explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1957: 2018 CVE List

2018-02-22T08:26:15Z

Bognor: misc. tweaks, mostly grammar, esp. comma splices

{{comic
| number = 1957
| date = February 19, 2018
| title = 2018 CVE List
| image = 2018_cve_list.png
| titletext = CVE-2018-?????: It turns out Bruce Schneier is just two mischevious kids in a trenchcoat.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|- The explanation looks like a list. Explain the comic and put the security vulnerabilities in a table. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{w|Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures|CVE}} (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is a standardized format for assigning an identity to a cybersecurity vulnerability (similar to the way that astronomical bodies are assigned unique identifiers by committees). Giving vulnerabilities a unique identifier makes them easier to talk about and helps in keeping track of the progress made toward resolving them. The typical format of a CVE identifier is '''CVE-[YEAR]-[NUMBER]'''. For example, the CVE identifier for 2017's widespread {{w|Meltdown (security vulnerability)|Meltdown vulnerability}} is [https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-5754 CVE-2017-5754]. CVEs also contain a short description of the issue.

In this comic (released in February 2018), Randall presents a number of spurious predicted CVEs for later in 2018. Each CVE identifier is given as "CVE-2018-?????", reflecting the fact that they have not yet happened so we don't know exactly what their CVE identifier will be.

==Table of possible CVE==
{|class="wikitable"
! style="width: 30%;" | Security Vulnerability
! style="width: 70%;" | Notes
|-
|Apple products crash when displaying certain {{w|Telugu language|Telugu}} or Bengali letter combinations.
|This refers to a real vulnerability in iOS and MacOS publicized a few days before the comic was released,<ref>https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/15/iphone-text-bomb-ios-mac-crash-apple/</ref> as well as past similar iOS vulnerabilities<ref>https://thenextweb.com/apps/2017/01/18/iphone-ipad-apple-text-ios-bug/</ref><ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/01/18/apple-text-bomb-can-crash-iphones-single-message/</ref>.
|-
|An attacker can use a timing attack to extploit [''sic''] a race condition in {{w|Garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collection}} to extract a limited number of bits from the Wikipedia article on Claude Shannon.
|The reference to using a Timing Attack to exploit a race condition in garbage collection refers to Meltdown and Spectre CPU flaws that can be exploited in a cloud server like the ones in Wikipedia. {{w|Claude Shannon}} was an early and highly influential information scientist whose work underlies compression, encryption, security, and the theory behind how information is encoded into binary digits - hence the pertinence of extracting just some of the bits from his Wikipedia entry. This is not really a security problem, since all the bits of the article are publicly available.
|-
|At the cafe on Third Street, the Post-it note with the WiFi password is visible from the sidewalk.
|Cafés often offer free access to WiFi as a service to patrons, as a business strategy to encourage said patrons to remain in the building and buy more coffee. Some use a password, so that only patrons can use the WiFi, and may display the password on signage inside. Since anybody could go into the cafe to read the post-it, and then use the network from nearby, the ability to read it from outside is, at most, a trivial problem. For systems that are supposed to be secure, writing passwords in a visible place is a major security flaw. For instance, following the [[wikipedia:2018 Hawaii false missile alert|2018 Hawaii false missile alert]], the agency concerned received criticism for a press photo showing a password written on a sticky note attached to a monitor.<ref>http://uk.businessinsider.com/hawaii-emergency-agency-password-discovered-in-photo-sparks-security-criticism-2018-1?r=US&IR=T</ref>
|-
|A remote attacker can inject arbitrary text into public-facing pages via the comments box.
|Describes a common feature on news sites or social media sites like Facebook. The possibility for users to "inject" text into the page is by design. This is a humorous reference to the relatively common security vulnerability "[[Wikipedia:Cross-site_scripting|persistent cross-site scripting]]", where input provided by a user, such as through a comment section, can result in dangerous content containing arbitrary HTML or Javascript code being displayed to other users.
|-
|MySQL server 5.5.45 secretly runs two parallel databases for people who say "S-Q-L" and "sequel."
|Some people pronounce "{{w|SQL}}" like "sequel", after SQL's predecessor "SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language)". The standard for SQL suggests that it should be pronounced as separate letters; however, the author of SQL pronounces it "sequel", so the debate is persisting (with even more justification than arguments about how to pronounce "GIF"). MySQL is an open-source relational database management system. The latest generally available version (at the time of writing) is MySQL 5.7.
|-
|A flaw in some x86 CPUs could allow a root user to de-escalate to normal account privileges.
|{{w|Privilege escalation}} refers to any illegitimate means by which a system user gains greater access than they are supposed to have, and most hackers will seek to achieve this if they can. The most highly-sought privilege is that of the root user, which allows complete access to an entire system.

This CVE, however, presents the reverse situation: that a flaw can allow a root user to ''de-escalate'' to a less privileged user. This would have no obvious benefit, since anything the user could do in the new mode, they could have done before anyway. In any case, the root user can always de-escalate manually if they so choose, as they have complete control.
|-
|Apple products catch fire when displaying emoji with diacritics.
|Diacritics are the accents found on letters in some languages (eg. č, ģ ķ, ļ, ņ, š, ž). These would not be found on emojis. It is also a reference to a common problem of modern gadgets catching fire (usually related to flaws in lithium-ion batteries), as well as to Apple products crashing when attempting to display certain character sequences.
|-
|An oversight in the rules allows a dog to join a basketball team.
|This likely refers to the movie {{w|Air Bud}}, about a dog playing basketball. This has been a common theme in xkcd comics: see [[115: Meerkat]], [[1439: Rack Unit]], [[1819: Sweet 16]], [[1552: Rulebook]].
|-
|Haskell isn't side-effect-free after all; the effects are all just concentrated in this one. computer [''sic''] in Missouri that no one's checked on in a while.
|{{w|Haskell (programming language)|Haskell}} is a functional programming language. Functional programming is characterized by using functions that don't have side effects (can't change things which would be accessible in other parts of the program), as in [[1312: Haskell]]. The joke here is discovering that indeed it does have side-effects, but for some unknown (and highly absurd) reason they only manifest on a specific computer in a nondescript location, but no one has noticed.
|-
|Nobody really knows how hypervisors work.
|[[wikipedia:Hypervisor|"Hypervisors"]] are a tool for computer virtualization. Virtualization is complex to implement, as it requires a computer to completely simulate a computer, with its own unique hardware and software. Many IT professionals and businesses rely heavily on various forms of virtualization, but the individual employees would be hard-pressed to explain how it works. Programs running on other virtual computers, or on the real computer may be able to access information on a virtual computer in ways which would not be possible with a real computer. Therefore understanding how the hypervisor works is important to assessing security of a virtual server.
Meltdown and Spectre are related to this.
|-
|Critical: Under Linux 3.14.8 on System/390 in a UTC+14 time zone, a local user could potentially use a buffer overflow to change another user's default system clock from 12-hour to 24-hour.
|This joke is about arcane systems that are running Linux in exceedingly rare situations, such that reproducing the error would be incredibly difficult or inconvenient, and would only affect a very tiny user base (if any at all). {{w|IBM System/390 ES/9000 Enterprise Systems Architecture ESA family|System/390}} is an IBM mainframe introduced almost 30 years before this comic, which has a version of Linux. UTC+14 is a time zone used only on some islands in the Pacific Ocean, i.e., [[Wikipedia:Line_Islands|the Line Islands]], and is also the earliest time zone on earth. The joke continues by stating that even if all of these absurd conditions were met, the resulting vulnerability would still be relatively benign: simply changing a user's preferred clock display format. Other xkcd comics make references to such obscure computer-time issues relating to time zones and time conversions, and how many programmers find these issues frustrating or even traumatizing.
|-
|x86 has way too many instructions.
|The x86 architecture (used in many Intel and AMD processors) is very complicated. Processors typically implement such a complex architecture using programs (microcode) run on a set of hidden, proprietary processors. The details of these hidden machines and errors in the microcode can result in security vulnerabilities, for example meltdown, where the physical machine does not match the conceptual machine.

A more complicated instruction set is more complex to implement. The x86 architecture is considered "CISC" (a "{{w|Complex instruction set computer}}"), having many instructions originally provided to make programming by a human simpler; other examples include the 68000 series used in the first {{w|Apple Macintosh}}. In the 1980s, this design philosophy was countered by the "RISC" ("{{w|Reduced instruction set computer}}") design movement - based on the observation that computer programs were increasingly generated by compilers (which only used a few instructions) rather than directly by people, and that the chip area dedicated to extra instructions could be better dedicated to, for example, cache. Examples of RISC style designs include {{w|SPARC}}, {{w|MIPS}}, {{w|PowerPC}} (used by Apple in later Macintoshes) and the {{w|ARM architecture|ARM}} chips common in mobile phones. At the time, there was considerable discussion about the merits of each approach (with the Mac and PC being on different sides, at one time; owners of other competing systems such as the Archimedes and Amiga had similar arguments on usenet in the early 1990s); this "issue" may be posted by someone who still recalls these debates. Technically, the extra instructions do slightly complicate the task of validating correct chip behaviour and complicate the tool chains that manage software, which could be seen as a minor security risk; however, the 64-bit architecture introduced by {{w|AMD}} and since adopted by {{w|Intel}} does rationalise things somewhat, and all recent x86 chips break down instructions into RISC-like micro-operations, so the complication from a hardware perspective is localised. Recent security issues such as the speculative cache load issue in Meltdown and Spectre depend more on details of implementation rather than instruction set, and have been exhibited both by x86 (CISC) and ARM (RISC) processors.

This explanation has way too many words.
|-
|NumPy 1.8.0 can factor primes in ''O''(log ''n'') time and must be quietly deprecated before anyone notices.
|NumPy is the fundamental package for scientific computing with the programming language Python. ''O''(log ''n'') is [[wikipedia:Big_O_notation#Infinite_asymptotics|Big O notation]] meaning that the time it takes for a computer algorithm to run is in the order of log ''n'', for an input of size ''n''. ''O''(log ''n'') is very fast and is more usual for a search algorithm. Prime factorization currently is ''O''(''2''''n''n)). If something can find the prime factors of a number this quickly, especially a [[wikipedia:semiprime|semiprime]] with two large factors, there are attacks to break many crypto functions used in internet security. However, prime numbers have only a single factor, and "factoring primes" quickly is a simpler problem, that of [[wikipedia:Primality test|proving that a number is in fact a prime]].
|-
|Apple products grant remote access if you send them words that break the "I before E" rule.
|Another joke on the first CVE and [[wikipedia:I before E except after C|a common English writing rule of thumb]], which fails almost as often as it succeeds. Possibly a jab at Apple's image, portraying their software as unable to handle improper grammar or spelling.
|-
|Skylake x86 chips can be pried from their sockets using certain flathead screwdrivers.
|Skylake x86 chips are a line of microprocessors made by Intel. Some processors are soldered directly to a system board or daughter board, while others are attached to boards that plug into the system board by means of a socket (pins or connectors that make physical contact with receptacles or connectors on a system board). Some sockets, especially older ones, require force to insert or remove and often require the use of a flat blade screwdriver or a specialized tool to remove, but most modern ones use ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) techniques, often involving a lever or similar to tighten or loosen the friction/tightness of the contacts. No screwdriver is needed in this case. Yes, you can forcefully remove any processor from its socket with a screwdriver.{{Citation needed}} There are many reports from people not using common sense.
|-
|Apparently Linus Torvalds can be bribed pretty easily.
|{{w|Linus Torvalds}} is the benevolent dictator of the Linux kernel codebase. Normally it is hard to make changes because he has the last word and because the kernel is replicated in all Linux installations. Linus made the news in January 2018 when, having looked at one of Intel's proposed fixes for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, he declared "the patches are COMPLETE AND UTTER GARBAGE".<ref>https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/22/linus-torvalds-declares-intel-fix-for-meltdown-spectre-complete-and-utter-garbage/</ref> Presumably it may be found that he may be successfully bribed to be less blunt and/or less critical of vulnerability fixes that are complete and/or utter garbage. If this were the case, this would be a severe critical vulnerability to all Linux servers and machines.
|-
|An attacker can execute malicious code on their own machine and no one can stop them.
|The point of an attack is to make someone else's machine perform actions against the owner's will. Anyone can make their own machine execute any code if they have root access and the necessary tools, but this would usually not be described as an attack except in the case of a locked-down appliance, such as a video game console, a John Deere tractor, or pay TV decoder.
|-
|Apple products execute any code printed over a photo of a dog with a saddle and a baby riding it.
|This could refer to a CVE vulnerability of JPG files where javascript embedded within the image file is executed by some application, only this time the code is visible on the image instead of invisibly encoded within the image file, however such code is only executed if the image contains a photo of a baby in a saddle riding a dog. It's unclear whether the photo would be a digital photo, a printed photo (i.e. as taken using the digital camera), or maybe both. This "bug" would not only require the device to figure out specifically what the photo contains image-wise, something that's REALLY HARD for computers to do reliably, but would also require OCR (optical character recognition) type code to convert the text superimposed on the photo into executable code. In other words, it's hard to believe in 2018 that such a bug could exist. Maybe in the future when such things are more routine...? As an example, OCR used to be hard to do reliably and now it's a lot more routine and built into a lot of devices.
|-
|Under rare circumstances, a flaw in some versions of Windows could allow Flash to be installed.
|Flash has been an integral browser plugin for decades but has fallen out of favor in the 2010s, and eventually discontinued because of its notoriously abysmal security record. All security experts advise against install. Preventing installation of flash would make systems more secure, however most versions of Windows do not prevent flash installation.
The joke here relates to the difficulty with keeping Flash up to date or even installed properly to begin with. A common user experience which is the subject of numerous jokes and memes is the constant nagging notification to install or update Flash in order for web pages to display properly. Many IT professionals will bemoan the trouble that Flash has given them in the workplace due to these notifications and problems related to them.
|-
|Turns out the cloud is just other people's computers.
|This refers to a meme that demands "cloud" be replaced with "other people's computers" in all marketing presentation to CEOs and non-computer literate persons to evaluate the security impact of using cloud services. Part of the humor here is that "the cloud" is, in actuality, simply a term for hosted services, i.e., computers being run by other people (typically businesses that specialize in this type of "platform as a service" or "PAAS" service model). Referring to "the cloud" as "other people's computers" is, at its core, entirely accurate, though it takes away the business jargon and simplifies the situation in such a way that it might cast doubt on the security, reliability, and general effectiveness of using "cloud" solutions.
|-
|A flaw in Mitre's CVE database allows arbitrary code insertion.[[779|[~~CLICK HERE FOR CHEAP VIAGRA~~]]]
|Mitre's CVE database is the database where all {{w|Collaborative virtual environment|CVEs}} are stored. This log message forms the punchline of the comic, as it implies that all of the exaggerated error messages above might have been inserted by hackers exploiting the vulnerability. To pour salt in the wound, they then included in a typical spam link purporting to offer cheap viagra.
|-
|It turns out Bruce Schneier is just two mischevious kids in a trenchcoat.
|Appears in the title text. {{w|Bruce Schneier}} is security researcher and blogger. The "two kids in a trenchcoat" is a reference to the {{tvtropes|TotemPoleTrench|Totem Pole Trench}} trope. Shortly before this comic was posted, a [https://rare.us/rare-humor/two-kids-dressed-as-a-tall-man-to-get-into-black-panther-is-caught-on-video story went viral] in which two kids were photographed attempting this for real to get into a screening of ''Black Panther''.
|}

== References ==
<references/>

==Transcript==
:[A heading is centered above a list of 21 vulnerabilities]
:<big>Leaked list of major 2018 security vulnerabilities </big>

:CVE-2018-????? Apple products crash when displaying certain Telugu or Bengali letter combinations.
:CVE-2018-????? An attacker can use a timing attack to extploit a race condition in garbage collection to extract a limited number of bits from the Wikipedia article on Claude Shannon.
:CVE-2018-????? At the cafe on Third Street, the Post-it note with the WiFi password is visible from the sidewalk.
:CVE-2018-????? A remote attacker can inject arbitrary text into public-facing pages via the comments box.
:CVE-2018-????? MySQL server 5.5.45 secretly runs two parallel databases for people who say "S-Q-L" and "sequel."
:CVE-2018-????? A flaw in some x86 CPUs could allow a root user to de-escalate to normal account privileges.
:CVE-2018-????? Apple products catch fire when displaying emoji with diacritics.
:CVE-2018-????? An oversight in the rules allows a dog to join a basketball team.
:CVE-2018-????? Haskell isn't side-effect-free after all; the effects are all just concentrated in this one. computer in Missouri that no one's checked on in a while.
:CVE-2018-????? Nobody really knows how hypervisors work.
:CVE-2018-????? Critical: Under Linux 3.14.8 on System/390 in a UTC+14 time zone, a local user could potentially use a buffer overflow to change another user's default system clock from 12-hour to 24-hour.
:CVE-2018-????? x86 has way too many instructions.
:CVE-2018-????? NumPy 1.8.0 can factor primes in ''O''(log ''n'') time and must be quietly deprecated before anyone notices.
:CVE-2018-????? Apple products grant remote access if you send them words that break the "I before E" rule.
:CVE-2018-????? Skylake x86 chips can be pried from their sockets using certain flathead screwdrivers.
:CVE-2018-????? Apparently Linus Torvalds can be bribed pretty easily.
:CVE-2018-????? An attacker can execute malicious code on their own machine and no one can stop them.
:CVE-2018-????? Apple products execute any code printed over a photo of a dog with a saddle and a baby riding it.
:CVE-2018-????? Under rare circumstances, a flaw in some versions of Windows could allow Flash to be installed.
:CVE-2018-????? Turns out the cloud is just other people's computers.
:CVE-2018-????? A flaw in Mitre's CVE database allows arbitrary code insertion.[~~Click here for cheap viagra~~]

==Trivia==

Randall has previously referenced diacritics in [[1647: Diacritics]].

Bruce Schneier was previously mentioned in the title texts of [[748: Worst-Case Scenario]] and [[1039: RuBisCO]].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Computers]]

123: Centrifugal Force

2016-09-10T10:02:43Z

Bognor: /* Explanation */ wikilink "lie to children"

{{comic
| number = 123
| date = July 3, 2006
| title = Centrifugal Force
| image = centrifugal force.png
| titletext = You spin me right round baby, right round, in a manner depriving me of an inertial reference frame. Baby.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Black Hat]] has strapped {{w|James Bond}} to a centrifuge and claims the {{w|Centrifugal force|centrifugal}} force will be lethal. Bond objects that there is no such thing, but just {{w|Centripetal force|centripetal}} force. The notion of centrifugal force is a common one, as we experience it whenever we turn. Teachers will initially teach Newtonian mechanics in an inertial frame, and in inertial frames the centrifugal force is zero. Instead, a body that moves in a circle does so because of a centripetal force (acting towards the centre of the rotation). This is a reasonable, and correct view, but is a subtle point that many students find hard to grasp as it seems to contradict their personal experience of centrifugal forces. For the sake of exposition, teachers may claim that "There is no such thing as centrifugal force". This however is also a misconception which is addressed in the explanation below:
;Observers' point of view (Black Hat, us, etc.)
:James Bond is moving in a circle, and is therefore accelerating. The force keeping him there is an inward force of contact against the centrifuge, a centripetal force. Via Newton's {{w|Newton's laws of motion#Newton's third law|third law}}, since the centrifuge is pushing Bond inward, Bond is pushing the centrifuge outward. The centrifuge's material is strong enough not to break under this force, however.
;James Bond's point of view
:In James Bond's frame of reference, Bond is at rest. He is kept there by two forces: the above-mentioned inward force of contact against the centrifuge, and an ''outward centrifugal force''. He feels both forces.

As mentioned in the explanation, as the centrifuge rotates faster, the forces needed to keep him in motion get larger, so the force he feels gets larger. This will eventually kill him. The conclusion will be the same regardless of which frame of reference is chosen.

Teachers of mechanics are well aware of this, however in introductory expositions these ideas are often not taught. In theoretical mechanics, one describes the positions and velocities of the particles in a model relative to a frame of reference. This means that a time is chosen to be time 0, and positions are chosen to be (0,0,0), (1,0,0), (0,1,0) and (0,0,1). With these chosen, the position and time of any particle in the system can be described. It is an axiom of Newtonian Mechanics that there exist "Inertial Frames". In an inertial frame a particle will remain at rest or at a constant speed unless acted on by an external force, and Newton's second law takes a simple form: F=ma. The surface of the Earth approximates an inertial frame. In a non-inertial frame, such as one rotating with a giant centrifuge, or moving with an accelerating vehicle, a particle will accelerate, relative to the frame. Newton's second law, when formed in such a frame is much more complicated, as it has terms for the linear acceleration of the frame, the angular acceleration of the frame, the centrifugal force and the {{w|Coriolis force}}. These extra terms are sometimes called "fictitious forces" as they result from the choice of the frame of reference. The mathematics required to describe problems in a non-inertial frame is more sophisticated, and all problems may be solved using an inertial frame. Thus is reasonable that teachers at school level "{{w|lie to children}}" and teach the mechanics in inertial frames.

The final statement by Black Hat is that said by {{w|Auric Goldfinger}} in {{w|Goldfinger (film)|Goldfinger}} in response to James Bond's question "Do you expect me to talk?"

The title text is inspired by {{w|Dead or Alive (band)|Dead or Alive's}} famous song from 1985, "{{w|You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)|You Spin Me Round}}".

Randall feels very strongly that the centrifugal force is a real thing. He links to this comic in the first footnote of his [[what if?|What if?]] article [https://what-if.xkcd.com/92/ One-Second Day], stating that it is a real thing.

As can also be seen in the [https://twitter.com/bohacekp/status/531500491180875776/photo/1 footnote on page 132] in his [[what if?#The book|What if? book]] he will even fight you about it. From the book: 
"Furthermore, if you're on the equator, you're being flung outward by a centrifugal force1."
 "1Yes, centrifugal. I will fight you."
 (The article itself is about what happens if you lose all your DNA, so it has not much to do with this "real" force... The sentence is just stating that the actual weight loss from losing all your DNA is similar to the weight loss you would experience by moving from the poles to the equator due to this force.)

==Transcript==
:[James Bond is strapped to a giant wheel suspended from the ceiling. Black Hat is standing next to two levers.]
:Black hat: How do you like my centrifuge, mister Bond? When I throw this lever, you will feel centrifugal force crush every bone in your body.
:[Same scene, but a closer shot.]
:Bond: You mean centripetal force. There's no such thing as centrifugal force.
:Black hat: A laughable claim, mister Bond, perpetuated by overzealous teachers of science. Simply construct Newton's laws in a rotating system and you will see a centrifugal force term appear as plain as day.
:[Closer shot, only Bond's head is visible.]
:Bond: Come now, do you really expect me to do coordinate substitution in my head while strapped to a centrifuge?
:Black hat: No, Mister Bond. I expect you to die.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Footer comics]]

1711: Snapchat

2016-07-28T15:03:49Z

Bognor: /* Explanation */ grammar

{{comic
| number = 1711
| date = July 25, 2016
| title = Snapchat
| image = snapchat.png
| titletext = For obvious reasons, the prize is awarded at a different time of year from the others, while it's still fresh in the committee's memory.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Snapchat}}'' is a photo-sending app that allows the receiving user to only view the photo (known as a "snap") within 24 hours of its posting, and for only 10 seconds before it is deleted. The {{w|Pulitzer Prize}} is famously awarded for exceptional journalism and photojournalism (there are many categories; see {{w|Pulitzer Prize#Categories|here}}).

[[Cueball]] reads that the ''Snapchat Pulitzer Prize'' has just been awarded but then, when [[Megan]] states that she heard the picture was really good, Cueball becomes disappointed because he realises he has already missed out on the chance to see the prize winning entry due to the temporary nature of Snapchat. Note that Megan also missed the opportunity to see the snap.

A given snap can be sent to a semi-public "Story" and the user decides how long any user can see the snap in a range from {{w|Snapchat#Core_functionality|1-10 s}}. In principle, any specific snap is only accessible for {{w|Snapchat#Stories_and_Discover|24 hours}} even if it is a story. A committee of users could have more than 10 seconds to access the snap, by viewing in sequence. Given the time it might take for a committee to decide which snap wins the prize, it is realistic that Cueball learns about the winner after the 24 hours is up; Thus even a user following the outcome might not be able to see the winning entry after that time. In practice it is possible to circumvent the Snapchat rule and {{w|Snapchat#Screenshots_and_FTC|take a screen shot}} or in other ways save the content of the snap. In the case of a Pulitzer Prize winning photo, someone would probably have saved it, if it was in real life. On the other hand, the only way for the photo to be recognised as a snap, eligible to win the prize, would be if no one could see it for more than 10 seconds. So one of the possible rules might be that any picture which was saved would not be able to win the prize. (This would be effectively impossible to enforce.)

The title text extends this ephemeral nature of Snapchat's content to the prize awarded for it: The other Pulitzer prizes are announced annually in April and awarded in May (except for 2016, the centennial year, when an awards dinner will be held in October). The Snapchat Pulitzer Prize alone must be awarded as quickly as possible after the winner has been decided, before the prize committee forgets what the winning picture looked like. This of course underlines how silly this idea is, because only images seen during the assembly of the prize committee can be seen and remembered, and it is not possible to arrange this based on any knowledge of when a Pulitzer Prize "worthy" snap will be released.

[[Randall]] could be making fun of Snapchat (see the title), and the idea that you cannot save the images for later; As mentioned regarding screenshots, it is actually very easy to save pictures from Snapchat - to many a user's regret after having sent something very personal, such as naked pictures of themselves. The comic could also be seen as mocking the Pulitzer Prize for having too broad a spectrum of categories. Alongside the (photo)journalistic and prose awards, the Pulitzers also honor a variety of artistic pursuits, including Poetry, Drama and Music.

The new medium of Snapchat is certainly a hybrid form of art and information/opinion dispersal, both at its best and at its worst, but arguably its popularity may be too short lived to make the awarding of prizes bear any ongoing noteworthiness whatsoever.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan standing together. He holds a smartphone in his left hand and looks at it.]
:Cueball: Oh, the Pulitzer Prize for Snapchat was just awarded.
:Megan: Yeah.
:Megan: I hear the photo was really good.
:Cueball: Aw, ''maaaan''...

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Smartphones]]
[[Category:Social networking]]

1712: Politifact

2016-07-28T15:00:46Z

Bognor: typo

{{comic
| number = 1712
| date = July 27, 2016
| title = Politifact
| image = politifact.png
| titletext = "Ok, I lit the smoke bomb and rolled it under the bed. Let's see if it--" ::FWOOOSH:: "Politifact says: PANTS ON FIRE!"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Updated slightly, could probably use further overseeing.}}

{{w|PolitiFact.com}} is a website that rates political claims based on how true they are. The rulings from the Truth-O-Meter™ at PolitiFact are:
*True
*Mostly True
*Half-True
*Mostly False
*False
*Pants on Fire!

This comic presents Politifact as an actual person, rating everything they hear. When [[Megan]], apparently fresh out of bed, says she had trouble sleeping, Politifact appears and observes that Megan is telling the truth with the rating of "''Mostly True!''" Megan appears distressed, and [[Cueball]] appears, hinting that this has happened before, and tells Politifact to get out. Megan claims she had locked the window, but Politifact denies the claim with the rating of "''False!''", indicating that the window was not locked (and thus that Politifact's entry is entirely Megan's own fault). After a brief chase, Politifact hides under the bed; Cueball's claim that Politifact "can't stay under there forever" is promptly rated "''False''". Megan remarks that no one likes Politifact, which Politifact quickly rates "''Mostly True!''"

The comic may be commenting on the fact that many people become very defensive when claims they make in political discussions are debunked by Politifact. There is a phenomenon where the people most influenced by an erroneous claim are the least likely to believe a fact checker. For example, The Washington Post [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/12/18/what-was-fake-on-the-internet-this-week-why-this-is-the-final-column/ shut down their internet rumor fact checker] because, "institutional distrust is so high right now, and cognitive bias so strong always, that the people who fall for hoax news stories are frequently only interested in consuming information that conforms with their views — even when it's demonstrably fake." Many people like the idea of a fact checker, until they disagree with it. Politifact has been accused of being both [http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/03/14/mostly-true-ted-cruz-attack-proves-politifact-is-run-by-gigantic-assholes/ liberally biased] and [http://www.rifuture.org/politifact-ri-once-again-shows-right-wing-bias.html conservatively biased] at various times and has angered politicians on both sides of the aisle. The summary statistic "rulings" are especially troublesome; often the critics will agree that the information presented by the fact check is correct, and may agree that all relevant information has been included, but will disagree as to the importance of context omitted by the original speaker or the interpretation of ambiguous language. Hence, the statement that no one likes Politifact is "mostly true".

The title text makes a play on Politifact's most untrue rating, "Pants on Fire!" - a reference to the childhood accusation "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Cueball has thrown a smoke bomb into Politifact's vicinity, apparently near enough to ignite Politifact's legwear - thus, Politifact's pants are ''literally'' on fire.

==Transcript==
:[Megan walks around and rubs her eyes.]
:Megan: I did ''not'' sleep well last night.

:[A person with long hair wearing a hat crawls through the window, PolitiFact, Megan looks at the person.]
:PolitiFact: PolitiFact says ''mostly true!''
:Megan: Oh no...

:[PolitiFact has entered the room and Megan chases after that person with Cueball walking behind of them.]
:Cueball: Not again. Get out of here, PolitiFact!
:Megan: I ''swear'' I locked that window.
:PolitiFact: PolitiFact says: ''False!''

:[Cueball and Megan standing in a bedroom, PolitiFact hides under the bed.]
:Cueball: You can't stay under there forever.
:Politifact: PolitiFact says: ''False!''
:Megan: Nobody likes you, Politifact.
:PolitiFact: PolitiFact says: ''Mostly true!''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1688: Map Age Guide

2016-06-03T06:25:57Z

Bognor: /* Explanation */ nothing unclear about the position of the breadbox question, as we only just figured out it's not a map; also eliminate some needless wordiness

{{comic
| number = 1688
| date = June 1, 2016
| title = Map Age Guide
| image = map_age_guide.png
| titletext = Does the screeching chill your blood and herald death? If yes, banshee. If no, seagull.
}}

*A [http://xkcd.com/1688/large/ larger version] of this image can be found by clicking the image at xkcd.com - the comic's page can also be accessed by clicking on the comic number above.

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Many is still missing.}}
Flowchart depicting various ways to tell what era a map is from based on present country borders and land forms. (Except in the Not a Political Map Branch (from "Can you see the familiar continents?" downwards), the comic applies to a political map.) Most of the options are very serious, with a few bizarre options (mistaking a seagull and breadbox for a map) or references to things like the {{w|Discworld}} books and Middle-earth, the setting of the Lord of the Rings series. He also mentions US President Jimmy Carter being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit, an event previously referenced by [[204]].

Additionally, (possible) future maps including a "Radioactive Exclusion Zone" in the place of Colorado are mentioned. It predicts that some kind of nuclear incident will occur in Colorado (possibly at Rulison or Rio Blanco nuclear testing sites) in 2022. It also predicts that the area will be infested by radioactive spiders one year later.

The title text continues the path where the user has confused a seagull for a map by inquiring if the (presumed) seagull might be a banshee based on the effect of its screams.

There is no recursive loop.

(First Draft, please expand.)

Going through the flowchart, taking the leftmost path first, recursively. See {{w|Depth-first search}}. "Prior Date Range" is the range determined immediately before the question, carried over from the previous question; "Question Date Range" is the range each answer choice implies; "New Date Range" is the intersection of the Prior Date Range and the Question Date Range for each choice, and is the range determined by all questions hitherto answered.

{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"
! # !! Question !! Explanation !! Prior Date Range !! Question Date Range !! New Date Range
|-
! 1
| '''Istanbul or Constantinople'''
| The largest city in Turkey is famous for having different names at different times or to different people. Variations on both names go back at least 1,000 years. Other names have also been used at various points. {{w|İstanbul}} has been the official name since the 1920's, although Western maps often referred to it as Constantinople as late as the 1960's; on the flowchart, the choice of name appears to go with the 1920's date. The name changes are the subject of a [http://mentalfloss.com/article/60314/original-istanbul-not-constantinople song], originally by the Four Lads, but now mainly known for the They Might Be Giants recording.
| '''Start here'''
|
* Constantinople: 330 A.D. - A.D. 1928
* Neither: inconclusive
* Istanbul: 1928+
|
* Constantinople: 330 A.D. - A.D. 1928 (Go to 2)
* Neither: inconclusive (Go to 19)
* Istanbul: 1928+ (Go to 52)
|-
| colspan="6" | '''Note:''' the chart splits here into three divisions, each from a choice in question 1. The Neither Division will attempt to use other indicators to sort maps into one of the other two divisions or branches thereof, or, after 5 failures to find a country, conclude that the "map" in question is not a political map and proceed to find out what it is (the Not a Political Map Branch). The Constantinople and Istanbul Divisions are linear except where the Neither Division joins them as stated above.
|-
! colspan="6" | Constantinople Division
|-
! 2
| '''Do any of these exist?'''
* '''Independent Canada'''
* '''US Territory of Alaska'''
* '''Tokyo'''
| All these seem to specify a date cut-off of 1867/8, but there are caveats attached to each:
* Canada gained its independence gradually, but it would appear as its own country on maps some time between the {{w|Constitution Act, 1867}} (which created Canada as a British dominion) and the {{w|Statute of Westminster 1931}} (which made Canada largely self-governing).
* The {{w|Territory of Alaska}} existed between 1912 (previously, it was a US district) and 1959 (when it became a state). The US has owned Alaska since the 1867 {{w|Alaska Purchase}}, but it was not a territory then.
* {{w|Tokyo}} was once called Edo. It was renamed Tokyo (which means "Eastern Capital") when it became the capital in 1868. [https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Tokyo%2CTokei&year_start=1870&year_end=1880&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CTokyo%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTokei%3B%2Cc0 Most English books around then] would actually have called it "Tokei", the Chinese reading. The name Tokyo didn't take off until {{w|Hepburn romanization}} was popularized in the 1880s.
| 330 A.D. - A.D. 1928 (from 1)
1299 - 1922 (from 19 in the Neither Division)
(from 24 in the Neither Division)
|
* No: 1867-
* Yes: 1868+
|
* No: 330 A.D. - A.D. 1867 (Go to 3)
* Yes: 1868 - 1928 (Go to 11)
|-
! colspan="6" | Holy Roman Empire Branch
|-
! 3
| '''The Holy Roman Empire'''
| The predecessor to modern Germany, the {{w|Holy Roman Empire}} was a union of hundreds of small states in Central Europe. Nationalism and the concept of the {{w|nation state}} hadn't taken off yet, so countries as we know them didn't really exist. There were just small lands, often with keenly contested borders, owned by minor aristocracy who pledged allegiance to one of the big powers. The HRE was dissolved in 1806 after it was invaded by Napoleon, arguably the first leader to realise the potential of making a nation salute a flag.
| 330 A.D. - A.D. 1867
|
* Yes: 899 - 1806
* No: 899- or 1806+
|
* Yes: 899 - 1806 (Stated in comic as "1805 or earlier", since modern map-making was fuzzy as a concept prior) ('''Stop''')
* No: 330 A.D. - A.D. 899 or 1806-67 (Go to 4)
|-
! 4
| '''The United States?'''
| The original 13 colonies declared independence in 1776. A map that does not include ''either'' the HRE ''or'' the USA must be older than the HRE which would put the map some time prior to 1000 AD, when there really were no countries, and English wasn't used yet, hence Randall's comment.
| 330 A.D. - A.D. 899 or 1806-67
|
* No: 1776-
* Yes: 1776+
|
* No: 330 A.D. - A.D. 899 (Not stated in comic, since a map in this period is probably not in English, which violates a proviso of the comic) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1806-67 (Go to 5)
|-
! 5
| '''Texas is... Part of Mexico? Independent? Part of the US?'''
| Mexico occupied the area modern day Texas from around 1718 ([[w:Spanish Texas|when the first permanent Spanish settlements were founded]]) to the {{w|Texas Declaration of Independence}} in 1836 (the comic apparently cited 1834 as the date) - the land called "Texas" was only a small part of the modern day state. The {{w|Republic of Texas}} only lasted a decade, and joined the US in 1846.
| 1806-67
|
* Part of Mexico: 1718 - 1836
* Independent: 1836-46
* Part of the US: 1846+
|
* Part of Mexico: 1806-36 (Go to 6)
* Independent: 1836-46 (stated in comic as 1834-45 - a discrepancy) ('''Stop''')
* Part of the US: 1846-67 (Go to 9)
|-
! 6
| '''Florida is part of... Spain? The US?'''
| Spain occupied {{w|Florida}} (as East Florida and West Florida) but frankly they didn't actually want it - it was expensive to send people to settle it, and there wasn't much economic value in it. So they gave it to the US for free in the 1819 {{w|Adams–Onís Treaty}} (which took effect in 1821) in exchange for the US giving up parts of Mexico and paying off angry Spanish settlers. (For some reason, the comic treats Florida as part of the US in 1818; see questions 7 and 8.)
| 1806-36
|
* Spain: 1565 - 1763 or 1783 - 1821
* The US: 1821+
|
* Spain: 1806-21 (Go to 7)
* The US: 1821-36 (Go to 8)
|-
! 7
| '''{{w|Paraguay}}?'''
| Declared independence from Spain in 1811 (although it might appear on older maps as the Spanish Province of Paraguay).
| 1806-21
|
* No: 1811-
* Yes: 1811+
|
* No: 1806-11 (stated in comic as 1806-10) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1811-21 (stated in comic as 1811-17 - a discrepancy (see question 6)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 8
| '''{{w|Venezuela}} and/or {{w|Ecuador?}}'''
| Both declared independence from {{w|Gran Colombia}} (Greater Colombia) in 1830.
| 1821-36
|
* No: 1830-
* Yes: 1830+
|
* No: 1821-30 (stated in comic as 1818-29 - a discrepancy (see question 6)) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1830-36 (stated in comic as 1830-33 - a discrepancy (see question 5)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 9
| '''Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?'''
| The 1858 {{w|Treaty of Aigun}} brought the Russian border to the Sea of Japan.
| 1846-67
|
* No: 1858-
* Yes: 1858+
|
* No: 1846-58 (Go to 10)
* Yes: 1858-67 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 10
| '''The US's southern border looks... Weird Normal'''
| The last southward expansion of the US is the 1854 {{w|Gadsden Purchase}}, where the US bought a chunk of what is now Arizona and New Mexico so they could build a railway that avoided unfavourable terrain. The southern border looks "weird" before that because we are accustomed to the current border shape.
| 1846-58
|
* Weird: 1854-
* Normal: 1854+
|
* Weird: 1846-54 (stated in comic as 1846-53) ('''Stop''')
* Normal: 1854-58 (stated in comic as 1854-56 - a discrepancy (where is 1857?)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | South Africa Branch
|-
! 11
| '''{{w|South Africa}}?'''
| The Union of South Africa was created in 1910, although South Africa was then not yet fully independent from the United Kingdom (which would not happen until 1931).
| 1868 - 1928
|
* No: 1910-
* Yes: 1910+
|
* No: 1868 - 1910 (Go to 12)
* Yes: 1910-28 (Go to 16)
|-
! 12
| '''Rhodesia?'''
| The region was named {{w|Rhodesia_(region)|"Rhodesia"}} by the British South Africa Company in 1895. An {{w|Rhodesia|unrecognised state}} (1965-79) and a {{w|Southern_Rhodesia|colony}} (1923-80 on-and-off) also born this name, but they are both outside the Prior Date Range.
| 1868 - 1910
|
* No: 1895-
* Yes: 1895+
|
* No: 1868-95 (Go to 13)
* Yes: 1895 - 1910 (Go to 15)
|-
! 13
| '''Is Bolivia landlocked?'''
| {{w|Bolivia}} lost its coastal territory to Chile in the {{w|War of the Pacific}}, ceding Antofagasta in the {{w|Treaty of Valparaiso}} in 1884.
| 1868-95
|
* No: 1825-84
* Yes: 1884+
|
* No: 1868-84 (Go to 14)
* Yes: 1884-95 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 14
| '''"Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"?'''
| In 1873, the cities of {{w|Buda}} and {{w|Pest,_Hungary|Pest}} joined together to form the city of {{w|Budapest}}.
| 1868-84
|
* Buda and Pest: 1247 - 1873
* Budapest: 1873+
|
* Buda and Pest: 1868-73 (stated in comic as 1868-72) ('''Stop''')
* Budapest: 1873-84 (stated in comic as 1873-83) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 15
| '''Is Norway part of Sweden?'''
| {{w|Norway}} was ceded to Sweden in 1814, from which it separated in 1905.
| 1895 - 1910
|
* Yes: 1814 - 1905
* No: 1814- or 1905+
|
* Yes: 1895-1905 (Stated in comic as 1896-1905) ('''Stop''')
* No: 1905-10 (Stated in comic as 1906-09) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 16
| '''Austria-Hungary?'''
| {{w|Austria-Hungary}} formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1918.
| 1910-28
|
* Yes: 1867-1918
* No: 1918+
|
* Yes: 1910-18 (Go to 17)
* No: 1918-28 (Go to 18)
|-
! 17
| '''Albania?'''
| {{w|Albania}} declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912.
| 1910-18
|
* No: 1912-
* Yes: 1912+
|
* No: 1910-12 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1912-18 (stated in comic as 1913-18) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 18
| '''Leningrad?'''
| {{w|Saint Petersburg}} was known as Leningrad between 1924 and 1991.
| 1918-28
|
* No: 1924- or 1991+
* Yes: 1924-91
|
* No: 1918-24 (stated in comic as 1919-23) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1924-28 (stated in comic as 1924-29) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Neither Division
|-
! 19
| '''Does the Ottoman Empire exist?'''
| The {{w|Ottoman Empire}} was founded in 1299, and defeated and dissolved on November 1, 1922 when the sultanate was abolished.
| Inconclusive
|
* Yes: 1299-1922
* No: 1299- or 1922+
|
* Yes: 1299-1922 (Go to 2 in the Constantinople Division)
* No: 1299- or 1922+ (Go to 20)
|-
! 20
| '''The Soviet Union?'''
| The {{w|Soviet Union}} is one of the largest countries ever to exist consisting of Russia and large portions of eastern Europe and central Asia. It was a major political force from December 28, 1922, when several allied Soviet republics united, to 1991, when it broke up.
''Note:'' This question is the same as question ## in the Istanbul Division, but because there a Prior Date Range of 1928+ has already been established by the presence of Istanbul, we need one more question to determine whether we are within the range of 1928+.
| 1299- or 1922+
|
* Yes: 1922-91
* No: 1922- or 1991+
|
* Yes: 1922-91 (Go to 21)
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28) or 1991+ (Go to 22)
|-
! 21
| '''Saudi Arabia?'''
| The kingdom of {{w|Saudi Arabia}} was founded in 1932.
| 1922-91
|
* Yes: 1932+
* No: 1932-
|
* Yes: 1932-91 (Go to ## in the Istanbul Division)
* No: 1922-32 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 22
| '''North Korea?'''
| The Korean Peninsula was divided into two regions, the north of which would be known as {{w|North Korea}}, at the end of World War II in 1945.
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28) or 1991+
|
* Yes: 1945+
* No: 1945-
|
* Yes: 1991+ (Go to ## in the Istanbul Division)
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28) (Go to 23)
|-
! 23
| '''Saint Trimble's Island'''
| Since [[Randall]] just made up this place, it is impossible that a map would include it.
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28)
|
* No: inconclusive
* Yes: impossible
|
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28) (Go to 24)
* Yes: impossible ('''Stop''')
|-
! 24
| '''Is Jan Mayen part of the kingdom of Norway?'''
| Jurisdiction over the island of {{w|Jan Mayen}} was given to Norway around 1920, and it officially joined in 1930. '''Note:''' Strictly speaking, it should be almost impossible to answer "Yes" to this question - the Ottoman Empire existed until 1922, the Soviet Union existed from 1922 to 1991, and North Korea from 1945 onwards, so by answering "No" to the previous three questions, the user has ruled out the entire period during which Norway has officially owned Jan Mayen, and almost the entire period it controlled it bar an extremely slim sliver of time between November 1, 1922 to December 28, 1922. The following questions ignore the previous ones (East Germany only existed at the same time as the USSR, and Pakistan was founded later than North Korea, so both should have already been excluded) - essentially, the Jan Mayen question reboots the test.
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1 - December 28)
|
* Not yet: prior to 1930
* What?: Not a political map
* Yes: 1930+
|
* Not yet: (Go to 2 in the Constantinople Division)
* What?: (Go to 25)
* Yes: (Go to ## in the Istanbul Division)
|-
! colspan="6" | Not a Political Map Branch
|-
! 26
| '''Can you see the familiar continents?'''
| At this point it is clear that the map in question is not a political map from any time. Therefore the comic tries to determine whether it is a map of the Earth at all by asking if the continents are there.
|
|
* Yes: map of the Earth
* No: not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of the Earth (Go to 27)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 33)
|-
! colspan="6" | Topographical Map / Satellite Image Subbranch
|-
! 27
| '''This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo.'''
| A map of the Earth that does not label political regions must be a topological map; or, it can be a satellite image of the Earth.
| Map of the Earth
|
* Yes, that's it: topographical map or satellite image of the Earth
|
* Yes, that's it: topographical map or satellite image of the Earth (Go to 28)
|-
! 28
| '''Is Lake Chad missing?'''
| {{w|Lake Chad}} lost 3/4 of its area in the 1970s, becoming too small to be included in a map or picture of the Earth.
| Topographical map or satellite image of the Earth
|
* No: 1970s-
* Yes: 1970s+
|
* No: 1970s- (Go to 29)
* Yes: 1970s+ (Go to 32)
|-
! 29
| '''How far east do the American prairies reach?'''
| As settlers made their way west, the prairie land in the {{w|Great Plains}} region was steadily replaced by farmland and ranches. By the 1920s, most of the land had been converted to agricultural use, and the last of the prairie was largely obliterated by the {{w|Dust Bowl}}s in the 1930s. The dividing lines correspond roughly to the three types of prairie: {{w|tallgrass prairie}} grew between the Mississippi and Indiana, {{w|mixed grass prairie}} covered Nebraska and other states on the {{w|100th meridian west}}, and {{w|shortgrass prairie}} covered the remaining area east of the Rocky Mountains. There's some overlap in the dates, since it's fairly arbitrary where you draw the line between prairies and plains.

| 1970s-
|
* Indiana: Before 1830
* The Mississippi: 1830 - 1880s
* Nebraska: 1860s - 1910s
* What prairies?: 1920s+
|
* Indiana: Before 1830 ('''Stop''')
* The Mississippi: 1830 - 80s ('''Stop''')
* Nebraska: 1860s - 1910s (Go to 30)
* What prairies?: 1920s - 1970s (Go to 31)
|-
! 30
| '''Is there a big lake in the middle of Southern California? (created by mistake)'''
| This is {{w|Salton Sea}}, a previously dry lake bed accidentally flooded in 1905 while attempting to increase irrigation to the area from the Colorado River
| 1860s - 1910s
|
* No: before 1905
* Yes: 1905+
|
* No: 1860s - 1900s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1910s ('''Stop''')
|-
! 31
| '''Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (created on purpose)'''
| {{w|Lake Volta}}, formed by the {{w|Akosombo Dam}} which was built in the 1960s
| 1920s - 1970s
|
* No: before 1960s
* Yes: 1960s+
|
* No: 1920s - 50s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1960s - 70s ('''Stop''')
|-
! 32
| '''Is the Aral Sea missing?'''
| Shrinking since the 1930s, the {{w|Aral Sea}} would be too small to be on maps or images of the Earth by the 2000s.
| 1970s+
|
* No: 1990s-
* Yes: 2000s+
|
* No: 1970s-90s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2000s+ ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Topograpical Map / Satellite Image Subbranch ends''
|-
! colspan="6" | Fictional Map / Non-Map Subbranch
|-
! 33
| '''Rivers "Sirion" or "Anduin"?'''
| The rivers {{w|List_of_Middle-earth_rivers#Sirion|Sirion}} and {{w|Anduin}} are part of {{w|Middle-earth|Middle Earth}}, the fictional setting of J.R.R. Tolkien's ''Lord of the Rings'' books.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of Middle Earth
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: map of Middle Earth (Go to 34)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 38)
|-
! colspan="6" | Middle Earth Subbranch
|-
! 34
| '''Mordor?'''
| {{w|Mordor}} is the base of operations of {{w|Sauron}}, who settled there c. 1000 in the {{w|Second Age}} (which lasted for 3,441 years).
| Map of Middle Earth
|
* No: S.A. c. 1000-
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000+
|
* No: S.A. c. 1000- (Go to 35)
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000+ (Go to 36)
|-
! 35
| '''Beleriand?'''
| {{w|Beleriand}} was broken in the {{w|War of Wrath}} in the year 583 in the {{w|Years of the Sun}} in the {{w|First Age}} The First Age itself ran for 450 Valian Years and 590 Years of the Sun, adding up to between 5,023 and 65,390 Years of the Sun, depending on the conversion factor used ({{w|J. R. R. Tolkien}} has given several during the years). Note that Randall has apparently ignored the time before the First Age (4,550 Valian Years).
| S.A. c. 1000-
|
* Yes: Y.S. 583 First Age-
* No: Y.S. 583 First Age+
|
* Yes: Y.S. 583 First Age- (stated in comic as First Age) ('''Stop''')
* No: Y.S. 583 First Age - S.A. c. 1000 (stated in comic as early Second Age) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 36
| '''Númenor?'''
| The island of {{w|Númenor}} was raised from the sea at the start of the Second Age. It sank back into the sea in 3319 in the Second Age, as the formerly flat Earth was made into a globe.
| S.A. c. 1000+
|
* Yes: S.A. 1 - 3319
* No: First Age- or S.A. 3319+
|
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000 - 3319 (stated in comic as late Second Age) ('''Stop''')
* No: S.A. 3319+ (Go to 37)
|-
! 37
| '''The forest east of the Misty Mountains is...'''
| The forest {{w|Mirkwood}} was called Greenwood the Great from its discovery by the Elves c. V.Y. 4620 in the First Age to 1050 in the {{w|Third Age}} when the shadow of Sauron fell upon it and it was renamed. It was cleansed on 'March' 28, 3019 in the Third Age (which ran for 3,021 years), after which it is called the Wood of Greenleaves. Note that Randall ignores the Fifth Age and onwards; although Tolkien said that the present day is about the end of the Sixth Age or the beginning of the Seventh, nothing is written about these later Ages.
| S.A. 3319+
|
* Greenwood the Great: c. V.Y. 4620 - T.A. 1050
* Mirkwood: T.A. 1050 - 3019-03-28
* The Wood of Greenleaves: T.A. 3019-03-28+
|
* Greenwood the Great: S.A. 3319 - T.A. 1050 (stated in comic as early Third Age) ('''Stop''')
* Mirkwood: T.A. 1050 - 3019-03-28 (stated in comic as Late Third Age) ('''Stop''')
* The Wood of Greenleaves: T.A. 3019-03-28+ (stated in comic as Fourth Age) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Middle Earth Subbranch ends''
|-
! 38
| '''Cair Paravel?'''
| {{w|Cair Paravel}} is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in ''{{w|The Chronicles of Narnia}}''.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of Narnia
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: map of Narnia (Go to 39)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 43)
|-
! colspan="6" | Narnia Subbranch
|-
| colspan="6" | '''Note:''' This series contains seven books, whose original publication order does not match their chronological order. Specifically, ''The Magician's Nephew'' is earlier than ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', and ''The Horse and His Boy'' is between ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' and ''Prince Caspian''. Questions in this subbranch concern whether the place referenced can be found in the map contained in each book, not in which books' time the place exists. Therefore, places that exist in a book published later but is chronologically earlier than another book will not appear in the latter book, even if canonically they still exist in its time. Here are the seven books in their original publication order, which they will be referred to as.

# ''{{w|The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe}}''
# ''{{w|Prince Caspian}}''
# ''{{w|The Voyage of the Dawn Treader}}''
# ''{{w|The Silver Chair}}''
# ''{{w|The Horse and His Boy}}''
# ''{{w|The Magician's Nephew}}''
# ''{{w|The Last Battle}}''
|-
! 39
| '''Calormen?'''
| {{w|Calormen}} is a foreign empire in ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. While it was indirectly referenced in the first three books, it was not included in maps until the later books in the series.
| Map of Narnia
|
* No: 3-
* Yes: 4+
|
* No: 3- (Go to 40)
* Yes: 4+ (Go to 42)
|-
! 40
| '''Lotta islands?'''
| Refers to [http://www.charliewstarr.com/_Media/mapdawntreader.gif this map] from ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'', which focused on a ship voyage from Cair Paravel to the eastern edge of the world and back.
| 3-
|
* No: not 3
* Yes: 3
|
* No: 2- (Go to 41)
* Yes: 3 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 41
| '''Beruna'''
| Refers to [http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-54_2TDRUbHY/TpJHzFBzmiI/AAAAAAAALOA/q3RnPSvfdJ0/s1600/IMG.jpg the map] of Narnia originally published in Prince Caspian. During the time of ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'', the people of Beruna crossed the Great River via a ford, but it had been replaced by a bridge at the beginning of ''Prince Caspian''.
| 2-
|
* Ford: 1
* Bridge: 2
|
* Ford: 1 ('''Stop''')
* Bridge: 2 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 42
| '''Weird recursive heaven?'''
| Refers to ''The Last Battle'', where the protagonists find themselves in {{w|Aslan's Country}}, a glorious afterlife of which Narnia (along with Earth and presumably every other world) is only a shadowy reflection.
| 4+
|
* No: 6-
* Yes: 7
|
* No: 4 - 6 (stated in comic as one of the random later books) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 7 ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Narnia Subbranch ends''
|-
! 43
| '''Mossflower?'''
| A forest from the ''{{w|Redwall}}'' book series.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: ''Redwall''
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: ''Redwall'' ('''Stop''')
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 44)
|-
! 44
| '''Is the world on the back of a turtle?'''
| The comic fantasy book series ''{{w|Discworld}}'' is set on the fictional Discworld, a flat disc balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: ''Discworld''
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: ''Discworld'' ('''Stop''')
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 45)
|-
! 45
| '''Are you ''sure'' this is a map?'''
| After incorrectly guessing several popular fictional world, it is fair to doubt whether the subject being identified here is a map at all.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: a map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth
* No: not a map
|
* Yes: a map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth (Go to 46)
* No: not a map (Go to 48)
|-
! 46
| '''Did you make it yourself?'''
| At this point, the map can only be a homemade map of some other fictional world.
| A map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth
|
* Yes: a homemade map
|
* Yes: a homemade map (Go to 47)
|-
! 47
| '''It's very nice.'''
| A stock response to "[It's] Very nice" is "Thanks, I made it myself". Since we have already done the "made it myself" part, we need to do the other parts too, albeit out of sequence.
| A homemade map
|
* Thank you!: something "very nice"
|
* Thank you!: a "very nice" homemade map ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Not a Map Subbranch
|-
! 48
| '''Is it trying to bite you?'''
| Now we are trying to guess something that is not a map. Makes sense to ask if it's something that bites, right? Right?
| Not a map
|
* No: doesn't bite
* Yes: bites
|
* No: doesn't bite and not a map (Go to 49)
* Yes: bites (Go to 50)
|-
! 49
| '''Is it larger than a breadbox?'''
| The most common reference to breadboxes is the phrase "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" when trying to guess what some surprise object may be in the game [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Questions Twenty Questions]. However, instead of asking further questions to narrow down the choices, the comic just gives a guess for each response. The comic guesses a breadbox itself as something about the same size as a breadbox.
| Doesn't bite and not a map
|
* Yes: larger than a breadbox
* No: smaller than a breadbox
* About the same: about the same size as a breadbox
|
* Yes: larger than a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a tuba) ('''Stop''')
* No: smaller than a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a stapler) ('''Stop''')
* About the same: about the same size as a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a breadbox) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 50
| '''If you let it go, what does it do?'''
|
| Bites
|
* Hisses and go away: hisses and go away if let go
* Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go
|
* Hisses and go away: bites, and hisses and go away if let go (comic guesses a cat) ('''Stop''')
* Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: bites, and screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go (comic guesses a seagull) ('''Stop''' (however, see 51))
|-
! 51
| '''Does the screeching chill your blood and herald death?'''
| ''Note: Title text question.''
| Bites, and screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go
|
* Yes: Screeching chills your blood and heralds death
* No: Screeching does not chill your blood and herald death; or does not screech
|
* Yes: bites; screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go; screeching chills your blood and heralds death (title text guesses a banshee) ('''Stop''')
* No: bites; screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go; screeching does not chill your blood and herald death (title text guesses a seagull) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Istanbul Division
|-
! 52
| '''Does the Soviet Union exist?'''
| The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, existed from 1922 - 1991. After 1991, the Soviet Union split up into Russia and 15 other post-Soviet states.
|1928+
|
* Yes: 1928 - 1991
* No: 1991+
|
* Yes: 1928 - 1991 (Go to 53)
* No: 1991+ (Go to 69)
|-
! colspan="6" | West Africa branch
|-
! 53
| '''Is most of West Africa a giant French blob?'''
| Before 1960, most of West Africa consisted of a number of French colonies united under [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_West_Africa French West Africa].
|1928 - 1991
|
* Yes: 1928 - 1960
* No: 1960 - 1991
|
* Yes: 1928 - 1960 (Go to 54)
* No: 1960 - 1991 (Go to 62)
|-
! 54
| '''Pakistan?'''
| Pakistan was officially recognized as its own country separate from India in 1947.
|1928 - 1960
|
* No: 1928 - 1947
* Yes: 1947 - 1960
|
* No: 1928 - 1947 (Go to 55)
* Yes: 1948 - 1960 (Go to 57)
|-
! 55
| '''How many Germanys are there?'''
| During WWII, the Nazi Party invaded a large swath of Europe, which would make Nazi Germany huge on the map during that period. After the war, it split up into two countries — West Germany which was part of NATO, and East Germany which was part of the Warsaw Pact. Note that by modern standards, pre-WWII Germany was also quite huge, since at that point Germany included {{w|Prussia}} which contained much of modern Poland as well as Russian {{w|Kaliningrad}}, and in 1938 Germany took control of Austria in the {{w|Anschluss}} and the {{w|Sudetenland}} in {{w|Czechoslovakia}} following the {{w|Munich Agreement}}. Not all maps produced during WWII used the Nazi borders, since the Allies refused to recognize German occupation and supported the {{w|government-in-exile|governments-in-exile}}.
|1928 - 1947
|
* One: 1928 - 1940
* One, but it's ''huge'': 1941 - 1945
* Two: 1946 - 1947
|
* One: 1928 - 1940 (Go to 56)
* One, but it's ''huge'': 1941 - 1945 ('''Stop''')
* Two: 1946 - 1947 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 56
| '''Persia or Iran?'''
| Persia was renamed Iran in 1935. The interval from 1928 - 1930 is dropped from this branch, but it would fall under Persia.
|1928 - 1940
|
* Persia: 1930 - 1934
* Iran: 1935 - 1940
|
* Persia: 1930 - 1934 ('''Stop''')
* Iran: 1935 - 1940 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 57
| '''Cambodia?'''
| Cambodia (or Kampuchea) declared independence from France in 1953.
|1948 - 1960
|
* No: 1948 - 1953
* No: 1952 - 1960
|
* No: 1948 - 1953 (Go to 58)
* No: 1952 - 1960 (Go to 60)
|-
! 58
| '''Eritrea is a part of...'''
| Eritrea declared independence from Italy in 1952, joining Ethiopia to create the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Ethiopia_and_Eritrea Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea].
|1947 - 1953
|
* Italy: 1948 - 1952
* Ethiopia: 1952 - 1953
|
* Italy: 1948 - 1952 (Go to 59)
* Ethiopia: 1952 - 1953 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 59
| '''Canada is...'''
| In 1949, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_of_Newfoundland Dominion of Newfoundland] became a part of Canada. Before that, it was marked as its own region on the map, so maps from 1948 and before would have Canada "missing a piece" on its east coast as compared to how it looks today.
|1947 - 1952
|
* Missing a piece: 1948
* Fine: 1949 - 1952
|
* Missing a piece: 1948 ('''Stop''')
* Fine: 1949 - 1952 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 60
| '''Is the area south of Lake Victoria...'''
| The area called Tanganyika declared independence from Britain to form its own country in 1961, and unified with Zanzibar to create Tanzania in 1964.
|1952 - 1960
|
* British: 1960 - 1961
* Tanganyika: 1961 - 1964
* Tanzania: 1965 - 1971
|
* British: 1960 - 1961 (Go to 61)
* Tanganyika: 1961 - 1964 ('''Stop''')
* Tanzania: 1965 - 1971 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 61
| '''The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is... '''
| I-25 didn't exist for any of the years listed for this item, since the Interstate Highway System wasn't launched until 1956. The highway designation on maps printed during the years listed was U.S. 85. The town continues to be called "Truth or Consequences", although locals say that it provides more of the latter than of the former.

This question is also for the wrong time period, as the search tree leading to a British Tanganyika is only the period from 1960-1961.
|1960 - 1961
|
* Hot Springs: 1948-49
* Truth or Consequences: 1950-52
|
* Hot Springs: 1948-49 ('''Stop''')
* Truth or Consequences: 1950-52 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 62
| '''How many Vietnams are there?'''
| On April 30, 1975, forces from North Vietnam captured Saigon, and reunified the country, in an event known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reunification_Day Reunification Day], which marked the end of the Vietnam War. Maps before this date would have "North Vietnam" and "South Vietnam" on them rather than a single "Vietnam".
|1960 - 1991
|
* Two: 1960 - 1975
* One: 1975 - 1991
|
* Two: 1960 - 1975 (Go to 63)
* One: 1975 - 1991 (Go to 64)
|-
! 63
| '''Bangladesh?'''
| Bangladesh declared independence from Pakistan in 1972.
|1960 - 1975
|
* No: 1960 - 1972
* Yes: 1972 - 1975
|
* No: 1960 - 1972 (Go to 64)
* Yes: 1972 - 1975 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 64
| '''Jimmy Carter is...'''
| On April 20, 1979, Jimmy Carter was "{{w|Jimmy Carter rabbit incident|attacked}}" by a swamp rabbit, a fact referenced in [[204|204: America]]. This fact would not normally be referenced on a map, however, and is simply a joke entry that leads to the next question.
|1975 - 1991
|
* Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: April 20, 1979
* Fine: 1975 - 1991
|
* Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: April 20, 1979 ('''Stop''')
* Fine: 1975 - 1991 (Go to 65)
|-
! 65
| '''The Sinai is part of what country?'''
| In 1979, Israel signed a peace treaty in which it would gradually retreat from the entire Sinai Peninsula, handing that area to Egypt. This happened over a period of three years, completing in 1982.
|1975 - 1991
|
* Israel: 1976 - 1979
* Mostly Israel: 1980
* Mostly Egypt: 1981
* Egypt: 1982 - 1991
|
* Israel: 1976 - 1979 ('''Stop''')
* Mostly Israel: 1980 ('''Stop''')
* Mostly Egypt: 1981 ('''Stop''')
* Egypt: 1982 - 1991 (Go to 66)
|-
! 66
| '''What's the capital of Micronesia?'''
| The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federated_States_of_Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia] are a group of small islands in the Pacific Ocean. Their capital was Kolonia until 1989, when it changed to Palikir, on the same island.
|1982 - 1991
|
* Kolonia: 1982 - 1988
* Palikir: 1989 - 1991
|
* Kolonia: 1982 - 1988 (Go to 67)
* Palikir: 1989 - 1991 (Go to 68)
|-
! 67
| '''Republic of the Upper Volta or Burkina Faso?'''
| Burkina Faso was named the Republic of the Upper Volta until 1984, when the president Thomas Sankara decided to rename it.
|1982 - 1988
|
* Upper Volta: 1982 - 1984
* Burkina Faso: 1985 - 1988
|
* Upper Volta: 1982 - 1984 ('''Stop''')
* Burkina Faso: 1985 - 1988 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 68
| '''(Number of Yemens) + (Number of Germanys) = ?'''
| In 1990, two unification events took place: the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemeni_unification Yemeni unification] on May 22, and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification German reunification] on October 3. Before these events, in early 1990, there would have been four Yemens and Germanys total. In mid-1990, when only the Yemeni unification had taken place, there would be one Yemen and two Germanys, for a total of three. and in late 1990, after both events took place, there would be one of each for a total of two.
|1989 - 1991
|
* Four: 1989 - early 1990
* Three: mid-1990
* Two: late 1990-1991
|
* Four: 1989 - early 1990 ('''Stop''')
* Three: mid-1990 ('''Stop''')
* Two: late 1990-1991 ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Post-Soviet branch
|-
! 69
| '''Zaire? or: "Hong Kong (UK)"'''
| Zaire was one of a series of names for what is today called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1996 a (successful) revolt began to oust the reigning government from power. As part of this revolution, the country was renamed. The original name change away from 'Congo' was part of an 'Africanisation' naming campaign, although 'Congo' is in origin an authentic African name for the river that set the boundaries of the nation.

{{w|Hong Kong}} was taken by the British in 1843 at the end of the {{w|First Opium War}}, and an additional area (the New Territories) were leased from China in 1898 on a 99-year lease. When the lease expired in 1997, {{w|Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong|the whole of Hong Kong was returned to China}}.
|1991+
|
* Yes: 1992 - 1996
* No: 1996+
|
* Yes: 1992 - 1996 ('''Stop''')
* No: 1996+ (Go to 70)
|-
! 70
| '''Serbia and Montenegro are...'''
| Serbia and Montenegro were a remnant of Yugoslavia. Montenegro voted to become its own country in 2006.
|1996+
|
* One country: 1996 - 2006
* Two countries: 2007+
|
* One country: 1996 - 2006 (Go to 71)
* Two countries: 2007+ (Go to 72)
|-
! 71
| '''East Timor?'''
| East Timor is a nation north of Australia and south east of Indonesia. During the dutch colonization of Indonesia east Timor remained in Portuguese hands. While occupied and annexed by Indonesia since 1976, east Timor retained its own culture and voted for independence, then had a nasty militia action that required UN peacekeeping action, and finally become independent in 2002.
|1996 - 2006
|
* No: 1997 - 2001
* Yes: 2002 - 2006
|
* No: 1997 - 2001 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2002 - 2006 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 72
| '''How many Sudans are there?'''
| In 2011, after a long history of violence between the two portions of the country (which can be characterized as Islamic vs. Christian and Traditional Religions), South Sudan became independent from its northern neighbor.
|2006+
|
* One: 2007 - 2011
* Two: 2011+
|
* One: 2007 - 2011 ('''Stop''')
* Two: 2011+ (Go to 73)
|-
! 73
| '''Is Crimea disputed?'''
| In 2014, a revolution ousted the current Ukrainian president. Crimea had its own civil unrest, and Russian troops exploited the unrest to launch an invasion. A referendum, where many nations, including all member states of the EU, the USA, and Canada, disputed the democratic legitimacy of the referendum, was held during this and ostensibly decided in favor of Russian annexation. Depending on where you get your maps, Crimea might not be marked as disputed - [http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/04/12/302337754/google-maps-displays-crimean-border-differently-in-russia-u-s Google Maps Ukraine shows it as solely Ukrainian while Google Maps Russia shows it as Russian].
|2011+
|
* Yes: 2014+
* No: 2012 - 2013
|
* Yes: 2014+ (Go to 74)
* No: 2012 - 2013 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 74
| '''"Colorado" or "Danger—Radioactive Exclusion Zone—Avoid"?'''
| This entry and the one below it are now referring to hypothetical future events: specifically, a huge radioactivity event in Colorado that takes place some time in 2022. Colorado has a previous history of radioactive contamination - it was home to uranium mines, nuclear tests (including {{w|Project Rulison}}, an attempt to nuclear bombs to drill for natural gas that ended up making the gas radioactive) and the controversial {{w|Rocky Flats Plant}}, a nuclear weapons manufacturing facility that suffered {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|several fires and leaks}} and was ultimately raided and shut down by the FBI. None of these has yet caused spiders to mutate.{{Citation needed}}
|2014+
|
* Colorado: 2014 - 2021
* Danger: 2022+
|
* Colorado: 2014 - 2021 ('''Stop''')
* Danger: 2022+ (Go to 75)
|-
! 75
| '''Does the warning mention the spiders?'''
| Presumably some time in 2023, the radioactive exclusion zone also becomes infested with mutant spiders.
|2022+
|
* No: 2022
* Yes: 2023 or later
|
* No: 2022 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2023 or later ('''Stop''')
|}

==Transcript==

Guide to figuring out the age of an undated world map

(Assuming it's complete, labeled in english, and detailed enough)

Start:
* Istanbul or Constantinople?
** Constantinople:
*** Do any of these exist? Independent Canada; US Territory of Alaska; Tokyo.
**** No:
***** The Holy Roman Empire?
****** Yes:
******* 1805 or earlier (before this point, the modern idea of a complete political map of the world gets hard to apply.)
****** No:
******* The United States?
******** No:
********* How sure are you that this map is in english?
******** Yes:
********* Texas is...
********** Part of Mexico:
*********** Florida is part of...
************ Spain:
************* Paraguay?
************** No: '''1806-10'''
************** Yes: '''1811-17'''
************ The US:
************* Venezuela and/or ecuador?
************** No: '''1818-29'''
************** Yes: '''1830-33'''
********** Independent: '''1834-45'''
********** Part of the US:
*********** Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?
************ No:
************* The US's southern border looks...
************** Weird: '''1846-53'''
************** Normal: '''1854-56'''
************ Yes: '''1858-67'''
**** Yes:
***** South Africa?
****** No:
******* Rhodesia?
******** No:
********* Is Bolivia landlocked?
********** No:
*********** "Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"?
************ Buda and Pest: '''1868-72'''
************ Budapest: '''1873-83'''
********** Yes: '''1884-95'''
******** Yes:
********* Is Norway part of Sweden?
********** Yes: '''1896-1905'''
********** No: '''1906-09'''
****** Yes:
******* Austria-Hungary?
******** Yes:
********* Albania?
********** No: '''1910-12'''
********** Yes: '''1913-18'''
******** No:
********* Leningrad?
********** No: '''1919-23'''
********** Yes: '''1924-29'''
** Neither:
*** Does the Ottoman Empire exist?
**** Yes: '''[[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]'''
**** No:
***** The Soviet Union?
****** Yes:
******* Saudi Arabia?
******** Yes:
********* Is most of West Africa a giant french blob?
********** Yes:
*********** Bangladesh?
************ No:
************* Is the area south of Lake Victoria...
************** British:
*************** The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is...
**************** Hot Springs: '''1948-49'''
**************** Truth or Consequences: '''1950-52'''
************** Tanganyika: '''1961-64'''
************** Tanzania: '''1965-71'''
************ Yes: '''1972-75'''
********** No:
*********** How many Vietnams are there?
************ Two:
************* [[#bangladesh]]
************ One:
************* Jimmy Carter is...
************** Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: '''April 20, 1979'''
************** Fine:
*************** The Sinai is part of what country?
**************** Israel: '''1976-79'''
**************** Mostly Israel: '''1980'''
**************** Mostly Egypt: '''1981'''
**************** Egypt:
***************** What's the capital of Micronesia?
****************** Kolonia:
******************* Republic of the Upper Volta or Burkina Faso?
******************** Upper Volta: '''1982-84'''
******************** Burkina Faso: '''1985-88'''
****************** Palikir:
******************* (number of Yemens) + (number of Germanys) = ?
******************** Four: '''1989-early 1990'''
******************** Three: '''mid-1990'''
******************** Two: '''late 1990-1991'''
******** No: '''1922-1932'''
****** No:
******* North Korea?
******** Yes:
********* Zaire? or: '''"Hong Kong (UK)"'''
********** Yes: '''1992-96'''
********** No:
*********** Serbia/Montenegro are...
************ One country:
************* East Timor?
************** No: '''1997-2001'''
************** Yes: '''2002-06'''
************ Two countries:
************* How many Sudans are there?
************** One: '''2007-11'''
************** Two:
*************** Is Crimea disputed?
**************** Yes:
***************** "Colorado" or "Danger—Radioactive Exclusion Zone—Avoid"?
****************** Colorado: '''2014-21'''
****************** Danger:
******************* Does the warning mention the spiders?
******************** No: '''2022'''
******************** Yes: '''2023 or later'''
**************** No: '''2012-13'''
******** No:
********* Saint Trimble's Island
********** No:
*********** Is Jan Mayen part of the Kingdom of Norway?
************ Not yet:
************* [[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]
************ What?
************* Can you see the familiar continents?
************** Yes:
*************** This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo.
**************** Yes, that's it
***************** Is Lake Chad missing?
****************** No:
******************* How far east do the American Prairies reach?
******************** Indiana: '''before 1830'''
******************** The Mississippi: '''1830s-80s'''
******************** Nebraska:
********************* Is there a big lake in the middle of Southern California? (created by mistake)
********************** No: '''1860s-1900s'''
********************** Yes: '''1910s'''
******************** What prairies?
********************* Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (created on purpose)
********************** No: '''1920s-50s'''
********************** Yes: '''1960s-70s'''
****************** Yes:
******************* Is the Aral Sea missing?
******************** No: '''1970s-90s'''
******************** Yes: '''2000s+'''
************** No:
*************** Rivers "Sirion" or "Anduin"?
**************** Yes:
***************** Mordor?
****************** No:
******************* Beleriand?
******************** Yes: '''First Age'''
******************** No: '''Early Second Age'''
****************** Yes:
******************* Númenor?
******************** Yes: '''Late Second Age'''
******************** No:
********************* The forest east of the Misty Mountains is...
********************** Greenwood: '''Early Third Age'''
********************** Mirkwood: '''Late Third Age'''
********************** The Wood of Greenleaves: '''Fourth Age'''
**************** No:
***************** Cair Paravel?
****************** Yes:
******************* Calormen?
******************** No:
********************* Lotta Islands?
********************** No:
*********************** Beruna
************************ Ford: '''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'''
************************ Bridge: '''Prince Caspian'''
********************** Yes: '''Dawn Treader'''
******************** Yes:
********************* Weird recursive heaven?
********************** No: '''One of the random later books'''
********************** Yes: '''The Last Battle'''
****************** No:
******************* Mossflower?
******************** Yes:
********************* Redwall
******************** No:
********************* Is the world on the back of a turtle?
********************** Yes: '''Discworld'''
********************** No:
*********************** Are you ''sure'' this is a map?
************************ Yes:
************************* Did you make it yourself?
************************** Yes:
*************************** It's very nice.
**************************** Thank you!
************************ No:
************************* Is it trying to bite you?
************************** No:
*************************** Is it larger than a breadbox?
**************************** Yes: '''tuba'''
**************************** No: '''stapler'''
**************************** About the same: '''breadbox'''
************************** Yes:
*************************** If you let it go, what does it do?
**************************** Hisses and runs away: '''cat'''
**************************** Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: '''seagull'''
************ Yes:
************* Pakistan?
************** No:
*************** How many Germanys are there?
**************** One:
***************** Persia or Iran?
****************** Persia: '''1930-34'''
****************** Iran: '''1935-40'''
**************** One, but it's ''huge'': '''1941-45'''
**************** Two: '''1946-47'''
************** Yes:
*************** Cambodia?
**************** No:
***************** Eritrea is part of...
****************** Italy:
******************* Canada is...
******************** Missing a piece: '''1948'''
******************** Fine: '''1949-52'''
****************** Ethiopia: '''1952-53'''
**************** Yes:
***************** The United Arab Republic?
****************** No: '''1954-57'''
****************** Yes: '''1958-60'''
********** Yes: '''No, I made that one up.'''
** Istanbul:
*** Does the Soviet Union exist?
**** Yes:
***** [[#west-africa-french-blob]]
**** No:
***** [[#zaire]]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Flowcharts]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Time]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Fiction]]

1631: Longer Than Usual

2016-01-18T08:51:15Z

Bognor: /* Explanation */ The title text alludes to an infamous [http://www.howtogeek.com/135351/how-to-troubleshoot-mozilla-firefox-crashes/ error message] given by the Firefox internet browser.

{{comic
| number = 1631
| date = January 18, 2016
| title = Longer Than Usual
| image = longer_than_usual.png
| titletext = '--> [ Well, this is embarrassing. ] <--'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First info added.}}
Gmail's error message, I guess combined with a reference to a guy not being able to have an orgasm so they'll just go to sleep.

The title text alludes to an infamous [http://www.howtogeek.com/135351/how-to-troubleshoot-mozilla-firefox-crashes/ error message] given by the Firefox internet browser.

==Transcript==
"This seems to be taking longer than usual-"

"-Try reloading if the problem persists."

"-Maybe we should just go to bed."
{{comic discussion}}

1608: Hoverboard

2015-11-27T08:07:37Z

Bognor: apostrophails

{{comic
| number = 1608
| date = November 24, 2015
| title = Hoverboard
| image = hoverboard.png

}}
To experience the interactivity, visit the [http://xkcd.com/1608/ original comic].
{{TOC}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|It's possible not all of the game's secrets have been unearthed yet.}}
The "comic" is actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of [[Randall|Randall's]] new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which were released on the same day as this comic (November 24th 2015.) It was thus released on a Tuesday, and thus replaced that week's normal Wednesday release.

The game features [[Cueball]] riding on a {{w|hoverboard}}. The only controls are the arrow keys. The player can jump repeatedly mid-jump to reach increasing heights. The player begins in a line-drawing maze with 17 gold coins located throughout and a "deposit" station. The ostensible goal of the game is to collect as many coins as possible and return them to the deposit in the fastest possible time, which returns a text message describing the result. Players consumed with obtaining the best possible time result for collecting the coins may not realize there is anything more to the game.

Beyond the maze on either side (just far enough that players who remain within the maze will not see) are tall walls seemingly designed to contain the player. However, the walls have a finite height and, combined with the ability to multi-jump, the player can leave the purported "play area" either to the sides or above the initial maze. This returns a flashing red error message "return to play area".

Outside the play area is an entire world to explore including numerous points of interest and {{w|Easter egg (media)|Easter eggs}} similar in style to comic [[1110: Click and Drag]]. The larger game world is physically bounded in the left and the right direction, but is technically unbounded upwards, however, past a certain point there appears to be nothing interesting in the up direction. However, the longer you continue to fly upwards by pressing the up arrow repeatedly, the longer will it take for Cueball to fall down again once you stop pressing. In principal it may also be unbound in the downwards direction, but there is only a few places you can "sink" into the ground/water/lava, and here you cannot go down indefinitely. It could be possible that there could be some unexplored parts of the map, but given the maps already made this seems unlikely. There are 152 more coins outside the initial "play area" for a total of 169 in the entire game.

===Areas===
{{incomplete|Help needed migrating the info into a table}}

{| class="wikitable"
! Coordinates || Description
|-
| x: 483735, y: -551990 || "What news of the world above? Please tell me - what's hot and viral? What's trending on twitter?"
|-
| x: 509587, y: -554621 || Washington Monument
|-
| x: 509587, y: -554621 || Captain's log
|}

===Technical aspects===
As previously noted, the comic bears considerable resemblance to [[1110: Click and Drag]]. The comic is made in much the same way, with 'drawn' images "glued" together to form a large "map", with the illusion of infinite bounds made possible through space saving techniques where blank tiles are not stored and are instead painted white. The boundary between blank squares and 'drawn' squares is made clear as any white space in the normal images has a very slight grey tint. Thus, seams between images and blank spaces can be discerned.

The tiles for the map are stored as simple PNG files in the naming scheme: X:Y+s.png. An example can be seen here: http://xkcd.com/1608/1013:-1096+s.png Each file is 513x513 pixels in size, one pixel is reserved as overlap to ensure seamless joining of images. So far, through experimentation, tiles in the range 928 to 1108 X and -1112 to -928 Y have been discovered, internally, the position of the player is divided by 512 and rounded down to give the position of the tile.

The collision map is encoded in the darkness of the black. Using an image manipulation program, one can easily find the secret pathways even in the zoomed out maps provided below by enhancing the contrast of the dark areas. On a slow connection, it's possible to move into an 'open' area and then the black image loads in and (probably permanently, without tricks) traps you immobile.

The game was made by [http://chromakode.com Max Goodman] who has previously worked on [[1416: Pixels]]. The source code for the game can be found [https://xkcd.com/1608/tigl.js here].

===Areas===
[[File:thumb_1608.jpg|thumb|right|one incomplete compilation of the entire game area (note the missing pinnacle of the Washington Monument]]

Starting area - (x: 512187, y: -549668)

==== West / Left ====
* {{w|Washington Monument}} - (x: 509864, y: -549746)
** Invisible entrance through the Monument, indicated by arrow sign
** Secret entrance into the inside of the Monument, right side, about halfway up - (x: 509815, y: -552614)
***From there you can fall down to the fault line shown in about the middle of the monument. You cannot see Cueball while he is in the monument in either entrance.
* Girl in a hamster ball - (x: 505790, y: -549905)
* Yet [[1504|another dig]] at the Lion King and the lands touched by shadow - (x: 504998, y: -550676)
* An {{w|X-Wing}} at a gas station, with coin accessible from the left - (x: 503253, y: -551129)
** Go straight up from the cockpit for a coin, carried by african swallows (non-migratory)
* A well with a girl at the bottom of it (and one of the yellow game coins), claiming to not be a ghost - (x: 501998, y: -551030)
* Landing re-entry capsule with parachutes - (x: 500040, y: -552369)
* Local Mom discovering This One Weird Bug - (x: 497994, y: -551334)
* Someone flying a kite, with a coin beside the kite.
* Volcano -
* LOTR Eagles - (x: 489661 y: -556811)
* A periscope peeking out of a shallow lava pool near two people playing "the lava is a floor" - (x: 488573 y: -556337)
* Lava pools -
* A dark grey ocean that isn't noticeable until you fall in
** With suicidal quadcopters taking footage of it over a coin - (x: 486640, y: -554838)
* {{w|Elon Musk}}'s Volcano Lair - (x: 484167, y: -549462)
** entrance hidden under volcano lava, before reaching Artex - (x: 483791, y: -551292)
* The ground, that presumably all grounded electronics are connected to - (x: 485125, y: -549062)
* Artex + Gandalf - (x: 483715, y: -554354)
* Basketball hoop, with coin
* Giant floating rock island in the sky (x: 507163, y: -567537)
* Hat underground
* A hole which traps(?) the player unless noclip mode is used

==== East / Right ====

* People holding anchor lines to the Tantive IV (Star Wars: A New Hope), being attacked by an Imperial Star Destroyer - (the people: x: 518954, y: -549056)
* Desert with dunes - (x: 520000, y: -549114)
* Ocean Yelper (giving only 2.5/5 stars) - x: 522015, y: -549015
* Talking Rogue Wave - (x: 523460, y: -549013)
* Wedding - (x: 531558, y: -549386)
* Graveyard - (x: 534140, y: -549546)
* Remains of {{w|Ozymandias}}' Statue - (x: 535927, y: -549666)
* Huge pyramid - (x: 538167, y: -550906)
* Blackhat's hat on a stick - (x: 549997, y: -549777)
* Whitehat's head in the grass? - (x: 559826, y: -549847)
* Giant bird nest - (x: 567123, y; -550417)
* Beret Guy riding a torpedo - (x: 522754, y: -554342)

==== Rebel Blockade Runner ====
Up in the air is the CR90 Corvette, Tantive IV aka Rebel Blockade Runner with Princess Leia fro. The start of the original Star Wars movie.

* Coordinates:
**??
*Cueball is standing at a ledge with a fishing rod with something on the hook somewhere below the spaceship. Two birds are circling the line.

==== Imperial Star Destroyer ====

High up in the air there's a huge spaceship.

* Coordinates:
** top left at (513072, -560660)
** bottom left at (513080, -559470)
** top at (552154, -569022)
** top right at (556557, -567711)
** bottom right at (558244, -556542)
* Entrances (from bottom left clockwise):
** Tunnel at (513080, -559680)
** Tunnel at (513166, -560434)
** Shaft at (516560, -560912)
** Shaft at (519200, -561108)
** Shaft at (525255, -561527)
** Shaft at (527990, -561844)
** Shaft at (533087, -562298)
** Shaft at (539637, -563233)
** Tunnel at (540958, -563721)
** Shaft at (543789, -564670)
** Stairwell down at (547438, -565058)
** Tunnel at (552319, -566184)
** Tunnel to an isolated small room at (557774, -562042)
** Shaft at (556350, -556720)
** Glitchfloor at (547890, -556779)
** Shaft at (543850, -557500)
** Main ramp at (537260, -557969)
** Tunnel at (531840, -558547)
** Parachutists' ramp at (526624, -558664)
** Ramp at (525300, -558747)
** Shaft at (520440, -559100)
** Shaft at (516825, -559300)
* Interesting objects and places inside:
** Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems - (x: 551664, y: -567383)
** A nearly complete depiction of Level 1 of {{w|Prince of Persia (1989 video game)|Prince of Persia}} - (x: 551532, y: -563512)
** Emperor Palpatine Park and Gazebo - (x: 546819, y: -559584)
** Dancers (possibly [[162|spinning counter-clockwise]]) dancing to piano music - (x: 547536, y: -563301)
** Octopus guarding two coins - (x: 531646, y: -559663)
** A sign saying "Caution GlitchFloor" (falling straight down through it nets you a coin someway down) - (x: 547898, y: -556784)
** A huge light bulb - (x: 555405, y: -557769)
** The Emperor [[1596|birdwatching]] - (x: 554777, y: -567346)
** Ponytail recreating ''{{w|Joust (video game)|Joust}}'' on an ostrich - (x: 552048, y: -568045)
** A party on the ceiling (negative gravity?) - (x: 550350, y: -564354)
** A huge ant - (x: 552309, y: -560208)
** Tube slide - (x: 541813, y: -563721)
** A reservoir (?) with hidden passages - (x: 541300, y: -560330)
** A huge spark gap (?) - (x: 541900, y: -558110)
** Torpedo launcher room - (x: 529627, y: -558481)
** A {{w|Tetris}} block falling - (x: 529414, y: -529220)
** Lightsaber Piñata party - (x: 515353, y: -560329)
** Swimming pool - (x: 517346, y: -559831)
** Children's swimming pool (ball pit?) - (x: 514500, y: -560436)
** A crocodile - (x: 553623, -568091)
** Spiral tunnel - (x: 543320, y: -558314)
** A car - (x: 537750, y: -557937)

===Referenced Worlds/Mythologies/Etc===
* Real life
* Star Wars
* Lord of the Rings
* Neverending Story
* The Lion King
* Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail
* Shelly's Ozymandias
* Steven Universe
* Prince of Persia
* Tetris

=== Maps ===
* [http://codepen.io/KyleDavidE/full/605dc87b614ff6b2bd716f4c6f640203/ Quickly hacked overview] - courtesy of [https://www.reddit.com/user/kyledavide kyledavide] on [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/3u4sy1/xkcd_1608_hoverboard/cxbyn86 reddit].
* [http://1101b.com/xkcd1608/ fully zoomable map w/ toggleable coins and passages] - courtesy of [https://www.reddit.com/user/lanzaa lanzaa] on the same reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/3u4sy1/xkcd_1608_hoverboard/cxbyn86 thread]
* [https://i.imgur.com/uYryxss.png png-map] - courtesy of [https://www.reddit.com/user/luke_in_the_sky luke_in_the_sky] on the same reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/3u4sy1/xkcd_1608_hoverboard/cxbyn86 thread]
* [http://paste.click/DsPuSL png-full-size-map] - might take a few minutes to download -> do not open directly in the browser! - courtesy of [https://www.reddit.com/user/0x90-0x90 0x90-0x90] on the same reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/3u4sy1/xkcd_1608_hoverboard/cxbyn86 thread]

===Controls===
The keyboard controls are as follows:

* '''Go Left''' - Left arrow key, a or h
* '''Go Right''' - Right arrow key, d or l
* '''Go Up (jump or hover)''' - Up arrow key, w, or k
* '''Go Down (if gravity disabled)''' - Down arrow key, s, or j

This control scheme covers the three commonly used directional key sets: WASD a set of keys commonly used by modern games; HJKL a set of movement keys used by vi and applications which attempt to mimic vi key controls (vim); and the arrow keys, the most generic set of keys which is usually accepted by most applications which take movement as input, these were commonly used in older games.

On devices which have a touch screen and tilt sensor (portable devices like mobile phones and tablets) the controls are as follows:
* '''Go Left''' - Roll the device anticlockwise
* '''Go Right''' - Roll the device clockwise
* '''Go Up (jump or hover)''' - Tap the screen

After inspecting the source code, there appears to be no way to move down on a portable device, this is only relevant if gravity is disabled.

===Cheats and Exploits===
Aside from the obvious ability to move out of bounds in the game, there are some more obscure hidden features which can't be enabled through normal gameplay, the ones found so far are as follows:

'''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:

* '''Gandalf Mode: ''' ''window.i.am.gandalf = true'' - jumps and runs further
* '''Speedhack: ''' ''explorer.opts.speed= *Value*'' - Speed hacking, with 1 = normal speed
* '''Jump Hack: ''' '' explorer.opts.jumpForce= -*Value*'' - Jump hacking, with -1 = normal jump (positive values cause the hoverboard guy to move down when jumping)
* '''Mewtwo mode: ''' ''window.mewtwo = true'' - disables gravity
* '''Noclip mode: ''' ''window.noclip = true'' - player is able to move around the map without collision. Combine with Gandalf and Mewtwo modes for free easy map traversal.
* '''Goggles mode: ''' ''window.ze.goggles()'' - displays a small window showing area around the player in a pixelated manner. The goggles indicate collision boundaries (where the player touches the world) in cyan lines. Black pixels that are passable (such as other characters or text) will be highlighted red (allowing secret passages to be discovered).
* '''Position Tracking: ''' ''window.explorer.pos'' - Returns the player location to the console. Can be used to track position and test to ensure you are still moving. Must be re-entered to compare positioning.
* '''Position Setting: ''' ''window.explorer.pos.x = *Value* or window.explorer.pos.y = *Value*'' - Can be used to manually set a position within the world. The start is at x: 512106, y: -549612. The left terrain bound is at x: 475210, y: -553711. The right terrain bound is at x: 567281, y: -549712. Mewtwo and Noclip modes are a must for exploring in this way.
* '''All the above: ''' ''window.explorer.opts'' - Contains all the game's parameters. You can directly mess with ''gravity'', collision (''disableCollision''), jump force (''jumpForce'') and speed (''maxSpeed''), among others. Run ''Object.keys(window.explorer.opts)'' to list all available parameters you can tweak.
* '''List all coins: ''' ''window.explorer.objects'' - Array containing the position of the 169 coins of the game.
* '''Disable tilt input: ''' ''getEventListeners(window)['deviceorientation'][0].remove()'' - on Macs with motion sensor, disables tilt input which causes problems controlling the avatar

'''Getting All Coins: ''' To instantly get all coins, input the below into the console window. Does not use standard formatting of [i] to avoid conflicts with window.i.am.gandalf

for (var T = 0; T < explorer.objects.length; T++) {
explorer.objects[T].got = true;
}

To teleport to the next coin every time you press the left or right arrow:

var T = 0;
document.onkeydown = function(event){
if (event.keyCode == 37) { T = T-1 }
else if (event.keyCode == 39) { T = T+1 }
else { return }
T = T % explorer.objects.length;
var coin = explorer.objects[T];
explorer.pos.x = coin.x1; explorer.pos.y = coin.y1;
}

For a quick tour of all the coins:

var delayInMilliseconds = 1000; // 1 second delay between each teleport. feel free to change this.
var index = 0;
explorer.objects.forEach(function(x){
setTimeout(function(){
explorer.pos.x = x.x1;
explorer.pos.y = x.y1;
x.got = true;
explorer.frame(); // forces a redraw
},
(index + 1) * delayInMilliseconds);
index++;
});

To see a list of coin coordinates you have not yet collected:

var L = 0;
for (var S = 0; S < explorer.objects.length; S++) {
var I = explorer.objects[S];
if (I.got) {
L++;
} else {
console.log(I.x1.toString() + ", " + I.y1.toString());
}
}
console.log("You've found " + L.toString() + " of 169 coins");

To display the distance and direction to the closest coin (with inverted colors once you have all the coins):

function distance(x1, y1, x2, y2) {
var dx = x2 - x1;
var dy = y2 - y1;
return Math.sqrt(dx * dx + dy * dy);
}

function angle(x1, y1, x2, y2) {
var dx = x2 - x1;
var dy = y2 - y1;
return Math.atan2(dy, dx) * 180 / Math.PI;
}

function renderRadar() {
var mindist = 10000000000;
var closest = {
x1:512278.0, y1:-549613.0
};
var linecolor = "red";
for (var S = 0; S < explorer.objects.length; S++) {
var I = explorer.objects[S];
if (!I.got) {
var dist = distance(explorer.pos.x, explorer.pos.y, I.x1, I.y1);
if (dist < mindist) {
mindist = dist;
closest = I;
}
}
}
if (mindist == 10000000000) {
mindist = distance(explorer.pos.x, explorer.pos.y, closest.x1, closest.y1);
if (document.getElementById("radar").style.backgroundColor != "red") {
document.getElementById("radar").style.backgroundColor = "red";
}
linecolor = "green";
} else {
if (document.getElementById("radar").style.backgroundColor != "green") {
document.getElementById("radar").style.backgroundColor = "green";
}
}
var ang = angle(explorer.pos.x, explorer.pos.y, closest.x1, closest.y1);
var indicator = "";
if (ang > 112.5 || ang < -112.5) {
indicator += "left";
}
if (ang < 67.5 && ang > -67.5) {
indicator += "right";
}
if (ang > -157.5 && ang < -22.5) {
indicator += " up";
}
if (ang > 22.5 && ang < 157.5) {
indicator += " down";
}
document.getElementById("radar").innerHTML = "Distance: " + mindist.toFixed(1).toString() + " ";
document.getElementById("radar").innerHTML += indicator + " (" + -ang.toFixed(1).toString() + "°)";
document.getElementById("radar").innerHTML += "<div id='circle' style='border: 1px solid black; border-radius: 50px; width: 100px; height: 100px; position:absolute; top:50px; left:25px'/>";
document.getElementById("radar").innerHTML += "<div id='line' style='width: 50px; height: 1px; background-color: " + linecolor + "; position:absolute; top:100px; left:75px; transform:rotate(" + ang + "deg); transform-origin:0% 0%'/>";
}

var d = document.createElement("div");
d.id = "radar";
d.style.position = "fixed";
d.style.left = "0px";
d.style.top = "0px";
d.style.width = "150px";
d.style.height = "160px";
d.style.border = "1px solid red";
d.style.zIndex = "2";
d.style.backgroundColor = "green";
d.style.color = "#8f8";
document.body.appendChild(d);

setInterval(renderRadar, 100);

To display your current coordinates:

function renderRadar2() {
document.getElementById("radar2").innerHTML = "x: " + explorer.pos.x.toFixed(1).toString() + " y: " + explorer.pos.y.toFixed(1).toString()
}

var d = document.createElement("div")
d.id = "radar2"
d.style.position = "fixed"
d.style.left = "150px"
d.style.top = "0px"
d.style.width = "150px"
d.style.height = "35px"
d.style.border = "1px solid red"
d.style.zIndex = "2"
d.style.backgroundColor = "green"
d.style.color = "#8f8"
document.body.appendChild(d)

setInterval(renderRadar2, 1000)

===Functionality===
By observing page code while playing, the game grabs and displays images based on location, and subsequently clears all non-visible images. The game uses what seems to be a position syntax to retrieve the intended images live, and returns an error if such an image does not exist, such as a blank area. This technically means things could be added to the world and updated live. If the player is moving sufficiently fast or if the internet connection is slow, this means that the player can get stuck in a black area that does not load in time.

This also means that the game does not have coded top or bottom limits, so any attempt to find the ''ceiling'' of the game will be futile unless the game is tweaked. The game does however have side limits.

When you deposit a certain number of coins, you will get one of the following messages:
* 0 coins : You got 0 coins in (n) seconds/ You successfully avoided all the coins.
* 1 coin : You got a single coin in (n) seconds/ It's a start.
* 2-4 coins : You got (n) coins in (n) seconds/ Not bad!
* 5-9 coins : You got (n) coins in (n) seconds/ Terrific!
* 17 coins : You got 17 coins in (n) seconds/ You found all the coins! Great job!
* 42 coins : You got 42 coins in (n) seconds/ No answers here.
* 169 coins : You got 169 coins in (n) seconds/ Are you Gandalf?
* All others: You got (n) coins in (n) seconds

Opening the console will display the text: what? hoverboard not enough for you!? in the log. Activating goggles mode will cause the text 'B-)' to appear in the log.

Leaving the play area will cause the red text 'RETURN TO THE PLAY AREA' to rapidly blink 3 times (150 msec duration), followed by a pause, and this will repeat 5 times for a total of 15 blinks. This will also reoccur if the player passes through the play area on their way back from exploring one side.

==Transcript==
:[This transcript only covers the starting page as shown on xkcd: {{xkcd|1608}}. A full transcript of the entire comic will be listed on a [[1608: Hoverboard/Transcript|separate page]].]

:[Cueball is shown on a hoverboard in the centre of the comic. Around him is a simple maze with 12 yellow coins. Another Cueball without howerboard is shown standing on one of the platforms to the right. The bottom half of the window is black. Right of where Cueball stands is a ramp. Behind the ramp is a computer. There is lots of space left of the maze, outside the maze. Text is only written in white below in the black area. The first part of the text is written below Cueball on hoverboard. Then there is an arrow pointing to the computer and a label. Finally there is a line of text at the bottom of the black area.]

:[Under Cueball:]
:My new book,
:''Thing Explainer,''
:comes out today!
:To celebrate, here's
:a small game.

:[Under the arrow below the computer]
:Deposit coins here

:[At the bottom:]
:Use the arrow keys to move

:['''For the full transcript of the entire comic see [[1608: Hoverboard/Transcript]].''']

==Trivia==
* There is as usual [[:Category:No title text|no title text]] for these interactive comics. But there is actually one listed in the [http://xkcd.com/1608/info.0.json info page] on xkcd. But this text: "Return to the play area", is never shown as a normal title text. But it will erroneously be shown in the unofficial mobile versions of the site.
** This is actually the text that is shown blinking red at the buttom of the screen when leaving the starting area.
* If the focus switches from the game to the page, the cueball can freeze in midair. The same thing can happen if the window border overlaps the play area.
* The Washington monument has an invisible floor next to the visible bricks which you can enter from further up the monument.
** You can also just walk through the monument at its base as shown by the sign.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:No title text]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hair Bun Girl]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Hamster Ball]]