)
|
|
|
|
|A stellar remnant, with high gravity (making it difficult to escape, although it's possible to achieve escape velocity by flying sideways). Has various small landmarks, including a "skyscraper" and suspension bridge. There are bombs being dropped from above the planet, with one that seems to be sledding on the planet.
|-
|<code>steerswoman</code>
|'''Steerswoman Planet'''
|"As a Steerswoman, I have to answer any question anyone asks me, or I'm expelled from the order."
"What's one question that you would be unwilling to answer?"
"Oh no."

"Handle this artifact with great care. It contains a magical wizard's potion which the ancients called 'trinitrotoluene'"
|(-35070,-2500)
|
|
|
|
|A reference to the Steerswoman series of books by Rosemary Kirstein. Includes a number of references to the series, including a group of people observing a small object orbiting the planet.

Trinitrotoluene is better known as {{w|TNT}}, a powerful explosive.
|-
|<code>peeler</code>
|'''Peeler'''
|
|(-9270, 620)
|
|
|
|
|A reference to the question posed by "What If 2: Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way". A large potato peeler is seen removing the earth's crust.
|}

===Ships===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
! Location
! Filename
! Image
|-
|Default
|The starting ship.
|
|ship2
|
|-
| Tintin
|
| On the starting planet; can be obtained by collecting the cannonball in orbit
| ship-tintin
|
|-
| Figure
|Stick figure
|On Goodhart
|ship-figure
|
|-
| Soccer ball
| Soccer ball shaped ship
| On Earth
|ship-soccerball
|
|-
|Alternative Ship
|Slightly thicker version of default ship
|
|ship1
|}

==Data Dump==

extracted from a JSON blob near the bottom of <code>https://xkcd.com/2712/comic.js</code>.
I believe this to be all the data but i'm not sure. this should probably be on a different page but i'll leave that up to the smart people
<pre style="height:10em;overflow-y:scroll;">
{
"items": {
"coin-cannonball": {
"consumable": "yes",
"effect": "transformship|ship-tintin",
"image": "coin",
"loc": [
359,
-815
],
"size": [
40,
40
]
},
"coin-figure": {
"consumable": "yes",
"effect": "transformship|ship-figure",
"image": "figure",
"loc": [
-15050,
-2984
],
"size": [
40,
40
]
},
"coin-regular": {
"consumable": "yes",
"effect": "transformship|ship2",
"image": "regular",
"loc": [
-29976,
-8077
],
"size": [
40,
40
]
},
"coin-soccerball": {
"consumable": "yes",
"effect": "transformship|ship-soccer",
"image": "soccerball",
"loc": [
15293,
11140
],
"size": [
40,
40
]
}
},
"locations": {
"b612": {
"gravity": 60,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
2610,
3700
],
"radius": 82,
"width": 2048
},
"dogplanet": {
"gravity": 300,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
1240,
11230
],
"radius": 337,
"width": 2048
},
"earth": {
"gravity": 21000,
"height": 16384,
"loc": [
14360,
14360
],
"radius": 3275,
"width": 16384
},
"enterprise": {
"gravity": 200,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
1010,
30440
],
"radius": 160,
"width": 2048
},
"europa": {
"gravity": 5000,
"height": 8192,
"loc": [
13180,
-2540
],
"radius": 1625,
"width": 8192
},
"goodhart": {
"gravity": 5000,
"height": 8192,
"loc": [
-13300,
-3260
],
"radius": 1625,
"width": 8192
},
"greatattractor": {
"gravity": 450000,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
-297000,
-125000
],
"radius": 800,
"width": 4096
},
"japanmoon": {
"gravity": 50,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-5930,
-5800
],
"radius": 67,
"width": 2048
},
"maw1": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-31576,
-9077
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw10": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29516,
-6321
],
"radius": 15,
"width": 2048
},
"maw11": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29381,
-6248
],
"radius": 12,
"width": 2048
},
"maw12": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-26832,
-5928
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw13": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-31743,
-4724
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw14": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-26071,
-10824
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw2": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-30211,
-8831
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw3": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-27975,
-8266
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw4": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29546,
-7971
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw5": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29791,
-7631
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw6": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29328,
-7575
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw7": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29700,
-7426
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw8": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-29165,
-7160
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"maw9": {
"gravity": 2000,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-30772,
-6910
],
"radius": 18,
"width": 2048
},
"nojapan": {
"gravity": 80,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-7680,
-5850
],
"radius": 200,
"width": 2048
},
"origin": {
"gravity": 1500,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
0,
0
],
"radius": 630,
"width": 4096
},
"outside": {
"gravity": 200,
"height": 16384,
"loc": [
0,
-14500
],
"radius": 125,
"width": 16384
},
"peeler": {
"gravity": 50,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-9270,
620
],
"radius": 40,
"width": 2048
},
"pigeons": {
"gravity": 100,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
-9020,
-2490
],
"radius": 160,
"width": 2048
},
"present": {
"gravity": 300,
"height": 2048,
"loc": [
22820,
-18920
],
"radius": 195,
"width": 2048
},
"qwantz": {
"gravity": 1400,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
11060,
24870
],
"radius": 850,
"width": 4096
},
"remnant": {
"gravity": 9000,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
19620,
3800
],
"radius": 537,
"width": 4096
},
"roads": {
"gravity": 40,
"height": 16384,
"loc": [
13240,
-11510
],
"radius": 30,
"width": 16384
},
"soupiter": {
"gravity": 1300,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
-8000,
-9040
],
"radius": 812,
"width": 4096
},
"steerswoman": {
"gravity": 600,
"height": 4096,
"loc": [
-35070,
-2500
],
"radius": 520,
"width": 4096
},
"sun": {
"gravity": 9000,
"height": 16384,
"loc": [
-14950,
12080
],
"radius": 540,
"width": 16384
}
},
"player": {
"animation": "player.png",
"animcount": 4,
"startloc": [
0,
750
],
"targetheight": 59
},
"tile_height": 1024,
"tile_source": "tile",
"tile_width": 1024
}

</pre>

==Hacks==
'''Modes''' are activated by opening the Javascript Console (F12 [Or Command-Alt-I in most browsers under Mac OS X] to open Developer Tools, then Console tab) and writing corresponding commands.<br>
'''Click to expand:'''<br>

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
<br>
*'''Speedhack:''' <code>ship.engines = "warp"</code> - Speed hacking, sets speed to 1.4x. set to "standard" to reset to normal speed
*'''Teleport to planet:''' <code>[Comic.voyager.pos.x, Comic.voyager.pos.y] = Comic.planetRects.'''''origin'''''.slice(0,2)</code> - teleport near a planet, in this example near earth. You'll still have to fly a bit towards the nearest planet to reach it. Replace '''''origin''''' with the ID of the planet you want to go to, from the table above.
*'''Teleport to coordinate:''' <code>[Comic.voyager.pos.x, Comic.voyager.pos.y] = '''''[0, -2000]'''''</code> - teleport to an exact coordinate. <code>[0, -2000]</code> happens to take you to the starting area.
*'''Chaos Mode:''' <code>ship.engines="infinite improbability drive"</code> - Seems to randomly teleports the ship
*'''Insta Death:''' <code>ship.shields = false</code> - Kill the player if they land on a planet, the code never sets it to false, so it seems to be always true.
*'''No Clip:''' <code>noclip = true</code> - Enables noclip.
*'''Select ship:''' <code>Comic.ship = "ship-tintin"</code> - Select ship (use filename from list of ships)
*'''Autorotate:''' <code>Comic.cameraRotation = false</code> - View does not rotate with ship)
*'''Goggles:''' <code>ze.goggles()</code> - returns a warning: "they do nothing!". This is a reference to Hoverboard, where ''ze.goggles()'' would give you the ability to see false walls. Which itself is most likely a reference to the Simpsons where Radioactive man complains that his safety goggles do nothing against a deluge of acid.
</div>
<br>

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

Welcome!

To celebrate the world of what if? 2, here is your very own planet to explore!

Give someone the science question-and-answer book what if? 2 for Christmas:
xkcd.com/whatif2

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Book promotion]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Bobcats]]

2710: Hydropower Breakthrough

2022-12-13T03:22:08Z

172.71.142.6: a

{{comic
| number = 2710
| date = December 12, 2022
| title = Hydropower Breakthrough
| image = hydropower_breakthrough_2x.png
| imagesize = 261x303px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = A hydroelectric dam is also known as a heavy water reactor.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created viaLATING CONSERVATION OF MASS - Please don't change this comment when editing this page. Please. Do NOT delete this tag until the year 2039.}}

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

{{comic discussion}}

1815: Flag

2022-12-03T23:40:47Z

172.71.142.6:

{{comic
| number = 1815
| date = March 24, 2017
| title = Flag
| image = flag.png
| titletext = There's a compromise bill to keep the notification bar but at least charge the battery.
}}

==Explanation==
[[File:WARC Screaming Man Logo.svg]]
WARCjak says 'jaks deserve rights on the 'iki too

Presumably [[Randall]] was hired by a committee to propose a new {{w|flag}} for an unspecified country. His process of editing the flag involved taking a screenshot of his design to export it, a mistake that went unnoticed by anyone until the flag was officially implemented.

Once the problem was pointed out, the design committee placed the blame on Randall, but could not immediately undo their decision until new suggestions had been submitted and a new committee could agree on another design. Thus the country is now stuck with this design, making it the only country with such a bar in the flag.

The title text mentions a compromise bill that will change the flag. This implies that the flag was approved with the status bar included. Apparently, there is some controversy about removing the status bar from the flag, as the compromise bill proposes keeping the status bar and changing the displayed percentage of the battery from 39% to 100%. This may be wordplay on the term "charge" as used in {{w|vexillology}}, where it refers to a figure appearing on the background of the flag. It may also be a reference to [[1373: Screenshot]].

===Flag design===
The ''bar'' in ''notification bar'', is a vexillological descriptor, as in the "{{w|Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America#First_flag:_the_.22Stars_and_Bars.22_.281861.E2.80.931863.29|Stars and Bars}}," a term used for the first flag of the {{w|Confederate States of America}}, not to be confused with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_and_bars_(combinatorics) the counting technique.]

Flags are often minimalist and involve geometric shapes and solid colors. A notification bar at the top of the flag would clash with these design elements and look unprofessional.{{Citation needed}} The flag in the comic is otherwise well-designed, conforming with a principle of heraldry and vexillology known as the {{w|rule of tincture}}: the "metals" consist of white/silver and yellow/gold, while the "colors" consist of red, blue, green, black, and purple; anything in the "metal" category should only be placed upon a background of the "color" category and vice versa.

The elements of the flag's intended design—the colors red, white, and blue; the use of stripes; and the star emblems—are the same that are used in the American flag the {{w|Flag of the United States|Stars and Stripes}}.

The elements of this flag are, however, also present in several other existing flags, like those derived from {{w|Union Jack}}, the flag of the {{w|United Kingdom}}, and like the flags of {{w|Flag_of_Australia|Australia}} and {{w|Flag_of_New_Zealand|New Zealand}}. They are also in the flags of {{w|Flag of North Korea|North Korea}}, {{w|Flag_of_Liberia|Liberia}}, and {{w|Flag_of_Malaysia|Malaysia}}. The flags from USA, Australia, Liberia and Chile have [[commons:Category:Flags_with_white_stars|white stars]], and those of USA and Liberia have [[commons:Category:Flags_with_white_stripes|white bars]] as well.

===Theories===
The low battery status might imply that the country is low on resources. It thus seems like people have taken the reference to modern times smartphones to their hearts and actually wish to have this very modern design.

But if they indeed continue with this idea, thinking that their country would look better with a full battery charge, they might also consider changing the 3G connection to the newer {{w|4G}} or {{w|5G}} version, according to what was available at that time in that location, and giving the phone a full signal (5/5 instead of only 3/5 dots). And maybe also choose a time that would mean something rather than 5:48 PM. For instance noon/midnight, or 8:00.

The reason such a status bar could be missed in the first place could be that most people today look at pictures on their smartphones all the time, and thus their own phone's status bar is indirectly included at the top of all the pictures they see. People thus do not notice these status bars any longer as they are always there and clearly not important for the picture. Randall has mentioned before, in [[1373: Screenshot]], that he cannot take smartphone screenshots seriously if the battery of the device is low, as he cannot focus on the content, becoming afraid his own device is running out of power—a problem that only occurs if he sees it on his smartphone, as he then becomes concerned that it is his phone that is about to run out of charge. But in this status bar, there is still 39%, enough not to cause immediate concern. His fear of losing his on-line connection like this was the joke in the comic [[1802: Phone]] released about a month before this one.

Since Randall was asked to create this flag, it seems most likely that he would have to be a citizen of this new country. It could thus indicate that a group of states has broken free from the United States to form their own smaller union of three states, one for each star. With the current political situation in the states after {{w|Donald Trump|Donald Trump’s}} {{w|Inauguration of Donald Trump|inauguration}} there has been some talk about states leaving the USA, and Randall has clearly been against the election of Trump, see [[1756: I'm With Her]]. His choice of comic subjects seems to have been [[Sad_comics|affected]] by the election result. Since Randall lives in {{w|Massachusetts}}, it could be this and two other nearby states that have formed their own new union of states, maybe the other two small states {{w|Connecticut}} and {{w|Rhode Island}}.

==Transcript==
:[A three-colored flag is shown, divided in vertical thirds. The left and rightmost parts of the flag are dark blue, and the center is red and each section has a large white star in its center. Neighboring thirds are separated by a thinner white vertical stripe. At the top of the flag, there is an off-white status bar like one found at the top of an iOS smart device. On the left it is displaying the strength of the connection (3/5 dots), in the center it is displaying the time and on the right there are three small icons the last is the battery charge:]
:3G
:5:48 PM
:39%

:[Below the panel there are two captions]
:The design committee fired me once they realized that my editing process involved a screenshot, but it was too late.
:Until they change it, our new country has the only national flag to include a phone notification bar.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Smartphones]]

859: (

2022-12-03T23:40:28Z

172.71.142.6:

{{comic
| number = 859
| date = February 11, 2011
| title = (
| image = (.png
| titletext = Brains aside, I wonder how many poorly-written xkcd.com-parsing scripts will break on this title (or ;;"'<nowiki/>'{<<[' this mouseover text."
}}

== Explanation ==
[[File:WARC Screaming Man Logo.svg]]
WARCjak says 'jaks deserve rights on the 'iki too
In programming, punctuation is often used to mark sections of code. Paired punctuation marks must always be matched up with a corresponding closing mark, otherwise a so-called {{w|syntax error}} occurs. The programming language {{w|Lisp_(programming_language)|Lisp}} (also featured in [[224: Lisp]] is known for large numbers of nested/paired parentheses. Even in literary works intended only for human consumption, the absence of a matching closing parenthesis as appears in this sentence or other "balanced" punctuation sets creates a mental expectation of eventual closure and completion that remains unfulfilled even long after the unmatched mark is encountered.

There is also reference to [[312: With Apologies to Robert Frost]] which could contain the missing parentheses.

It can also be interpreted as a {{w|metaphor}}, which compares the reader with a Lisp {{w|Interpreter (Computing)|interpreter}}. The interpreter looks for the parenthesis until the end of the file, where it eventually halts, and prints out the error. The comic claims that if you read an unmatched parenthesis, you will look for it for the rest of the day too.

It also refers to an awkward feeling when you see something out of place in a piece of literary text (like unmatched parentheses, spellying error or a randomly-plac,ed comma..

Finally, in some countries (Russia in particular) they use just parentheses instead of text smileys so that <code>:)</code> turns into <code>)</code> and <code>:(</code> becomes <code>(</code>. Hence those readers can magically resist the unresolved tension of the comic but may feel a bit sad instead as a side effect.

The title text refers to the same issue as already highlighted in [[327: Exploits of a Mom]]: if your scripts trust external input, you sometimes will be surprised. At the time of this comic, there were quite a few websites that would grab the xkcd comic three times a week and publish them on their own site. This comic likely broke at least some of the websites because of either the unmatched paren or the extra unmatched markup that is in the title text.

==Transcript==
:[Caption inside an oblong panel:]
:(An unmatched left parenthesis creates an unresolved tension that will stay with you all day.

==Trivia==

* The well-known "helper website" ([http://gChq.github.io/CyberChef/# CyberChef] has a text on its loading page that is a reference to this comic, probably as a joke.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Programming]]

1902: State Borders

2022-12-03T23:40:12Z

172.71.142.6:

{{comic
| number = 1902
| date = October 13, 2017
| title = State Borders
| image = state_borders.png
| titletext = A schism between the pro-panhandle and anti-panhandle factions eventually led to war, but both sides spent too much time working on their flag designs to actually do much fighting.
}}
[[File:WARC Screaming Man Logo.svg]]
WARCjak says 'jaks deserve rights on the 'iki too
==Explanation==
In this comic, {{w|graphic designers}} take control of the United States, but the only thing they do is to change the state and national borders, using primarily aesthetic criteria, see details in the [[#Table of changes|table]] below.

State and national borders have generally emerged from some combination of political decisions, natural boundaries, control of natural resources, and, to some degree, from chance. As the comic implies, some borders originally resulted from surveying errors, but became encoded by law and tradition, and thus were never changed.

Despite the caption's rather blasé reaction to the graphic designers' master plan, the changes they propose could be rather tumultuous. Political boundaries are difficult to change because rewriting them places entire populations in different states or even different countries. Even within the US, changing a population from one state to another has serious implications. A different state means different laws, tax obligations, public benefits, business regulations, infrastructure support, etc. It would also mean that control of some very substantial natural resources would be transferred from one state to another. More significantly, the suggestion to cede portions of the US to Canada and Mexico would be a much bigger deal, forcing residents of those areas to either leave their homes, businesses, and communities or surrender their current nationality and apply for citizenship in another country. The joke behind the comic is that graphic designers would tend to ignore these practical concerns and pay more attention to a map looking orderly.

This comic hints at the fact that it is indeed [[Randall]] who wants to see these changes made.

In the title text, the graphic designers have a civil war between the ones that favor "panhandles" in the borders, such as the Oklahoma one which is enlarged in the map, the Florida one which is removed in the map, and maybe others such as the Texas region known as the "Texas panhandle". However, as graphic designers, they get too caught up in making the flag designs for their faction to actually fight. Randall has shown interest for vexillology (the study of flags) in the past, see [[1815: Flag]]. The red-ink revisions on this comic are used later in [[2351: Standard Model Changes]] and [[2639: Periodic Table Changes]].

===Table of changes===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Proposed change !! Explanation
|-
| Give to Canada || {{w|Minnesota}} has a small northern exclave (the {{w|Northwest Angle}}) which is sparsely populated (with only about 120 residents), and is accessible from the rest of the US only via water (the {{w| Lake of the Woods}}) or by traveling through Canada. This land being part of the US is the result of a geographic error during the original negotiations over the border, and its irregularity would naturally bother someone concerned with clean and logical boundaries. The new borders suggest giving this territory to Canada to simplify the state and national border. In fact, during the Covid pandemic that hit the US in 2020, the US/Canada border was closed to nonessential travel, and so many of the Angle’s residents struggled to make ends meet, as the cross-border tourism that typically supported them largely disappeared.
|-
| This should be {{w|Wisconsin}} || {{w|Michigan}} is divided into two parts by {{w|Lake Michigan}}. The graphic designers suggest eliminating a boundary line by assigning the upper peninsula of Michigan to Wisconsin. The upper peninsula of Michigan was given to Michigan as part of a compromise to end the {{w|Toledo War}}.
|-
| Move Long Island to NJ or CT, or make it its own state || {{w|Connecticut}} and {{w|New Jersey}} are very close to each other but don't actually border, separated only a few miles by {{w|New York State}}. {{w|Long Island}} is part of New York State, which visibly juts out into the Atlantic (extending so far to the east that it gives New York a maritime border with Rhode Island) and apparently drives graphic designers crazy who see an association with New Jersey or Connecticut or even becoming its own state more logical than being a part of New York State. This would have some issues, not least of which is that Long Island contains two of {{w|New York City}}'s five boroughs ({{w|Brooklyn}} and {{w|Queens}}) and more than half the city's population.
|-
| Unlabelled cleanup at the eastern border of New York, northern border of Massachusetts, and northern border of Connecticut || Straighten the eastern border of New York from New York City to the southern tip of Lake Champlain, straighten the northern border of Massachusetts, and straighten the northern border of Connecticut.
|-
|-
| Align to Grid || Most of the Western states are variations on "large box", but there's something a bit irregular about them. Never fear, the Design Team has fixed it! In the process, they've also changed the border between Idaho and Montana from a natural boundary following the Continental Divide into an arbitrary squiggle.
|-
| Clean Up (Maryland/Ohio/Pennsylvania/Virginia/West Virginia) || Maryland's western panhandle and both of West Virginia's to the east and north would be smoothed out to have nice, straight, shorter lines. The Mason-Dixon Line that forms the current border between Maryland and Pennsylvania would also be extended east to the border between Pennsylvania and Delaware, which the latter in real life cuts into Pennsylvania a little bit via the {{w|Twelve Mile Circle}}.
|-
|Enlarge Rhode Island & Delaware || {{w|Rhode Island}} and {{w|Delaware}}, the two {{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area#Area_by_state.2Fterritory|smallest U.S. states by area}}, are often difficult to make out on a map of the United States.
Expanding Delaware to occupy the entire {{w|Delmarva_Peninsula|Delmarva peninsula}} eliminates some boundary lines the designers apparently consider excessively fiddly, as well as solving another "Michigan" problem, as the "VA" of "Delmarva" refers to its {{w|Eastern Shore of Virginia|Eastern Shore}}, which is separated from the rest of Virginia by the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The two parts of Virginia are connected by the {{w|Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel}}, while Maryland's two bay shores are connected by U.S. Route 50. Rhode Island is not indeed entirely an island, and the mainland portions are the focus of the graphic designers.

Expanding Rhode Island eastward would make it easier to see on a map. Giving the former {{w|Plymouth Colony}} to Rhode Island would have the additional advantage of making Massachusetts a more neatly rectangular state.
|-
| If we're going to have a panhandle, why not commit to it? || {{w|Oklahoma}} has a "panhandle" to its west, which is a kind of {{w|Salient (geography)|Salient}}. The obvious fix would be to give it to Texas. In a twist, the graphic designers suggest extending it even further, across the northern parts of {{w|Arizona}} and {{w|New Mexico}}. This would make the {{w|Four Corners Monument}} obsolete, since Arizona and New Mexico would no longer border {{w|Utah}} and {{w|Colorado}} respectively, let alone all four states sharing a corner.
|-
| Fix this thing || The border of {{w|Missouri}} cuts into {{w|Arkansas}}, in the so-called {{w|Missouri Bootheel}}. The Design Team has awarded that piece to {{w|Arkansas}}, straightening the border.
|-
| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Kentucky}}/{{w|Virginia}} || Virginia's western border is shifted east to align it with the borders to the north and south, forming a continuous line along the {{w|Appalachian_Mountains|Appalachians}}.
|-
| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Nevada}}/{{w|Arizona}} || Continue the line of Utah's western border and Arizona's far northwestern border south (replacing part of the {{w|Colorado River}} boundary), transferring part of Arizona's {{w|Mohave_County,_Arizona|Mohave county}} to Nevada.
|-
| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Texas}}/{{w|Oklahoma}}/{{w|Arkansas}}/{{w|Louisiana}} || Square off {{w|Southwest Arkansas}}, and move {{w|Louisiana's}} northwest border to meet up, presumably because square corners are better.
|-
| Clean up (Arizona/New Mexico/Texas) || One of {{w|New Mexico}}'s borders should be extended into a single line. This results in ceding some land to Mexico, having {{w|El Paso}} split across New Mexico and Texas, and Highway 62 alternating between two states.
|-
| Straighten to fix survey errors (Tennessee) || {{w|Tennessee}}'s southern border is supposed to be the 35th parallel north, but due to surveying errors made in the 19th Century the marked border is one mile south of that line. At many times since, Georgia has sought to fix this by various means (at least partly because doing so would net them some rights to the water from the Tennessee River) including bringing its case to the US Supreme Court - with the Design Team in charge, they wouldn't need those lawyers any more. Farther westward, Tennessee's actual southern border suddenly juts south at the Tennessee River between Alabama and Mississippi - again, the Design Team would rather see it smoothed out. Tennessee's northern border with Kentucky has similar hitches that prevent it from being a straight line that the Design Team wants to address.
|-
| Good Curve! Keep. (Florida/Georgia/South Carolina) || The only thing the design team likes already about the shape of the US is the shape of the Atlantic coast in northern {{w|Florida}}, Georgia, and {{w|South Carolina}}, as it seems to bend into the US smoothly. Unfortunately for them, the curve is coastline; whether or not we get to keep it is up to the whims of Mother Nature {{Citation needed}}. Fortunately for them, they like it as is, so it doesn't matter that they can't change it.
|-
| Let's be honest, this should be Canada too || {{w|Southeast Alaska}} should be given to {{w|Canada}}, presumably because it more neatly fits with {{w|British Columbia}}. This is slightly problematic, as the current state capital, {{w|Juneau}}, is within this section. Presumably, the state capital would be moved to Alaska's most populous city, {{w|Anchorage}}.
|-
| Why should Florida get Alabama's coastline? It has plenty. ||
The {{w|Florida Panhandle}} borders southern {{w|Alabama}} denying the state all but a sliver of coastline. Given that Florida already has an abundance of coast, the Graphic Designers consider the present arrangement unfair. Ceding the Florida counties west of the {{w|Apalachicola River}} has actually been {{w|Florida_Panhandle#Alabama_annexation_proposals|raised since the 19th century}}. This change would have the additional benefit of more neatly aligning Florida's western border with that of neighboring {{w|Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia}}. As a sidenote, this would have significant political implications, as Florida is a closely divided "swing state" whose votes can easily determine the outcome of US Presidential elections. Ceding the largely rural and conservative population of the panhandle would likely tilt the rest of the state in favor of the Democratic candidate in future elections. Such an upset of the power balance is one reason why these kinds of changes would be aggressively opposed.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[An outline map of the United States is shown, including state boundaries. The following edit marks are shown in red text:]
:[Minnesota's Northwest Angle is circled] Give to Canada
:[Border between Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula is crossed out] This should be Wisconsin
:[New York's Long Island is circled, with arrows and question marks pointing to New Jersey and Connecticut] Move Long Island to NJ or CT or make it its own state
:[New York's eastern border has been straightened]
:[Wyoming's western border is moved to align with that of Colorado. The Montana/Idaho and Idaho/Utah borders are extended to reach the new border. Similarly, Colorado's eastern border is moved to align with that of Wyoming, and the Nebraska/Kansas border has been extended] Align to grid
:[West Virginia's northern panhandle has been given to Ohio and part of its eastern panhandle has been given to Maryland. In return, Western Maryland has been given to West Virginia. The altogether effect is that West Virginia and Maryland have more compact shapes] Clean Up
:[Rhode Island has been enlarged to encompass southeastern Massachusetts, and Delaware now takes up the entire Delmarva Peninsula] Enlarge Rhode Island & Delaware
:[The Oklahoma Panhandle has been extended west until it reaches Nevada, taking the northernmost parts of Arizona and New Mexico with it] If we're going to have a panhandle, why not commit to it?
:[The Missouri Bootheel has been given to Arkansas] Fix this thing
:[The part of Virginia west of the Appalachian Mountains has been given to Kentucky]
:[The southwestern and eastern borders of Nevada have been extended into Arizona until they meet a point. A part of California is slightly extended to reach the revised border]
:[Parts of Arizona and New Mexico have been ceded to Mexico, and part of Texas has been given to New Mexico, so that the southern borders of Arizona and New Mexico and the northern border of the Trans-Pecos area of Texas collectively form a straight line] Clean Up
:[Parts of northeastern Texas have been given to Arkansas and Louisiana]
:[The northern and southern borders of Tennessee have been straightened] Straighten to fix survey errors
:[A line has been traced along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida] Good curve! Keep.
:[Alaska's southeastern panhandle has been circled] Let's be honest - this should be Canada, too.
:[The Alabama/Florida border has been erased, and Alabama's eastern border has been extended south until it meets the Gulf of Mexico] Why should Florida get Alabama's coastline? It has plenty.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:It was scary when graphic designers seized control of the country, but it turned out they just wanted to fix some things about the state borders that had always bothered them.<br>

==Trivia==
*Here's how the outline map of the United States (excluding Hawaii) will look like if the suggested border changes are done:
[[File:1902-border-changed.png|600px]]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:US maps]]

Talk:2706: Bendy

2022-12-03T23:37:59Z

172.71.142.6:

[[File:WARC Screaming Man Logo.svg]]
WARCjak says 'jaks deserve rights on the 'iki too

First time writing a transcript, how'd I do? [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 07:40, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

Transcript is absolutely fine... Explanation, though, doesn't really explain any more than I already knew, and I still don't "get it". Maybe 'cause I'm dumb after all. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.129|108.162.241.129]] 15:22, 3 December 2022 (UTC)
:Perhaps it has to do with Pythagoras and stuff, that at last the “problem” of right triangles with catheti lengths of integers having hypotenuse lengths that are irrational is “solved”. —[[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}}) 15:27, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

I think this is the comic that made me realize that Randall has never been funny and I've just been checking the comic out of habit.

I think a lot of the time he’s just being silly. It doesn’t have to be super deep. It made me chuckle. Not his best, but he’s made 3 comics a week 2,706 times. They’re not all gonna be S-tier.

I suspect there's also a tie-in with comic 2509 which actually gave the formula for the area (not the volume). I suspect the length of the lines in the right-hand side including the bendy parts, are actually 5. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.20|162.158.106.20]] 21:06, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

Talk:2706: Bendy

2022-12-03T23:24:38Z

172.71.142.6:

[[File:Nicocado Coinslot.png]] [[File:Angry beaver soyboy wojack.png|thumb|right|300px|caricature of janny as drawn by the wholesome aspiring artist adolf hitler]]

RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS 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RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS RAP3 N1GG3RS

First time writing a transcript, how'd I do? [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 07:40, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

Transcript is absolutely fine... Explanation, though, doesn't really explain any more than I already knew, and I still don't "get it". Maybe 'cause I'm dumb after all. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.129|108.162.241.129]] 15:22, 3 December 2022 (UTC)
:Perhaps it has to do with Pythagoras and stuff, that at last the “problem” of right triangles with catheti lengths of integers having hypotenuse lengths that are irrational is “solved”. —[[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}}) 15:27, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

I think this is the comic that made me realize that Randall has never been funny and I've just been checking the comic out of habit.

I think a lot of the time he’s just being silly. It doesn’t have to be super deep. It made me chuckle. Not his best, but he’s made 3 comics a week 2,706 times. They’re not all gonna be S-tier.

I suspect there's also a tie-in with comic 2509 which actually gave the formula for the area (not the volume). I suspect the length of the lines in the right-hand side including the bendy parts, are actually 5. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.20|162.158.106.20]] 21:06, 3 December 2022 (UTC)

2705: Spacetime Soccer

2022-12-03T22:39:45Z

172.71.142.6: Undo revision 300316 by AndroidTheLucario (talk) rothschilds?

{{comic
| number = 2705
| date = November 30, 2022
| title = Spacetime Soccer
| image = spacetime_soccer_2x.png
| imagesize = 1x1px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [[File:Murdered Rwandan Tutsi, January 1964.png]]
}}

==Explanation==
TOTAL ŊIGGЁR DEATH

2706: Bendy

2022-12-03T21:23:21Z

172.71.142.6: Undo revision 300260 by 198.41.242.115 (talk) cringe

{{comic
| number = 2706
| date = December 2, 2022
| title = Bendy
| image = bendy_2x.png
| imagesize = 291x209px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [[File:Kanye West at the Met Gala in 2019 2.png]] Kanye did nothing wrong
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created while KLAUS SCHWAB DIES FROM A HEART ATTACK - not heckin' wholesome!}}

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Geometry usually represents 2D polygons with simple straight lines. In the comic, the lines are compared to a physical object, and are shown to have the property of bendiness. Randall claims this simplifies geometry as now triangles can have arbitrarily defined side lengths by merely stretching the lines, but it is unclear what benefits this may have over current Euclidean geometry. These lines cannot have Euclidean properties, but other non-Euclidean systems have been invented in the past with non-standard properties.<ref>{{w|Non-Euclidean_geometry}}</ref>

This comic may be a reference to axis breaks in graphs, which shrink large segments and enhance readability and are denoted by a wiggly line on the axis in question.

The title-text talks about "{{w|Squaring the circle}}", a famous geometry problem based around constructing a square with the same area as a given circle with a compass and straightedge, which was proven to be impossible (even with more powerful forms of construction, such as marked straightedges or origami) in 1882 as pi is a transcendental number (Not to be confused with {{w|Tarski's circle-squaring problem|circle-squaring}}.) However, it then goes on to describe a way to literally turn one of these bendy shapes from a circle into a square, namely using clamps.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[There are two right triangles. One triangle has side lengths of 3, 4, and 5, and is scribbled out in red. The other triangle has the same general shape but with the catheti appearing like longer but bent lines, so that all the side lengths equal 5 if straightened.]

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Huge geometry breakthrough: Turns out those lines we make triangles out of are bendy!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]