explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

User talk:42.book.addict

2026-04-05T12:56:18Z

CalibansCreations: /* How tf did you go 2 years w/o learning how to close HTML tags??? */

<center>'''Archive 1'''</center>
<center>[[File:archive.png]]</center>
<center>For old and irrelevant messages, see my [[User talk:42.book.addict/archive|archive!]]</center>

== introductions ==
Just replying to your message (also dw no big deal for bothering me)
You click on your username and there should be an edit box. --[[User:1234231587678|1234231587678]] ([[User talk:1234231587678|talk]]) 04:58, 7 February 2024 (UTC)
:it says that i dont have permission to create the page…
:There is currently no text in this page. You can search for this page title in other pages, or search the related logs, but you do not have permission to create this page. it says [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 19:33, 7 February 2024 (UTC)

I think you might have to wait some time (like a timer) until you can edit your own page... I think I only got to edit my page after 1 month of creating my account.--[[User:1234231587678|1234231587678]] ([[User talk:1234231587678|talk]]) 21:31, 7 February 2024 (UTC)
:ok, thx [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 21:52, 7 February 2024 (UTC)

My guess on where you live is somewhere in the GMT zone, so United Kingdom.--[[User:1234231587678|1234231587678]] ([[User talk:1234231587678|talk]]) 03:43, 8 February 2024 (UTC)
:nope, im a california girl :) ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 05:04, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

lol you never know with utc times --[[User:1234231587678|1234231587678]] ([[User talk:1234231587678|talk]]) 16:52, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

== Depends what you wanted to do... ==

Is the following what you intended? 
{{Userbox | border-c = #255 | border-s = 1 | info-s = 9 | id = [[File:trans_flag.png|45px]] | info = [[{{w|Transgender|This user is trans.}}]] | float = left }} 
{{clear}}...or is even the [[]] part not what you want?{{clear}}
{{Userbox | border-c = #255 | border-s = 1 | info-s = 9 | id = [[File:trans_flag.png|45px]] | info = {{w|Transgender|This user is trans.}} | float = left }} 
{{clear}}As brief a guide as I can manage:
*URL links use []. Although literal https://www.google.com will self-link without ''any'' wikimarkup, you probably don't want it to look like that most of the time.
** Just give the URL, as in <code><nowiki>[https://www.google.com]</nowiki></code>, to get a [https://www.google.com] (i.e. a reference number), not the best way to do it. It can be organised better with a 'References' section, but we don't do that here (they do on wikipedia, but usually with other bits to it.
** Better to give the URL and the text to use (after a space, a character that never appears raw in any proper URL). This can be <code><nowiki>[https://www.google.com Check It Out On Google!]</nowiki></code> or even <code><nowiki>[https://www.google.com https://www.microsoft.com (only kidding!)]</nowiki></code>, to give [https://www.google.com Check It Out On Google!] or [https://www.google.com https://www.microsoft.com (only kidding!)]... But perhaps best not to do the latter too much (I really didn't want to post that without the "(only kidding!)" part, in fact.)
*Internalised wikilinks use the [[]]s.
**Anything that can be found under the title, e.g. "2: Petit Trees (sketch)" (or, because of redirections, "2" and "Petit Trees (sketch)" go to the same spot, so <code><nowiki>[[2]], [[Petit Trees (sketch)]] and [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]]</nowiki></code> gives you the literal links [[2]], [[Petit Trees (sketch)]] and [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]]
**Or use <code><nowiki>[[2: Petit Trees (sketch)|that comic with the little trees]]</nowiki></code>, additional text separated by the 'pipe' symbol (i.e. "|"), to link to [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)|that comic with the little trees]]
**You can also link across to articles on other 'wikimedia family' sites, but I'm not going to try to summarise that, as the primary reason to do that is to go to an actual Wikipedia article, and there's a template set up to do that ''very'' nicely, already (and also a few other places, like Wiktionary, and some not-really-wikis with a similar philosphy like TVTropes). If in doubt, do it as a URL link ''or'' find a place where someone else has clearly markuped a link to the same site as you want to link to.
*So, anyway, Wikilink templates use the {{template|w}}-template, with one or two paramaters (pipe-separated). (It shortcuts the thing you'd maybe use [[]]s for
**Using <code><nowiki>{{w|article}}</nowiki></code> gives you a link to "{{w|Article}}" (it capitalises the first character, even if you don't)
**Using <code><nowiki>{{w|article|with alternate text}}</nowiki></code> gives you a link there but "{{w|article|with alternate text}}"
**If the article name has whitespace (or other 'URL-unfriendly' characters) in it, those characters in the URL (which you wouldn't want to use) will be rendered as something URL-friendly. The URL for "Whitespace (programming language)", for example, is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitespace_(programming_language) but you wouldn't normally use that so literally in any case, and definitely not when you can significanty shorten it with the {{template|w}} notation.
***What you can do is (without 'alternate link text') render it as <code><nowiki>{{w|Whitespace_(programming_language)}}</nowiki></code> - i.e. {{w|Whitespace_(programming_language)}} - but that's not nice to see 'rendered raw' when you ''want'' the spaces. You could give it alternate text via <code><nowiki>{{w|Whitespace_(programming_language)|Whitespace (programming language)}}</nowiki></code> to give {{w|Whitespace_(programming_language)|Whitespace (programming language)}} ...but that's wasteful and unnecessary.
***Instead, just do <code><nowiki>{{w|Whitespace (programming language)}}</nowiki></code> (that's the literal copy of the article's own page title, from the rendered page) - and shows as {{w|Whitespace (programming language)}} - which is good. Although <code><nowiki>{{w|Whitespace (programming language)|the programming language called Whitespace}}</nowiki></code> might be the best way to seemlessly link to {{w|Whitespace (programming language)|the programming language called Whitespace}} ...depends what you want to appear there.
***And you can link to header anchors pretty much ''like'' the URL of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitespace_(programming_language)#History by using <code><nowiki>{{w|Whitespace (programming language)#History|the history of Whitespace}}</nowiki></code> to have you show {{w|Whitespace (programming language)#History|the history of Whitespace}} or whatever else you might want to use.
**Also, for the use of a link which is singular but which you would like to include as the plural (usually the "...s" or "...es" version), you could use article-name first parameter and ''pluralised'' article name as second, but instead of <code><nowiki>{{w|Plural|Plurals}}</nowiki></code>, for a link to the {{w|Plural|Plurals}}, you can save yourself a lot of effort by doing <code><nowiki>{{w|Plural}}s</nowiki></code> to also give you a linke to {{w|Plural}}s. Magic, eh? And it also works with <code><nowiki>{{w|Ox}}en</nowiki></code> to link the different standard plural of {{w|Ox}}en to the article for "Ox" (better than linking to the word for {{w|Oxen}}, which ends up redirecting to {{w|Ox}} anyway).
...so, anyway, that's the basics. And a few not-so-basics. So if the solutions to your tagging issue aren't already solved (or even if they are!), you might have enough info here to kludge it into whatever form of infobox info text you ''really'' wanted to use. Ok? Probably far too much info for you to absorb in one go, but covers loads of interesting possibilities. About the only thing you don't want to do is wikilink straight to the word "trans", at that'll be a disambiguation page. And there's also no way (or reason?) to use the terms "trans man"/"trans woman" as the pluralised "trans men"/"trans women" versions via the "directly add the plural suffix" thing, of course. :P Anyway, FYI. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.38.217|162.158.38.217]] 20:40, 25 May 2024 (UTC)
::oh my god thank you so much [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 19:38, 27 May 2024 (UTC)

== Welcome back, Tori! ==

How's life? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 18:47, 1 December 2024 (UTC)
:Eh, it’s fine. I just came back from New York on a ''very'' stressful flight-missed the original one, did my Language Arts homework on the flight, and came back to California at 2 am. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:26, 2 December 2024 (UTC)

== Comics with inverted brightness. ==

At the most arbitrary, I'd suggest that, just maybe, ''panes'' with inverted brightness fulfil the category requirements, or perhaps a bit of white text because it happens to be written on a more shaded bit of background, but I'm unsure that the {{diff|358698|lavatory signs}} strictly invoke inverted brightness (if real signs exist that are light-on-dark, which at least some of them are, this makes it an ''un''inverted depiction of one of them), and I'm unhappy with your (presumed) linking of this category for a {{diff|358691|tree silhouette}} (it shows the perfectly cromulant situation of bright sky behind a relatively dark tree, again not inverted, merely drawn for contrast).

An interesting example is something like [[811: Starlight]]. The stars (white spots on floodfilled black background) really shouldn't be considered inverted (black stars on white sky would be inverted; it's only that the category specifically mentions night ''and'' space scenes makes it valid from that perspective), but the text and stickfigures/etc ''are'' definitely inverted (all due to the background they're on).

It's just my opinion, but I don't think that any patch of black-floodfill (especially in just a fraction of a pane or two, within an otherwise normal multi-pane comic) around a white detail is automatically ripe for marking as inverted. I'll reluctantly accept "night sky" or "space" (but only with stars... no "entirely featureless black, through a window/porthole") as cause for being classed as Inverted, due to the category explanation. But feel that the true "inversion" is where there is [[566: Matrix Revisited|pane inversion]] which results in white text and/or (character) stickfigures upon black background as a definite contrast to 'normality'. Before you go too far with HotCatting some things that I'd feel compelled to revert (as I'm very tempted with the tree silhouette, and almost certain I should with the Gents-signs, for example...). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.119|141.101.98.119]] 19:12, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

==Hey again, I know we have some bad blood but...==
Hey 42, it's Z1m. I know we haven't seen each other in a while (who am I kidding, it's a wiki; I meant talked) Can you do the little welcome thing so I can edit my talk page? Thanks! [[User:Maybe Bill Cipher|An anonymous Gravity Falls expert]] ([[User talk:Maybe Bill Cipher|talk]]) 19:26, 10 December 2024 (UTC)
:Why can’t you use your old account? '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 21:38, 10 December 2024 (UTC)
::I forgot my pass :skull: [[User:Maybe Bill Cipher|An anonymous Gravity Falls expert]] ([[User talk:Maybe Bill Cipher|talk]]) 22:33, 10 December 2024 (UTC)
:::SMH. Done. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:37, 10 December 2024 (UTC)
::::Thanks! [[User:Maybe Bill Cipher|An anonymous Gravity Falls expert]] ([[User talk:Maybe Bill Cipher|talk]]) 22:42, 10 December 2024 (UTC)

==I FORGOT MY PASS AGAIN ASDFGHJK<SAHFJEWIUBEIUWDBHIVHJ==
Help :( [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|Help I'm not OK]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 18:49, 13 December 2024 (UTC)
:''sigh'' '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:41, 13 December 2024 (UTC)
:I KNOW I'M A DINGUS DON'T LOOK AT ME LEAV EME TO MY BASIC YELLOW DORITO SHAME [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|Do not click on this link if you wish to keep your soul]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]])

==Hi (3==
Sorry if I'm bothering you too much, just wanted to say hi. {{unsigned|Definitely Bill Cipher|15:19, 17 December 2024 (UTC)}}
:Please sign your comments with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:05, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
::Sorry [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|A dream demon]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 19:10, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
:::It’s fine, as long as you remember. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:51, 17 December 2024 (UTC)
::::So, uh... do you wanna take this to my talk page and we can talk or... [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|A dream demon]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 21:18, 17 December 2024 (UTC)

==Congrats==
:I checked and you're the contributor today that has made the most edits. I'm on the leaderboard too, but not in the top three *0(*. Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you. Talk to me anytime! [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 15:52, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
::Ok, that’s nice. I’ve stopped viewing Contribution Scores as a measurement of my editing ability-it only measures how many points and how many pages I have edited, not the quality of my edits or how much of an impact they have on the wiki. A bot can spam and get onto the All-Time Top 50 Leaderboard, but that's not reflective of its helpfulness (none). '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:49, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
:::I remain free from all such objectivity by staying firmly off the list. I ''could'' flatter myself that I deserve a place, for all my (useful?) work over the last 10+ years, but... no definitive tallying and I don't even fool myself that this statement can be believed. Which is liberating. No temptation to "edit for editing's sake", and remaining blissfully unaware how much time I must have spent not doing ''other'' important things. But that's just me (assuming you accept my account), and please don't consider this as downplaying the known-and-named contributors (current and past) who have made a more attributable contribution. Horses for courses. You (both) be you, and who knows where any of us might be in another ten years; hopefully managing to create a net positive outcome for the world, as the only thing that ''anybody'' should aspire to.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.43.182|172.69.43.182]] 17:18, 19 December 2024 (UTC)

== Bluey news just dropped. ==

https://youtu.be/ititZcuih8E?si=_9ceRfwc52qfa5Tu [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 20:23, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
:NOOOO '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 21:25, 19 December 2024 (UTC)
::wait, what?--[[User:Bb777|me, hi]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 16:53, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

== Deleting User Talk Pages ==
I noticed that you added some user talk pages into the pages to be deleted category. Even if they are an IP address and only have one comment, they still probably shouldn't be deleted. I only noticed because you had marked my talk page. [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you want to]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 09:19, 1 January 2025 (UTC)
:As I commented over on your page (sorry, didn't spot this, yet), I think that it's perfectly legitimate to correct (by ''requesting'' deletion) the creation of IP-based User and User Talk namespace pages. The intended source/target can never make any proper use of them, and they are instead left open to disproportionately high chance of ''improper'' use.
:IPs ''may'' have been more reliably associated with particular login-less users (such as myself) in the earliest days of the site, but it's not just the current proxy-provider that makes it likely that anyone coming here is effectively randomised. A 2015-era commentator almost certainly doesn't have the exact same IP ''from their ISP'' (which is Cloudflared away, anyway), unless they've taken great trouble to maintain statically upon it, and that's presuming that they haven't switched providers and/or routing hardware in the last decade, to further muddle it up.
:So far, I haven't seen any communications to a User Talk:<IP> page that deserves preserving (and User:<IP> stuff tends to be worse, thankfully rarer), but if a named user (who may or may not be currently active, or have had their own Talk page) contributes anything 'untrivial' then you could perhaps copy it to their own (newly created, if necessary?) user-page, or to whatever article Talk page it's identifiably about. Admonations not to delete Incomplete-templates and nice messages of agreement about some Conan-related link-finding are not al all that level of preservable conversation (well, not even a dialogue, as they weren't even acknowledged!), as 'recent' examples.
:Anyway, marking for deletion still requires that someone ''actually'' deletes them. Currently, '42' can't do that. (They're clearly eager to be helpful, but not yet admin-material.) Realistically, it will need someone else to actually do that bit. And I think the current 'someone else' concerned isn't overly eager to delete things not related to more current unwanted contributions. I'd have done a bit more cleaning up, myself, but by deliberately having kept out of consideration for such responsibiity, it's not something I should actively complain about. ;) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.186|141.101.98.186]] 13:00, 1 January 2025 (UTC)

==Hiiiii==
:Heya, 42! Just wanted to check in because I left for winter break and I thought 'I wonder how she's doing?'
:If I'm being annoying, you can just say so and I'll leave you alone.
:Anyway, I'm gonna go comic hop. Talk to me anytime! [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|Come and talk!]]) 15:15, 7 January 2025 (UTC)
::I’m fine. I went skiing in {{w|Heavenly Mountain Resort|Tahoe}} 5 days during winter break and also went to {{w|Point Reyes Station}}. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:50, 7 January 2025 (UTC)
:::Cool, if you wanna talk I'm here (3 [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 15:35, 9 January 2025 (UTC)

== I heard about the wildfires. ==

Are you safe? Are you alright? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 08:43, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
:That’s SoCal, not the Bay Area, so I’m all good. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 10:10, 8 January 2025 (UTC)

== Any luck with Jeff? ==

It’s been a while since you’ve put up the “banner” on your page. Has he responded yet? [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 22:23, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
:Nope. I’ve emailed Davidy22 and he responded, but he doesn’t have server access. I tried on Gmail, Reddit, X, asked @ActuallyBerg from [[explain xkcd#History|the old forum]] who’s apparently a friend with Jeff on both X and Bluesky. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:25, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
::Damn… that’s slightly (very) worrying. Good job for trying tho [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 22:57, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
:::Yeah…I’m just going to keep on trying, seeing if I can solve some of the problems remotely. Not too sure what much I can do about the ‘crat situation though. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:59, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
::::Well good luck [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 23:07, 8 January 2025 (UTC)

== {{w|WP:REMOVED}} ==
kindly stop adding it back. thank you. [[user talk:lett‪herebedarklight|youtu.be/miLcaqq2Zpk]] 15:53, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
:very well. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:05, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
::ok, that's the limit. {{w|WP:NOBAN|don't post on my talk page again.}} if you wish to fiddle with minutae, go to wikipedia, where that sort of thing is appreciated. i'll also note that no one else has complained about my signature, only you. [[user talk:lett‪herebedarklight|youtu.be/miLcaqq2Zpk]] 10:13, 11 January 2025 (UTC)
:::touche. to be honest, grabbing at your throat for a simple signature issue got a bit boring after a couple days. have a nice day! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 11:28, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

== Talk Page added to "pages to delete ==
Hey, I noticed you added my talk page to the "pages to delete" category. Why? I don't really want my talk page deleted. Qoiuoiuoiu (talk) 16:29, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
:Sorry, changed it. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 17:58, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
::If you want my advice (no reason you do...), do a little more checking of the page history. ''And'' that of the partner page (compare User: <-> User Talk), where it exists. You might find a few of the ones that you marked for deleting weren't created, unused and abandoned, but actually 'in use' (even if not directly).
::You're eager, and I still completely support IP-related pages being marked for deletion (remembering that you don't have the power to ''actually'' delete them... which is probably a relief to a small handful of actal users, like the above), but maybe dial it back a bit so that you don't make a few more taggings that need to be reverted... Build up a personal 'hitlist', maybe, but do more poking around and keep it down to a handful of the 'best' candidaates that you find, not a couple of a dozen in quick order, which I think you did yesterday.... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.25|162.158.74.25]]
:::I did check the Page history of [[User talk:Qoiuoiuoiu]] though, and saw that it was created by [[User:While False]]. I also checked the User Page, and saw that it was edited slightly to change While False’s announcement. Because the entire purpose of [[User talk:Qoiuoiuoiu]] was to presumably reduce red links, I tagged [[:Category:Pages to delete]]. Checking page history and user pages honestly doesn’t take that much time, and I checked them for every single page (I think). Upon [[User:Qoiuoiuoiu|Qoiuoiuoiu’s]] complaint, I removed the Category and added a comment so that the talk page has a purpose. I believe that I was in the right to tag them in this case, and that is my decision. Although I do like the idea of the “hitlist”, and will create one. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:46, 10 January 2025 (UTC)

== Bluey ==

I can't believe you watch a ''children's'' show like Bluey. You should watch an ''adult'' show, like my personal favourite, {{w|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic}} ;). [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 19:38, 11 January 2025 (UTC)
:[https://gamejolt.com/games/sonic/783884 nah I'm sending you to the green hills for that one buddy] /j [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 20:39, 11 January 2025 (UTC)
:LMFAOOO '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:38, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

== "Shared named" comics... ==

Not too sure about the shared-name status for "Advent Calendar", "Advent Calendar Advent Calendar" and "Advent" (more clear if there was "Advent Calendars", the AVAV ''might'' be deemed a copy (literally!) of AV, but it'd be a stretch to link the A to the AV and thus also the AVAV), but you can't really put just one comic in the Shared Name category, can you? If you're happy for it, then do it for all of them. And, when you do, might be a good idea to put the markup comment after the category membership tag with an explanation of which one(s) you're linking it with, to avoid random editors getting the wrong idea (or ''no'' idea) on spotting it... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.33.252|162.158.33.252]] 00:26, 12 January 2025 (UTC)

== Why do you have a hitlist? ==

Please don't put me on there 😭😭😭 [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 13:53, 17 January 2025 (UTC)
:It’s for user pages/talk pages to delete. It’s fine, you’re fine, everybody’s fine (except for me i have a flu) '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 23:59, 17 January 2025 (UTC)
::Ykkkkkk, I bet Jeff’s heir would be easier to contact… Just saying…… [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 17:01, 18 January 2025 (UTC)
:::which would be the next ‘crat with server control, someone who doesn’t exist yet since Jeff still needs to promote them. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 23:17, 18 January 2025 (UTC)
:::: dammit [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 15:53, 20 January 2025 (UTC)

==We're cooked==
You-know-who became president on MLK Day. We're so cooked, 42. [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 19:23, 22 January 2025 (UTC)
:as a Brit I too am concerned [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 14:36, 30 January 2025 (UTC)
::Yeh i'm scared [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 15:21, 31 January 2025 (UTC)
:::yayyyyy politics [[User:Apollo11|Apollo11]] ([[User talk:Apollo11|talk]]) 16:38, 31 January 2025 (UTC)

== Different name in ContributionScores? ==

Hi 42

I just realized that in the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ContributionScores ContributionScores] you are listed as Victoria. How come you manage to have two different names on this wiki? Is that some error? It is confusing at least.

Keep up the good work --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:20, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
:I noticed that too! What's your secret?--[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:06, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
::haha, there’s no secret. my name’s victoria, but i also go by tori. that’s why if you look up at old messages, some people refer to me as victoria or tori. if you want to keep on calling me 42, or 42.book.addict, that’s completely fine! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:05, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
:::Yeah I guess what i was asking is how you managed to change your name on the leaderboard! I can't figure it out haha. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:11, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
::::oh, that’s easy-you just change it in your preferences. find the real name box, and input whatever you want. some people might find it confusing, and you might need to explain to people the difference, like this converstaion right now. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 17:18, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
:::::Oh, cool! Thanks. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:53, 4 February 2025 (UTC)

:Well if it is a part of the wiki I guess it is fine. But I think it is a bit confusing that we cannot see the user name of the person on the leaderboard. So it would be great if the name in the leader-board could also change to 42. But I guess that is not possible? As you know I'm made an admin, but also I have way to little knowledge of programming and wiki etc. And full time job, other hobbies and two kids, one of which seems to be older than 42. So it is not your age, but 42 comes from your love of Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy? (Big fan me-self). Impressive the amount of work you have put into the wiki in such a short time. I have been a member since October 2013. I still remember [[Talk:30: Donner|my first comment]] on explain, actually made it before I signed up and then added my signature after signing up a few days later ;-) Back then I used much more time on explain. Had actually not intended to become admin. But second time I was asked, and with no active admins I accepted. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:39, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
::Oh, nice! Never knew that you were a parent. i ''could'' remove the Victoria from the leaderboard by blanking my real name in preferences, but honestly, I’d rather not. There are tons of other people with a situation like this, and I don’t think that it’ll cause much confusion. I’m always happy to explain why it’s listed as Victoria or not! (BTW, Victoria is literally on my User Page) '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:20, 5 February 2025 (UTC)
:::Well we usually do not now much about each other and I had not read your user page before I found out you where also Victoria. Not sure what you mean by Victoria being on you user page. I searched on it and found no hit for Victoria... But no big problem. Just a bit confusing. Just stay on the leaderboard. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:26, 9 February 2025 (UTC)
::::weird...i could've sworn that i added it to my user page. i'll add it now to try to reduce confusion in the future. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 17:09, 9 February 2025 (UTC)

== You into Friday Night Funkin? ==

tldr it's a silly Newgrounds-inspired rhythm game with literally hundreds if not thousands of mods. you should get into it if you're not already

[[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:19, 18 February 2025 (UTC)
:moved this to the bottom so you'd be more likely to see this haha [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:03, 17 April 2025 (UTC)
::no-i don’t play rhythm games. moved it back up for chronological order. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:34, 18 April 2025 (UTC)

== Contacting Randall ==

Hey Victoria! Sorry to hear about your mental health issues, I hope you're getting better.

Here's some good news: I tried contacting Randall to ask him when he replaced comic [[36: Scientists]], and he replied! It's weird that Randall is easier to reach than the owner of this wiki... You can read the conversation and a summary of what happened [[User:FaviFake|on my user page]]. Among other things, he gave me the official release date, April 28th, and, after I asked, he told me he might reply to more simple questions! If you have some technical or administrative questions, I could ask them directly to him. If you're curious, there are more details about this [[User:FaviFake|here]]. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 18:32, 21 February 2025 (UTC)

==oof==
:I'm so sorry, 42. I go to therapy and picked up a couple things, so if you need me, I'm here. You can leave a message on my talk page anytime and we can yap about whatever. Hang in there 0) [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 15:35, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

== Uncooperating User ==

Hi 42 
You originally wrote regarding [[User talk:Lettherebedarklight]] here: [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#Uncooperating_User|Uncooperating User]] 
I warned him not to change his signature to a link and also not deleting his talk page. But he has not complied. But now I saw your comment on his user page, after I rolled back his latest deletion... Regarding wiki policy. And since I do not go much into this I need some help here. I do not have time to read up on this. I'm just so unlucky as to be the only admin still active here... Not by my own wish. Maybe FaviFake should also say something here? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:39, 5 March 2025 (UTC)
:I believe this is what's happening: 42 originally noticed the user's signature, which is clearly a violation of the Wikipedia policy, and you warned them. They didn't cooperate, and then you warned them again, but this time you also told them to not blank their talk page (and to not redirect it), which wasn't among the things 42 pointed out. Because of this, she mentioned they're allowed to blank their talk page and redirect it to their user page, but not to have a signature that looks like an external link. And now, as you can see in [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:FaviFake&diff=367780&oldid=367750 this edit of theirs], they have done both things. The signature is not allowed, but blanking their page is. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:56, 5 March 2025 (UTC)
::But if they blanck their talk page, then I cannot discuss the issues that are in violation of with their signature. So how can this be an acceptable conduct. Maybe blanking their user page but not the talk page...? As far as I can see his signature link still go to his user talk page, and not to the rickroll link, you have to copy paste that to get rolled... But if it is a problem, should I then block him for being uncooperative? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:52, 7 March 2025 (UTC)
:::I don't know, 42 pointed it out because she was confused by the link. i'm not really an expert in Wikipedia policy either. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 18:22, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

== Formatting ==

Just wondering why you're using awkward formatting on your user page when you could easier use:
*Foo
*Bar
**Baz subthing
**Bat subthing
*Flibble
...etc? No need for BRs and NBSPs. Can be combined with colon-leveling (though can also replace it). Swap *s for #s to get (nested) numbered lists, or *# for indented numbers with #* continuing the numbers around sub-bullets (starts to get complicated, but it's an option) if you decided you need to. Maybe it's a choice you're making, but FYI if you haven't already picked up the bullet-point syntax in all your time here. 
Anyway, just perhaps whilst you're active again. No problem if you don't make use of this information now/ever. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.133|172.71.178.133]] 07:56, 9 April 2025 (UTC)
:I never knew that-thank you! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 15:55, 9 April 2025 (UTC)

== so why do you wanna to delete [[user talk:物灵]]? ==

he and i were both from another website. i chose to chat with him here because i don't want Zhou Chenxiao to revert my edit. why you want to delete? [[User:Translated ORK|Translated ORK]] ([[User talk:Translated ORK|talk]]) 09:56, 21 April 2025 (UTC)
:I will say this, here, in case you don't get to read my other note. This is not a refugee camp for conversations displaced from elsewhere. There's not even any chat goin on because it's all just you. (If there's another site where ''he'' is one-sidedly 'replying' to ''you'' , then I bet that place is equally bemused and unamused.)
:I can't speak for 42, but I'm not surprised someone else here wants to do that.
:Elsewhere you talk of Free Speech, but I think you might be confused. As well as the ''{{w|Gratis versus libre}}'' issue, this extends to what is written below any submission you are making: "Please note that all contributions to explain xkcd may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors." Consensus may decide that the point you make is not worth the having been made. (Later, consensus may also decide that a removal/re-edit is bad and ''restore'' it, but that is a community issue to resolve.)
:This is as close to democracy as we can get (but, unlike the ''original'' democracy, we also let women and all kinds of other people 'vote'! ;) ), with shades of anarchy and the only totalitarian elements being when certain pages are locked-down/deleted by a designated admin who is probably acting upon community feeling (or on behalf of it, seeing where it is heading). It's a system that works (mostly hands-off). And you still can't falsely shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater without push-back. Does that make sense? (@UT, also @42...) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.26.36|172.71.26.36]] 10:50, 21 April 2025 (UTC)
::Seconded. I explicitly said in my edit summary that I deleted the content for being off-topic. Thanks to the IP for responding for me! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 15:20, 21 April 2025 (UTC)
:::Thirded. (Is that a word?) --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 06:26, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

==Welcome Back!==
I'm unsure as to whether we've met. I think we were editing at the same time for a period. Anyways, hello Tori (if I may call you that). Welcome back to the wiki! :) --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 14:14, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:hi, thanks so much for the welcome! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 03:59, 27 August 2025 (UTC)
::Please see my user page.--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 16:42, 27 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Thank you for your apology. And it's no big deal with my time-bio's boring anyways lol '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:43, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

==Mark April Fool's Sandbox for deletion?==
[[User:Aprilfoolsupdate!/Sandbox]] should be marked for deletion, I feel. It has been removed from his watchlist and provides nothing useful to the wiki. [[Special:Contributions/204.137.100.1|204.137.100.1]] 15:04, 28 August 2025 (UTC)
:Deleted by --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:20, 29 August 2025 (UTC)

== From /sig Talk Page (adminship) ==

Just so you know, 42, you'd make a great admin. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 18:18, 28 August 2025 (UTC)

==An odd question for someone who would know the answer==

Would it be allowed if you created a template for your sig (e.g. 42sig/DSBSig?) Could be useful for those with long usernames. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 15:59, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:why would you need a template? <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> works just fine... '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:17, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::Well, it would allow for more characters. This is why I ask, as both you and I have had issues setting up signatures due to long usernames. Setting your signature up as <nowiki>{{SigTemplateName}}</nowiki> in preferences would have it automatically display your signature when typing <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 16:20, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:::More characters ''would'' be nice, but creating a bunch of templates only available for use for a single person would be less than ideal. What if we had a template called "sig", and inside was wikitext encoded so that when we called <nowiki>{{sig|User:XYZ}}</nowiki>; it could paste in the custom signature for XYZ? This is a pretty interesting idea-I'll reach out on the proposals portal and ask FaviFake to see if there's support for this. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:32, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::::That.... That could work! Great idea! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 16:34, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::A bonus of that is that it's basically a sig museum, where you can browse other people's sigs and get inspired by them. There is the downside of people being able to edit other's sigs tho. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 16:37, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::The idea of a sig museum is actually super cool-we could also add interesting signatures that were used by other users before to put on showcase. We could also make it so that only autoconfirmed users can edit it (and there's enough active users that any vandalism would probably be reverted quickly enough). '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:43, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::::Honestly, forgot about that. I wonder what they say. FaviFake hasn't been active in a bit, so maybe we could reach out to kynde? --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 17:17, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::::It's probably fine. Contribution history says that it's only been a week-he very well may be on vacation or too busy to work. Give it some time. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 18:16, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::::::I know, it's just weird. I've almost never seen FaviFake not edit for more than a day. {{unsigned|DollarStoreBa'al|19:14, 29 August 2025 (UTC)}}
::::::::::hi im back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 14:26, 31 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::::::Go check the proposals board! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:16, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:I have seen you proposal and I must say I really hope you are not planning on making this your signature fro now on 42!
:<nowiki>42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]</nowiki>
:It is very confusing for the next editor, and I just tried to comment on your proposal when you posted it and could not understand what I was seeing in the editor (as I got there first because of edit conflict). Please stop using this as your signature! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:22, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::Got it. I'll change it and see if I can find another solution. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:33, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
:::I personally think we should move forward with the template idea. That way, the wikitext would show <nowiki>{{sig|UserXYZ}}</nowiki> instead of the full wikitext. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 19:42, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Also, I created a pride sig that is almost 1400 characters long.... yeah we need a way to not show the full wikitext. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|'''''converse''''']] 19:44, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Sorry for the late reply. I think that we should '''''not''''' go ahead with the template idea. It's unnecessary and will clog up the server, both in readability and server load. Please look at my response in the proposals board. Thanks! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:06, 3 September 2025 (UTC)

== "fact" template (un)tagging. ==

The <nowiki>{{fact}}</nowiki> template was (it was deleted? I missed that!) redirected to the <nowiki>{{Citation needed}}</nowiki> template. I think maybe replacing the "fact" with "Citation needed" might have been a better change than nowiki-ing the now-broken tags, in the cases you did that.

And then there were all the demonstrative examples (two or three in things I historically wrote, I notice, in various Talk: pages... under a historical range of IPs). Assuming you really want to edit other people's signed Talk contributions at all (not generally done, though I'm ambivalent about you 'tidying up' things where I only included "fact" as then-current, alongside the other examples), it would seem to be no more work to just refactor the phrasings to no longer have that in the list of (say) {{template|citation needed}}, {{template|Citation Needed}}, {{template|cn}}, etc, to no great loss of meaning.

But I appreciate you probably took some time to hunt down all <nowiki>{{fact}}</nowiki> examples (and at least one <nowiki>{{template|fact}}</nowiki>, I think). Plus the Fact/CN set of tags ''are'' sometimes overused, IMO, so a few less versions (put almost everywhere that anyone vaguely thought amusing) is certainly gratifying from ''that'' perspective. ;) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.43|82.132.245.43]] 22:55, 10 September 2025 (UTC)

==It's alright :)==
None taken :) I myself know I am prone to that sort of thing. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 19:18, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:sorry, what? '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:57, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
::Second item on the hitlist. Sorry about the confusion. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 19:59, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:::Ah, I see. It's no problem! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:02, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

==So, about that wikitext signature...==
Yeah... I wanna make it red and yellow with (talk) replaced by (yap here) and it's in Comic Sans... if you could help me out please. [[User:Definitely Bill Cipher|⯅A dream demon⯅]] ([[User talk:Definitely Bill Cipher|talk]]) 20:24, 19 September 2025 (UTC)
:Ok, I'll work on it if I find the time! Shouldn't take me more than 5-10 minutes though '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 04:34, 22 September 2025 (UTC)
:It really depends on the shades of red and yellow you want. Use <nowiki>yap here</nowiki> for each of the colors you want. Search 'google color picker' on Google and it gives you a hex code finder. I do not know how those fonts work though...--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 17:22, 26 September 2025 (UTC)
:Fonts... well, if you put in a style to with with "Comic Sans", then you probably want to try a style element like <code>font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', 'Chalkboard SE', 'Comic Neue', sans-serif;</code>, because not everywhere will have (perhaps not want!) MS Comic Sans and you would have to fail-back to various alternatives and (if all else fails) whatever generic SS font there is.
:Personally, though I'd not bother. Comic Sans is pretty much a Marmite font, and trying hard to make ''everyone'' experience something like the marmite taste (even those who normally do not) could annoy people.
:It'd also take up a lot of your allowable 'signature length quota' to add these (and more?) fail-throughs to the appropriate list. Though you could just give the single correct font ''for you'', and accept that it just won't do anything out of the ordinary for other people, too (which probably suits them down to the ground).
:Oh, and I'd also ''never'' recommend that you upload anything that you want in a personally-chosen font as an image, and embed that image as a pixel-perfect (but accessibility-deficient and text-scale-non-respecting!) alternative. [[Special:Contributions/92.17.62.87|92.17.62.87]] 00:10, 27 September 2025 (UTC)
I'd also never recommend that you upload anything that you want in a personally-chosen font as an image
::100% (it also breaks enwiki's signature policies) --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 12:57, 29 September 2025 (UTC)

==Is this wiki dying?==
Lately, I've noticed a gradual decrease in the amount of daily contributions. Have you been noticing this too, or is that just me? --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 14:32, 3 November 2025 (UTC)
:If I may contribute, ahead of 42... It's been busier and it's been quieter, even just within both of your own usernames' 'lifetimes'. Perhaps more (fellow, but clearly not as long-term) IPs, but hard to tell since whatever happened to not squash us down into the Cloudfare gateway IP ranges, etc.
:New comics still don't stay unExplained for long. And there's not so much traffic, or indeed vanalism in the worst cases, that it's hard to keep on top of anything that arises. I'd say there's still a community, albeit loose and ad hoc (in different ways to other online communities I'm party to, or have been).
:But I've not emperically compared 'now' with any given historical snapshots. This is just my impression. Please do this, if you feel like it. The number of edits done on yesterday's date, in prior years, perhaps. Or the dates of the past week, to even out the spikes on 'comic days' vs non-comic days. ''Might'' show year-on-year fluctuations, together with background noise.
:...sorry, meant to say less, not to totally pre-empt Victoria. But maybe she still has things to say, perhaps even in total disagreement with my above thoughts! [[Special:Contributions/82.132.239.95|82.132.239.95]] 15:48, 3 November 2025 (UTC)
::I mostly agree with these sentiments. I do feel like we used to have a more active past and would work fervently on documenting large projects such as April Fool's comics, Hoverboard, Time, etc. We do have a bit of backlog on Collector's Edition, but we put in a LOT of work into the What If? project. Places that we should tackle are probably the less known xkcd pages, secret comics, and of course Collector's Edition.
::Personally, I've had a lot less time to dedicate towards working on this project just because of how busy I am. I've had midterms, projects, and sports to juggle, resulting in almost no free time that I can spend. Circumstances change. Maybe other editors are also getting more busy. Who knows? Anyways, this isn't a race. We don't have any deadlines to reach, so any progress we make, regardless of pace, is good. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:58, 3 November 2025 (UTC)

==1==
54 52 41 4f 53 4e 49 53 53 49 4g 4f 20 4g 4f 45 20 4g 46 20 46 4g 55 52 3b 20 58 56 45 52

XIP EPFTO'U MPWF B GFX NPSF OVNCFST {{unsigned ip|204.137.100.1|20:23, 12 November 2025 (UTC)}}
:What? --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 21:08, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
::There may be (intentional?) coding errors in that top one. Or it was double-encoded, thanks to the lower one. So my advice is to crack the second one first.
::But fairly trivial, both of them.
::You can probably do the second in your head, by a single easy step, once you work out what does and doesn't matter.
::The first is a bit more technical, it helps if you're used to low-level data storage (ok, probably not actually in your wheelhouse, but not too hard to discover) ''and'' initially needs to be have the second code's thing unapplied to it to make logical sense.
::My advice is to have fun working it out. And expect three more (or two... but I don't think the second is "the second") to look at, if the author is true to their word. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.30|82.132.244.30]] 21:25, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Huh. The first bit almost reminds me of a hexadecimal, but that doesn't have 'g'
:::Second part is shifted ROT1 in a Caesar Cipher (used a decoder). Translates to 'WHO DOESN'T LOVE A FEW MORE NUMBERS'. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 21:39, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
::::Update: CacheSleuth's multi decoder thinks top line is a bacon cipher. No clue. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 21:43, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
:::::Remember, I said that the second cipher had probably been applied also to the first. You're closer to the solution than you think. ;) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.30|82.132.244.30]] 21:48, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
{{outdent|:::::}}
Are you behind this? Anyway, I'll try to apply a ROT-1, then see if it decides from hex. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 22:21, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
:Results! TRANSMISSION ONE OF FOUR: XVER.
:I wonder what XVER means... --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 22:24, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
::Not me, I was just nerdsniped. Note that the next one popped up on Favi's pages. It also has a nonsense final 'word', meaning yet to be resolved.
::If you prefer to keep talking about it, here, I'll pop back later and see if you've figured it out (I know what it is, but not why it is!), without necessarily spoiling it right now.
::(PS, sorry, 42, I know you're probably not involved in this, maybe not interested even. Ba'al: Unless we hear from 42, if you're wanting to keep looking at this, maybe transfer the conversation/copy the original items over to your space? Obviously I've got nowhere better for it, but its up to you and you're interested in this now.) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.223|82.132.245.223]] 22:47, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
::I personally have no interest, but you can feel free to keep on working on it. DSB, if you want to keep on cracking it, I can move it over to your page. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 23:51, 12 November 2025 (UTC)

== Editing other people's words? ==

I mean, in Explanations, etc, you can redo anything that has previously been edited, that's the point of any Wiki articles. No issues with that.

But you're 'correcting' signed (or, indeed unsigned) Talk comments. However badly spelt, you shouldn't really be changing things for them like that. Perhaps they like things to be spelt the way they're spelling them, perhaps they ''intend'' that version of the word. Perhaps the word they intended isn't the one you think is intended and you've changed the entire meaning by making it 'differently more correct'.

Append the signature-replacements that they lack, yes. ''Perhaps'' re-indent things (though I've had things reindented for me, in the past, but by a misunderstandng which then makes it look like I'm replaying to something else). Very possibly changing a [bare-wiki-URL] to a {{template|w}}-type version doesn't matter too much, but... that's the point, it doesn't ''really'' matter. Warts and all. You could tell a regular named-user about the convention to use the 'w'/'wiktionary'/'tvtropes' things, so that it saves you work tuning up the Explanations where they've used the long-hand (and/or inefficient) link-forms, but there's no need to neaten up 'messy' Talk comments, and ''very'' occasionally there might be very real need to not do so.

See {{w|Wikipedia:TPO}} for Wikipedia's policy, which isn't ''necessarily'' the one here (even if its the line I wouldn't normally try to cross). Though you'll see it still appreciates changes in lines with {{w|Wikipedia:TPFIXFORMAT}} and {{w|Wikipedia:TPFIXLAYOUT}}, amongst others. [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 22:11, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:Agreed. Getting things signed is perfectly fine, and, as long as you don't change the appearance of a link, you can optimize that as well. But please refrain from editing the message that's given in the comment. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 22:19, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:e.g. [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1120:_Blurring_the_Line&curid=5005&diff=390955&oldid=369184 this edit], where you changed 'coloured' to 'colored'. That is just a regional spelling of the word, commonly used in British English. It's not even a misspelling! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 22:23, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
::Ah, looks like you spotted it too. Did a part-revert of that exact example (but only that!), as a passive example, not knowing you'd found it and pointed it out here.
::And I can't help it if all y'all can't spell properly, thanks to Noah Webster. ;) [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 23:14, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:::I understand that it is British spelling, thank you very much. Please see {{diff|14586|here}} for the original comment and {{diff|17180|here}} where [[User:Weatherlawyer]] changed it. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 01:07, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Additionally, [[explain xkcd:Editor FAQ#How do I enter links to other pages?|the FAQ page]] says all explainxkcd.com and en.wikipedia.org links should be written with <code>[[ ]]</code> and <code> <nowiki>{{w| }}</nowiki> </code> respectively around them. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 01:22, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
::::({{diff|83069|You actually meant this change by Weatherlawyer...}} Which shouldn't have been done, so my redoing of it was in error. Though the trivia of it makes ''all'' our actions around it equally inexplicable.)
::::The FAQ is not a commandment that "everything that is not like that should be made like that". As far as neatening up an Explanation is concerned, you'd of course be rewriting and making it the best-practice w-template version, if it had been originally left as [] or bare-URL, because the original writer did not know/care about the handy site-standard. But it doesn't really mean that there's a need to mess about with the normally-inviolate bones of past Talk-comments. Its a lot of unnecessary work, at best.
::::And something like the "As Slow as Possible" bit in {{diff|390995|this edit}} arguably makes it flow less obviously. It originally namechecked ''As Slow as Possible'' and then helpfully offered the URL, at the end, as a bare reference. More 'properly' written it would have had a the w-tagged put around the first mention, which is in its own context, but the bare-URL at the end basically said "and this is a URL that explains it" that's actually nicely in line with the bare-URL line in the FAQ.
::::If (as it looks like) you're just zooming through looking for every bare wikipedia.org link and 'converting' it, without looking into it further, you're probably missing something. And slowing down the generally excellent work, that you're doing, in giving everything 'unsigned' its historic details. It's your time, but going to far in such editorialising can be unproductive. Even when not actually a bit counterproductive. [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 20:44, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:::::Alright. I'll put more of my attention in signing comments and give less of it towards this issue. Thanks for your feedback! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 23:39, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
{{outdent|:::::}}
Why did you make [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2347:_Dependency&diff=prev&oldid=391211 this edit], where you fully deleted a comment left by an IP? What was the point of that? --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 18:19, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:If you mean the "German Television ... Log4j" one, that was moved (a long way) further down, not deleted. Did not really check why, possibly thematically to fit it with other comments, and/or timstamp order of new comments not replying to anything earlier, but I'm just guessing and didn't try to reconcile it fully (once I'd seen it pop up 'later' in the scroll-down). [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.44|82.132.236.44]] 18:44, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:Ok, I see you put it back (without removing the second copy), but you broke things. By using "::;" it set it as double-indented and then as a ";terminology:definition" pair, which activated upon the ":" in the time-stop given. So deleted it again. There's still the new version, lower down, that I just mentioned.
:Also reverted a deity/diety spelling error (actual one, I'm sure, not a mistaken one) just because it's still "editing other people's comments", the point made above, and frowned upon in this context. I haven't bothered to check how many other ones have happened, hidden in the midst of rearrangements by either of you, but that was very obviously different. It's an unforced error that someone made in a comment. Don't try to polish it, in case you're adding further errors by misunderstanding, like the first deity->diety change. (For all I know, DIETYBOUNCE is correct... Though it does sound more like a slimming supplement!) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.44|82.132.236.44]] 19:07, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
::[https://queue.acm.org/blogposting.cfm?id=74439 Deitybounce is correct]. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 20:12, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:::It is (almost certainly) {{diff|196415|their own edit}}, though. It's a bad habit to change things. It's not ''brilliant'' to have to try to change them back (see my initial error), but best things like that don't change in the first place. Both of you, please. Then others like me and ^^them^^ don't feel the need to try to make it authentically incorrect again. [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 23:24, 19 November 2025 (UTC)

== Change to Comic (sandbox) template ==

I'm guessing it didn't work (just seen your sandbox changes), and I'll also know why it didn't. But I'm going to suggest you leave that to one of the others. There's slightly more to it than just duplicating the opening 'if', and you probably need to get your head around their solution rather than just prod at it all on your own. Enlightenment ''will'' come, but it may take patience... ;) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.65|82.132.236.65]] 08:52, 23 November 2025 (UTC)
:Yeah-that's basically what I concluded and I haven't touched the template since. I think I'm more suited towards doing repetitive, tedious tasks anyways C: '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 17:42, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

==How do you receive Notifications?==
You said you receive watchlist notifications in the summary of [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User%3A42.book.addict&type=revision&diff=391911&oldid=391885 this edit]. How do you do that? I thought the email system was broken. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 14:21, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

==Let's decrease that number, shall we?==
11k images, all uncategorized... on it. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 18:57, 2 December 2025 (UTC)
:I like how you think C: '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 21:11, 2 December 2025 (UTC)
::I periodically check recent changes, and it's funny to see our different methods work in tandem. You're a bit faster, but there's a slight lull when you're refilling your taskbar with tabs, and I catch up. Our methods are almost equal. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 22:24, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:::It is funny! Have you checked the Discord server? I sent a photo of my keyboard layout for reference :3 '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 22:25, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::::I'm an idiot, aren't I..... ''sigh''... welp, we've got just under a thousand images left, so i should have nothing left to mess up in a bit. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 01:42, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
:::::Welp, we've got about 150 images left. Personally, I don't trust myself with them. I have no clue where to put them. So, I'll leave them to you for both our sakes. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 16:57, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
::::::I noticed your summary lol. What's nice is, after a while, I just spaced out and when I came back, I'd done all but 100 of the remaining frames of Time. I'll go back to... a more normal schedule. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 18:29, 5 December 2025 (UTC)

==A little leaderboard notice==
With your latest push, you've officially become a more prolific editor than every other non-admin and non-bot user to ever edit the wiki. You're now 5th all-time, behind Kynde, Davidy22, ThusafBOT, and Waldir. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 19:34, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:Not that I really deserve it. Most of the people I've passed were/are on the wiki for far longer than I have and have contributed a lot more. I don't really see it as an achievement TBH. You've also pushed into the Top 10, with your absolutely mental 2451 score this week. If you keep up your pace you can definitely push at least 5k this week-today's only your 2nd day, no? Try to take a break-it's probably not healthy for you to be working for so long doing the same menial task over and over again. There's no rush! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 19:38, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::Tbh I don't feel I deserve it either. It feels weird. I was expecting a slow rise towards the top. Suddenly seeing myself in 8th is odd. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 19:41, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:::Knowing how much work you had to do to complete the task, I fully expected you to get there eventually...
:::Though you're making me dizzy (and I had to increase my "Recent Changes" view to ''at least'' 1000 items, in order to not miss any changes that ''aren't'' by you( two)... ;)
:::(I know I could hide minor edits, but not sure that anybody else hasn't snuck through a 'minor' edit I want to see having happened. Also could hide "registered users", but that'd obscure anyone that's not also an IP like me... again...)
:::Anyway, the last '1000 view' seemed to cover just a ''tad'' over three hours of both your edits. And I had to scroll through carefully to try to spot anything that's (probably!) not a "File:" item and hasn't had either of your usernames as the sole-(or co-!)editor. And dive in on the occasional one that was like that, just to satisfy myself that you've not messed something up. (Unlikely... but... a lot of edits, a lot of little chances... maybe you'd slip up, and ''maybe'' maybe I'd spot it and correct it for you... ;) )
:::Can't wait for you to finish... Both because it's then finsihed and ''also'' no longer currently happening. But at the same time I'm definitely not to keen on encouraging you to accelerate the process much more than you're doing now! It'd not beright for me to ask you to dial it back, but I could definitely live with that. :P [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 20:04, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::::You could also exclude the File namespace from your Recent Changes page... (select Files in your namespace drop down bar and invert selection) '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:07, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:::::Shifting from 7th to 8th gear, about halfway through the straightaway at the Circuit de Hermanos Rodriguez. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 20:23, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:::::I'm really not keen on filtering ''anything'' out, really, because (if I do something like filter out the "File:" examples entirely) there's always a chance that something that isn't your work gets hidden from me, just because it ''looks'' like your work. (Also, you'll forgive me for keeping an eye out for those errors that I'm ''sure'' you won't make, but might!) I just am happier if I just 'get my eye in', and look for anything more odd-looking than the usual, no matter what the mix of similarities and differences between a 'filterable' target. Designing a 'very cautious filter' is a lot more work than just doing it in my head while scrolling. [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 20:41, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::::::Ok, feel free to take your time. I'll probably stop throughout the day and might not touch it after 1pm because I have other things to attend to. Cheers! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:43, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

==Coordination idea==
Btw, I've done up to frame 1592. Maybe I could start from the end and work backwards, while you continue forwards, and we meet in the middle? Just a thought.--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 20:20, 3 December 2025 (UTC) 
We could also go the other way around, if you prefer. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 20:21, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:First one works with me. Here's also my current strategy: I open up about 50-80 tabs (as many as my Chromebook can handle without lagging). I've copied the text below and paste it in if the page is empty. If the page has Licensing but not Category, I use CTRL-A to select everything and CTRL-V to replace it with my copied text. If there's other text pertaining to the image hashes, I just do a quick SHIFT-UP twice and delete the Licensing, then paste in. After saving, I use CTRL-W to quickly close the tab and move on to the next one. Rinse and repeat.
<nowiki>== Licensing ==
{{XKCD file}}

[[Category:Helper comic images (1190)]]</nowiki>
:--'''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:25, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

== Hello! ==
You seem very cool based on your user page. I'm new to this wiki, but I saw you mentioned a long backlog of files that need categorizing. I am very much willing to help with that (it's a thing I can do while procrastinating about writing {{w|User:lp0 on fire/Drafts/Beate Pokorny|something useful}}, which in turn is procrastination about doing {{w|real life|something important}}) so if you just tell me where to find the uncategorized things and which categories are relevant then I will have a go. [[User:lp0 on fire|lp0 on fire]] [[User talk:lp0 on fire|()]] 20:42, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:Alright, I have a couple of initial questions. How familiar are you with MediaWiki and Wikitext? Do you understand the differences between Helper categories and Comic images? And do you understand how XKCD licensing works? This is just to get an understanding of what I have to explain. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:46, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::I have never heard the term "helper category" before, nor do I have any specific understanding of "comic image" other than presumably an image that is actually taken from [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. I am reasonably competent with most normal aspects of wikitext, though I've never written a template and would probably panic and run away if someone asked me to write an edit filter. I'm here from enwiki where I am at least somewhat active, so I understand the basics of how to write/edit and so forth. I believe xkcd is licensed under {{w|CC BY-NC 2.5}} (with the exception of [[1167]] which is also licensed under {{w|CC BY-SA 4.0}}) and I understand broadly what that means, but I'm not a lawyer by any means. [[User:lp0 on fire|lp0 on fire]] [[User talk:lp0 on fire|()]] 20:59, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, should've been a lot clearer. But here's the quick runthrough. Currently, DollarStoreBa'al and I are working on categorizing still frames of the Comic [[1190: Time]]. You can work on categorizing [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?limit=100&title=Special%3AContributions&contribs=user&target=TheusafBOT&namespace=6&tagfilter=&topOnly=1&newOnly=1&start=&end= comic images]. You don't really need to know about the stuff that I asked you-the bot already handled most of it. All you need to do is copy paste <nowiki>[[Category:Comic images]]</nowiki> into the file page. Good luck! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 21:21, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
::::Oh right, I was wondering why there was a problem since there are only 3175 comics. Forgot about Time. I'll get going doing this if I have some time and nothing productive to do. Thanks (: [[User:lp0 on fire|lp0 on fire]] [[User talk:lp0 on fire|()]] 21:39, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

==A Barnstar for you!==
{| style="border: 1px solid gray; background-color: #fdffe7;"
|rowspan="2" style="vertical-align:middle;" | [[File:Tireless Categorization Barnstar.png|100px]]
|rowspan="2" |
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 0; vertical-align: middle; height: 1.1em;" | '''The Tireless Categorization Barnstar'''
|-
|style="vertical-align: middle; border-top: 1px solid gray;" | You did a very good job on the image categorization project. Also, you somehow managed to locate and fix all my mistakes on top of that. That deserves a Barnstar! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 17:05, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
|}
:Agreed! Great work, both of you! [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:22, 18 December 2025 (UTC)

==Welcome back!==
Honestly, 'we'll see' is basically what we say with everything going on right about now lol. Glad to see you. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 16:56, 4 February 2026 (UTC)
:pfffft, yeah... :C thanks though! [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 01:26, 5 February 2026 (UTC)
::BTW, the 'section' thing on the talk page has been there since early December 2025. Looks like Lp0 on Fire added it... for some reason. [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:42.book.addict&diff=prev&oldid=397274 here's the edit if you're curious]. No clue why. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 14:14, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Hm, ok. Thanks for letting me know [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 20:18, 10 February 2026 (UTC)

== Personal attacks ==

Greetings; if you wish to personally attack me, then I welcome you to conduct the attacks on my User Talk page. I see no need to waste every editor's time on a project talk page. I think we should focus on improving the category. That being said, I expressed no opinion about any editor at all. In fact, my scenario was completely hypothetical. I was using ''reductio ad absurdum''. If you want to attack hypothetical scenarios with speculative adjectives, again, I will direct you to [[User talk:Elizium23]]. Thank you for your attention to this matter! [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 06:48, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
:My apologies. I have shifted my comment here. It would be greatly enjoyable if you were a bit less condescending? "Insufferable, redundant, and monotonous" are all phrases that indicate that you believe yourself better than us. Can't you just be a bit more respectful? This website isn't even related to politics or any controversial topics-the wiki's just a passion project for us to explain xkcd. I would also like to make some additional points. Personally. I think that it isn't wasting everyone's time by talking on a project's talk page. It is their choice on whether or not they wish to read the discussion. If it does not relate to them, I see no reason in them reading through it. And if they do, that is a choice on their own part. I have also seen that you have made attacks and opinions on editors before, as you can see below:
{{quote|I also hope that you accept responsibility for wasting everybody's time.}}
{{quote|because your shitty justification on the Admin Portal talk page does not constitute a policy, random IPv4 with no reputation.}}
:(please note that it is up to an individual to decide if they want to register an account on this wiki or not. being an ip editor does not necessarily discredit them or their opinions)
{{quote|nobody knows what the hell you did before a couple weeks ago}}
{{quote|You are utterly wasting our time and you are proving that you hate regular editors with accounts, and you care more about trolls and spammers than about editors who are trying to do something constructive here. You are wasting our time, our free time, our volunteer time, that we're trying to give to this wiki.}}
{{quote|That is idiotic and reprehensible}}
:Plus, you say that your scenario was completely hypothetical. What about ''my'' hypothetical on the [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#Removing_disruptive_material|community portal]] last week? Am I automatically wrong because I have a different viewpoint than you? You accuse me of having "created another strawman to set on fire", when I was trying to compromise and explore how we could possibly put your idea into action, given that there was consensus of course. None of us get paid to do this, and we don't have to deal with your bullshit. I'm tired of all the sarcasm and BS. I'm tired of all the double standards. So please, cut it out. I'm not saying that you don't bring up any good points, or that your point of view is completely invalid, but it would be nice to have civil conversations without you constantly sniping at us.Please, hold yourself accountable first before you come for us. '''[[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]]''' 07:10, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
::Yes, you are right, and I am sorry for those conversations, and I regret them. I brought too much emotion and frustration. And my attitude is uncalled-for. I apologize and I am very sorry for causing offense to you and others who work on this wiki here. I hope that we will not repeat these conflicts. I do not wish to be embroiled in them or continue any, whether I started them or not. I hope that I can promise to straighten out from now on. Thank you. [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 07:38, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Thank you for your response. I look forward to collaborating together in the future. And I really hope that we, as a community, can see some immediate, real change moving forward. That being said, I really do appreciate your apology. It takes someone a lot more courage to admit that they were wrong than to keep on insisting that they were right. [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 07:42, 10 February 2026 (UTC)

==Minor Edit Reminder==
Thank you for fixing my mistakes! Please remember to make sure your edits are minor, though. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 21:23, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
:oh, right. thanks for the reminder! [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 00:30, 12 February 2026 (UTC)

==Good Idea!==
I saw how you linked the FAQ instead of creating the pages. I honestly think that should be the standard procedure instead of creating someone else's pages, because that always leads to the person who asked creating other user's pages at random. I think you and I both did that in our early careers. So, yeah, I just wanted to compliment your judgement there. :)--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 15:59, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

== Please fix your broken signature ==

Your signature has an unclosed <nowiki></nowiki> tag that messes up transclusion of Talk pages into article pages, resulting in the word <nowiki><div></nowiki> overlapping the words "Add comment" at, e.g., the bottom of [[3219:_Planets_and_Bright_Stars]]. 
See discussion at https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk%3A3219%3A_Planets_and_Bright_Stars&type=revision&diff=408118&oldid=408111. 
In of itself, this kind of problem is an excellent reason not to use fancy signatures, and also the coloring and faintness of your signature make it incredibly annoying and hard to read (indeed, it makes me annoyed just reading your comments! I wonder if that's true more editors than not?). In any event, the problem appears to be because you have:

:<nowiki>
[[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]]
</nowiki>

When it should be:

:<nowiki>
[[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]]
</nowiki>

that is, in redline:
:<nowiki>
[[User:42.book.addict|tori :3</nowiki><nowiki></nowiki><nowiki>]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]]
</nowiki>

which closes the initial font span before the superscript starts.

Let me know if you would like me to setup a sandbox page that demonstrates this problem a bit more clearly—it seemed a waste of a page creation, but happy to do it.

Please fix your signature so your talk comments stop disrupting the wiki by their very existence. It would be a good time to consider dropping the flamboyent signature altogether and using something that regular people can read without hurting their eyes. There is a place for expressiveness, but you have overdone it (objectively, since you have broken "the world"). Thank you. [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 14:03, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

:Please note that another editor has [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:3219:_Planets_and_Bright_Stars&diff=prev&oldid=408152 repaired your signature in the above-referenced talk page], so the problem is no longer visible there. This does help confirm my diagnosis of the problem. The problem remains visible in other places, e.g., [[3209: Plums]]. {{unsigned|JohnHawkinson|16:41, 14 March 2026 (UTC)}}
::It's now been fixed once I realized the issue and learned about this problem. I've also corrected all of my other comments that have a broken signature. If you notice them, please let me know so that I can fix it! Additionally, I've tried to make my signature more readable by increasing the darkness of my signature. If you still struggle, I would be more than happy to change it so that it is more readable on a white background. All the best, [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 17:25, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
:::Thanks for the repair. As for readability, I don't see a difference? Previously it was #5CA7CF, #F08DB0, and #9E9E9E. Your signature above just now seems to have the same colors and font weights. Am I missing something? [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 17:35, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Ah, sorry. I had to go back to class, but I've fixed it now and darkened the hex codes in my signature. Hope it helps! [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 21:57, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

===Update for your info===
I've just seen your acknowledgement of the signature tagging issues. If you don't mind, I've deconstructed (indendent) your current version. I basically added a layer of indenting for everything 'within' other tagging. Mostly HTMLs (<code><nowiki><tag> ... </tag></nowiki></code> type) but also the Wiki-linking (<code><nowiki>[[destination| ... ]]</nowiki></code>
<pre><nowiki>
[[User:42.book.addict|


tor


i :3


]]

[[User talk:42.book.addict|


talk


to


me!

]]


17:25, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
</nowiki></pre>

The HTML tags are all matched, now, but the Wiki-style link for (this here) User talk page, in the lower half is disjointed across this. As in:
*open <code><nowiki></nowiki></code>
**open <code><nowiki>[[link to User talk:</nowiki></code>
***open <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font size and style
****open <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
*****(text)
****close <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
****open <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
*****(more text)
****close <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
****open <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
*****(yet more text)
****close <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font colour
***'''close the <code><nowiki>link to User talk:]]</nowiki></code>''', despite technically being still in the font-size span...
**'''close <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> for font size and style''', out of order...
*close <code><nowiki></nowiki></code>
*...then the appended (deliberately bland) timestamp

Because it's a mix between HTML-style markup and Wiki-style markup (and, moreover, web-browsers tend to work around things that are closed out of order, although - as already seen - not always without strange effects popping up), it might not have been too obvious.

'''In short''', the quick fix that I'd suggest is to swap the <code><nowiki>]]</nowiki></code> to be <code><nowiki>]]</nowiki></code>...

But, rather than just tell you that, I thought you might like to know how I personally checked this. (There are other ways.) By adding linefeeds and spacings, you can run up and down the editor and make sure that a column that a tag starts on has a closing tag on the same 'level'. (All of this obviously, you'd then to restore back to ''no'' linefeeds and only spacing where you still need it. Either the original you 'expanded' being proven entirely correct, guided by whatever fixes it needs or by 'unexpanding' it back again.) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:04, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
:Thanks for helping out! I'll make sure to run through this method whenever I want to make an alteration or work with HTML. [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 21:57, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
::No problem. It's more a general "helping you to help yourself", and if you have a different way of checking this than this particular indenting version (with mixed-markup!) that works better for you, then use that.
::A more 'destructive' check is to take the text (or a copy of it!) and first of all look for any standalone (non-containing) <code><nowiki><tag /></nowiki></code>s and remove them, as well as all 'bare content'. Then find where you now have <code><nowiki><tag></tag></nowiki></code> happening, with nothing between start and end, and remove those. Rinse and repeat, structurally eating out clearly open-and-close content wherever you see it. If it doesn't reduce down to ''nothing'', then you've got a (probable!) error. - Though it might be a ''bit'' trickier to find out where the error you have just found is, if the tag you've 'hit' looks a lot like a lot of the other parallel tags. And it's not as clear a result to show someone else, which is why I did the depth-indenting method for you, above. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 22:32, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

== Just wanted to say hi ==

Hi :) 42. Can’t believe I’m on this site for almost a year already! The last April fools only seems like a year ago! [[User:Aprilfoolsupdate!| Aprilfoolsupdate!]]([[User talk:Aprilfoolsupdate!|talk]]) 06:02, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

==Vandal counter may need to be updated==
I noticed that your user page has a vandalism counter at 47. Just so you know, your userpage got vandalized twice by the 165 IP, so the most accurate tally would be 49. Just wanted to let you know. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 14:57, 30 March 2026 (UTC)
:Thanks DSB [[User:42.book.addict|tori :3]][[User talk:42.book.addict|talk to me!]] 21:24, 30 March 2026 (UTC)

== How tf did you go 2 years w/o learning how to close HTML tags??? ==

😭 [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 12:55, 5 April 2026 (UTC)
: (specifically 2 years on this site lmao) [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 12:56, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

User talk:42.book.addict

2026-04-05T12:55:47Z

CalibansCreations: /* How tf did you go 2 years w/o learning how to close HTML tags??? */ new section

Talk:3196: Aurora Coolness

2026-01-20T10:24:30Z

CalibansCreations:

second - [[Special:Contributions/45.178.1.151|45.178.1.151]] 03:07, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
:minute [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:31, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
::hour [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 10:24, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

I picture people going out on a cold, clear winter night to stare at a shimmering, aurora-filled sky, and then returning to their warm homes to sip hot cups of soup from the microwave, blissfully unaware of how closely related the two events are ... or would be were it not for that thin, thin, layer of mostly diatomic and triatomic gases that is desperately parrying the Sun's murderous assault on our behalf. Yes, yes, I know, I know ...[[Special:Contributions/2605:59C8:160:DB08:657A:CBF1:9BDA:C5C|2605:59C8:160:DB08:657A:CBF1:9BDA:C5C]] 04:07, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
:Makes you wonder why no-one's figured out how to reproduce that in a microwave, so we can enjoy an aurora every time we heat something. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:34, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

The graph in 2914 isn't a function of time, it's a function of how close one is to the path of totality. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 05:39, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
: Fixed. [[Special:Contributions/2605:59C8:160:DB08:657A:CBF1:9BDA:C5C|2605:59C8:160:DB08:657A:CBF1:9BDA:C5C]] 06:38, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

New England was getting heavy snow in the days leading up to this comic, so it was probably too cloudy for any auroras to be visible. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 05:42, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

: "''probably too cloudy''" Far north coast of Maine, all I could see was sky-glow from the Walmart 7 miles away. We actually have a Dark Sky movement in this area (lotta old hippies) but Walmart didnt get that memo. --[[User:PRR|PRR]] ([[User talk:PRR|talk]]) 06:02, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

::Indeed. I live about 50km from London in a town with many street lights (and I don't drive). I've never seen an aurora.--[[Special:Contributions/2A00:23CC:D248:8901:8DF8:31D:D8B:3B99|2A00:23CC:D248:8901:8DF8:31D:D8B:3B99]] 09:09, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

I wish all those many people who apparently get notified about aurora forecasts, go outside and then AFTERWARDS post about it instead posted about it BEFORE… I keep seeing such posts when it's too late. :( [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 06:53, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3186: Truly Universal Outlet

2025-12-26T16:25:29Z

CalibansCreations:

No comments yet, add the first comment! [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 16:25, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

1039: RuBisCO

2025-12-05T21:03:03Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1039
| date = April 6, 2012
| title = RuBisCO
| image = rubisco.png
| titletext = Bruce Schneier believes safewords are fundamentally insecure and recommends that you ask your partner to stop via public key signature.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Safeword|Safe words}} are designated words for sexual play which are meant to be called if one partner is uncomfortable with the way things are proceeding as alternatives to simply saying "no" or "stop", which may be used to express ''playacted'' reluctance by a submissive partner who actually wants to continue. Calling the pre-chosen "safe word" would be a sign to stop. To prevent accidental usage, people generally pick words that they wouldn't normally use, such as "Pineapple" or "Hedgehog." In the case of this comic, the characters are chemists, and the uncommon word they happen to have chosen is {{w|RuBisCO|Ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase}}, also known as RuBisCO (which actually isn't a very uncommon word in the scientific world, as it's the most abundant {{w|protein}} on earth, but it would be uncommon to use the full word). However, the length of the word makes it impractical for a safe word, as it would take too long to say; indeed, using the shorter form "RuBisCO" would normally be a fine safe word.

The joke of this comic is that the first thing the reader sees is a seemingly random long word spoken, with the speaker off screen. The meaning is mysterious until [[Megan]] reveals it. This appears to be a regular occurrence, as [[Cueball]] and Megan go back to work with no questions asked.

The title text mentions {{w|Bruce Schneier}}, a computer security professional, and public keys which is the publicly known half of {{w|public-key cryptography}}, which uses two mathematically linked keys to decrypt information. The joke is that Schneier considers safewords as a type of security and thus believes they are not safe enough and recommends the key signature. However, whereas it takes a finite (albeit long) time to say RuBisCO in full during your submission, it would be impossible to use any public keys to stop your partner.

Randall later in [[1128: Fifty Shades]] referenced the book {{w|Fifty Shades of Gray}} which made the concept of {{w|Safeword|'safe words'}} perhaps more widely known to the mainstream public. Here the word is very short: Red.

==Transcript==
:[Person in background (out-of-frame) screams out this word over all 3 panels.]

:[Cueball is working on a laptop at a desk. Megan is reading a book in an armchair.]
:Person 1: RIBULOSEBISPH..

:[In a frameless panel, Cueball has stopped working. Megan has stopped reading, and is holding her book.]
:Person 1: ...OSPHATECARBOXYL...

:[Cueball continues working. Megan resumes reading her book.]
:Person 1: ...ASEOXYGENASE!
:Person 2: Oh, Sorry!
:Megan: Man, chemists pick the worst safewords.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Cryptography]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]

3175: Website Task Flowchart

2025-12-01T20:57:12Z

CalibansCreations: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 3175
| date = December 1, 2025
| title = Website Task Flowchart
| image = website_task_flowchart_2x.png
| imagesize = 333x683px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Tired of waiting on hold? Use our website to chat with one of our live agents, who are available to produce words at you 24/7!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Doing a task using a company or organization's website:
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Flowcharts]]

3161: Airspeed

2025-10-29T21:50:16Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3161
| date = October 29, 2025
| title = Airspeed
| image = airspeed_2x.png
| imagesize = 293x338px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Carefully maneuvering the balloon down a mineshaft in an effort to break the OTHER altitude record
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
The joke is that it's slow as ''FUUUCK.''

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Talk:3154: Physics Insight

2025-10-13T18:20:40Z

CalibansCreations:

Avrayter 9:55 am oct. 13 2025: okay, I assume you write these comments with html. can y'all please just implement the standing on the soldiers of giant joke into the first paragraph? [[User:Avrayter|Avrayter]] ([[User talk:Avrayter|talk]]) 13:56, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

I'm reminded of science fiction like Star Trek where children learn "advanced" physics like quantum mechanics in high school. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 14:44, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
:There's something to this, tbh. To use just one example, there was a time in history when NEGATIVE NUMBERS were considered a bizarre innovation to the world of mathematics, boggling even expert mathematicians (since, how can you have -3 apples? A hole in the universe where three apples ought to be? It's quite an abstract concept when you think about it!) Yet nowadays, every high school graduate is expected to understand them intuitively and use them proficiently. I really do wonder what it's doing to us, where what was "advanced" in bygone years is considered "fundamentals" today. Our brains don't evolve THAT quickly. [[User:MeZimm|MeZimm]] ([[User talk:MeZimm|talk]]) 17:49, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

Is the drawing of Cueball and White hat the exact same of 3148? [[Special:Contributions/140.77.177.211|140.77.177.211]] 16:52, 13 October 2025 (UTC) divicarpe
:No, the angle of Cueball's arms is slightly different... [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 18:20, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

3047: Rotary Tool

2025-09-18T18:00:48Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3047
| date = February 5, 2025
| title = Rotary Tool
| image = rotary_tool_2x.png
| imagesize = 528x468px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It was great until my thumb slipped and I accidentally launched my telescope into the air at Mach 8.
}}

==Explanation==
It is common to find multipurpose handheld tools that can function as higher-speed drills and lower-speed screwdrivers, switching between modes with a slider. The tool in this comic appears to have extended that concept to the extreme, covering both very high-speed and very low-speed tools. Presumably the tool has a rotating part at one end that can accept multiple attachments to facilitate the different uses.

All of these speeds are sensible for the specified uses. However, engineering a single tool to perform reliably across the required range of speeds is likely to be deeply impractical. Equally, designing the base unit such that it can be usefully employed to all these purposes would be a substantial challenge. For example, a household drill needs to be both portable and reasonably bulky, whereas a record player needs good stability, and a dental drill needs to be small enough to be moved flexibly and delicately. In any case, it's highly unlikely that any individual would have a need for all these uses,{{citation needed}} so the market for such a tool would be extremely limited.

The title text highlights one of the downsides of combining functions in this way — the potential for using the wrong setting for the task at hand, by carelessness or clumsiness, with detrimental effects. In this case, while attempting to use the "sidereal telescope mount" option with an actual telescope, the user accidentally changed the tool to a much higher speed setting, launching it into the air, on a ballistic trajectory with {{w|hypersonic speed}} (specifically Mach 8, or roughly 5,930 miles per hour, which actually surpasses the current record-holder for the highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft, the {{w|North American X-15}} (Mach 6.72 / 4,520 mph)). More commonly, attempting to insert a screw while on the drill setting could cause damage to the item being screwed together, the screw itself, or the screwdriver bit.

The precession setting refers to the {{w|Precession of the equinoxes|precession of the equinoxes (axial precession)}}, which happens on a 26,000-year cycle that corresponds to the {{w|Revolutions per minute|RPM}} rate shown. The average person does not need to adjust their telescope for such minor shifts, certainly not on a constant basis. This may be beneficial for scientists making precise measurements but they would have more powerful and dedicated tools to this end. For commercial use by the public, this would not be remotely necessary.

The {{w|Dremel#Rotary tools|Dremel}} tool referred to is a high-speed, low-torque {{w|rotary tool}} that can be fitted with a variety of bits for cutting, sanding, grinding, sharpening, polishing, engraving, machining, etc. The speed of the dental drill might seem excessive, but according to [https://sableindustriesinc.com/what-is-a-high-speed-handpiece-how-it-works-speed-more/ Sable Industries], a manufacturer of high-speed dental drills, they can run "at speeds of between 300,000 and 450,000 RPM." They squirt water as they rotate to cool the bits down, so they don't overheat (a further design complication for this multitool).

The speeds labeled "record player" are intended to correspond to standard rotational speeds of {{w|Phonograph record|phonograph records}}. The intended playback speed standardized at 78 rpm (not 72 rpm as depicted in the comic) in the 1920s, with a record diameter of 10 inches. The speed and size, as well as the required width of the groove encoding the music, dictated a playing time of about 3½ minutes per side; collections of 78 rpm records were released as albums. Beginning in the late 1940s, records designed to be played back at 33⅓ rpm (close enough to the 33 rpm in the comic) were produced, to allow longer play times (hence the LP designation, for "long play") on similar-sized records, which standardized on a 12 inch diameter. This was commonly used to release an collection of songs on a single disc, still called an "album", totaling about 22 minutes per side. Concurrently, an alternative format, 7 inch diameter records designed to be played at 45 rpm, was produced, allowing about 5 minutes per side. This was often used to release "singles" (a single song on each side of the record). The 33⅓ and 45 rpm playback speeds supplanted 78 rpm, and remain the standards today.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: auto"
|-
! Function !! Speed (rpm) !! Rotation / Revolution Period !! Diameter of Bit for Mach 8 Launch Speed !! Notes
|-
| Sidereal mount precession adapter || 0.000000000073 || ~26,000 years || 4799 au || see {{w|axial precession}}
|-
| Sidereal telescope mount || 0.00070 || 23.93 hours || 74,866 km || rotates once per {{w|Sidereal time|sidereal day}}
|-
| Hour hand on a clock || 0.0014 || 12 hours || 37,733 km || Typical 12-hour analog dial (as opposed to a {{w|24-hour analog dial}})
|-
| Minute hand on a clock || 0.017 || 60 minutes || 3,144 km
|-
| Second hand on a clock || 1 || 1 minute || 52.4 km || By definition a second hand rotates at 1 rpm because it completes a single rotation each minute
|-
| 33 rpm {{w|Phonograph|record player}} || 33 || 1.8 seconds || 1,588 m || It's actually 33⅓ rpm
|-
| 45 rpm {{w|Phonograph|record player}} || 45 || 1.3 seconds || 1,165 m
|-
| 72 rpm {{w|Phonograph|record player}} || 72 || 0.8 seconds || 727.9 m || probable typo for 78 rpm
|-
| {{w|Screwdriver#Powered screwdrivers|Screwdriver}} || 300 || 0.2 seconds || 174.7 m || Screwdrivers rotate much slower than similar looking drills to avoid stripping the screws
|-
| Drill || 1,500|| 40 milliseconds || 34.9 m
|-
| Airplane propeller ||2,500|| 24 milliseconds || 21.0 m
|-
| {{w|Dremel#Rotary tools|Dremel}} || 35,000 || 1.7 milliseconds || 149.7 cm || The speed of a basic Dremel, many Dremel tools have variable speeds from 5,000 to 35,000 rpm
|-
| {{w|Zippe-type centrifuge|Uranium enrichment centrifuge}} || 60,000 || 1 millisecond || 87.3 cm
|-
| {{w|Dental drill}} || 300,000 || 0.2 milliseconds || 174.7 mm
|-
|}
[Notes:
1) All speeds are rounded to two significant figures, which may result in some variance from the intended result when trying to calculate revolution times from them.
2) Mach 8 launch speeds based on stated RPMs
3) Mach number is actually defined by the local thermodynamic temperature. All the above will be based around the velocity at {{w|Standard temperature and pressure|STP}}, or thereabouts, although the larger radii would necessarily involve travel through higher latitudes, into space or far beyond, where such a measure rapidly becomes meaningless.]

==Transcript==

:Multi-function rotary tool

:[A close-up of a stick-shaped tool, where on the side of a section is a panel with a slider adjustable in various levels annotated with numbers and texts. Besides the panel there are some invisible inlays. One visible end of the section is attached to another section.]
:Speed (rpm) Function
:0.000000000073: Sidereal mount precession adapter
:0.00070: Sidereal telescope mount
:[Following three are labeled "clock hands":]
:0.0014: h
:0.017: m
:1: s
:[Following three are labeled "record player":]
:33: 33
:45: 45
:72: 72
:300: Screwdriver [Current setting]
:1500: Drill
:2500: Airplane propeller
:35 000: Dremel
:60 000: Uranium enrichment centrifuge
:300 000: Dental drill

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Telescopes]]

3033: Origami Black Hole

2025-09-18T17:38:39Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3033
| date = January 3, 2025
| title = Origami Black Hole
| image = origami_black_hole_2x.png
| imagesize = 272x480px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = You may notice the first half of these instructions are similar to the instructions for a working nuclear fusion device. After the first few dozen steps, be sure to press down firmly and fold quickly to overcome fusion pressure.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic shows what at first appears to be an actual page of {{w|origami}} directions, like [https://origami.me/crane/ this one] or [https://origami.guide/origami-animals/origami-rabbits/origami-sleeping-rabbit/ this one], except labeled "How to fold a ''real'' origami black hole".

The "real" part draws a contrast to an origami ''depiction'' of a black hole. A piece of origami can be made to appear like one of the various images, diagrams, or artistic depictions of a black hole. It seems black-hole-like origami does exist, as created by [https://parchmentandallthingspaper.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/folding/ Richard Sweeney]. The implication is that while the linked origami only resembles a black hole, Randall's instructions create an actual {{w|black hole}} out of origami paper.

The instructions just repeat the operation of folding the paper in half, ignoring the increases in thickness and difficulty of folding that occur. In addition, the idea that one can create a black hole with one's bare hands is far-fetched. The difficult details in actually carrying out such a thing are left implied and unexplained - and they turn out to be surprisingly complex.

The number of folds is likely based on the {{w|Schwarzschild radius}} of a piece of paper. The Schwarzschild radius is a characteristic of every object that depends on the object's mass. If an object is compressed into the volume of a sphere with its characteristic Schwarzschild radius, then that object will become a black hole. (More specifically, it will become a {{w|Schwarzschild metric|Schwarzschild black hole}}.) As such, if a piece of paper were folded sufficiently many times so as to fit within its own Schwarzschild radius, it would become a black hole. However, this would require compressing the paper into a flat sheet at every step, as otherwise the folded paper would double in thickness at each step, greatly exceeding its Schwarzschild radius. Indeed, it would need to be compressed beyond the thinness of the original sheet of paper.

If we assume standard {{w|origami paper#Kami|kami origami paper}} with a side length of 15 cm and a weight of 70 grams per square meter, we get a mass of 1.575 grams, corresponding to a Schwarzschild radius of 2.339×10-30 meters. It follows that, ignoring the paper's thickness, we would need to halve each side length -log2((2 × 2.339×10-30 m)/0.15 m) = 94.69 times to fit each side length within the "Schwarzschild diameter" of the paper. Using the square folding technique in the comic, this would take 95 * 2 = 190 steps to complete, the exact number given in the comic. Note that the radius of the resulting black hole is 10-15 times the size of the {{w|Proton#Charge radius|charge radius of a proton}}. {{w|Micro black holes|Black holes this small}}, if they can be created at all, are believed to quickly disintegrate by losing energy via {{w|Hawking radiation}}. In this case, if those predictions are correct, it would result in an energy release equivalent to 33.8 kilotons of TNT, roughly equal to two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima, in approximately 1.57×10-28 seconds. (This is the energy equivalent of the mass of the paper, given by ''E'' = ''mc''2.)

In actual fact, it's not possible to fold a piece of paper this many times,{{cn}} because the amount of paper 'wasted' in each fold will quickly surpass the length and width of the paper. For an ordinary letter-sized (A4 or 8.5x11) sheet, the maximum number of folds is 7. The [https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/494571-most-times-to-fold-a-piece-of-paper world record] for the total number of folds of a sheet of paper is 12, done with a length of tissue paper 3/4 mile (4000 ft, 1200 m) long. A group of MIT students demonstrated 13 folds using multiple miles of paper, but had to lay separate pieces together as it made them too thick to tape them. Materials other than paper, such as thin foil, can be folded more times. Not only that but, as the title text alludes, prior to reaching any creation of a black hole, the pressures generated by the resulting {{w|Nuclear fusion#Confinement in thermonuclear fusion|fusion of its atoms}} must be overcome. Electron and neutron degeneracy pressure would also have to be overcome.

Naively, the instructions would produce a paper stack of shrinking area, growing in thickness exponentially. This would become impossible long before the 190 folds in half that the instructions require. In fact, with a paper thickness of around 0.1 mm, for it to be possible to fold it 190 times, the sum of the lengths and width of the paper would need to be around 10110 meters, a good 1083 times the diameter of the observable universe.

The {{w|mathematics of paper folding}} were augmented with [https://web.archive.org/web/20051102085038/http://pomonahistorical.org/12times.htm work by a California high school student in 2001] who wrote equations that [https://web.archive.org/web/20211116013626/http://teachersofindia.org/sites/default/files/folding_paper_in_half.pdf related the size of paper to the maximum number of folds it could make], which has not yet exceeded the low teens in human competition. This could be exceeded by scoring the paper to cut and flatten the outer layers of the folds, but its thickness would immediately surpass its length, and compressing it beyond the size of its fibers would require some way to hold it together.

Since this folded paper would typically have growing thickness, the instructions wouldn't really create a black hole unless one somehow additionally compressed the paper commensurate with its decrease in width and length. Perhaps the comic imagines the folded paper retaining the same thickness as a single sheet; then the density and pressure required would likely reach a point where fusion between hydrogen atoms begins to occur (a la the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article, ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}''). This is later alluded to in the title text.

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

:How to fold a '''''real''''' origami black hole:

:Step 1.
:[A square sheet of paper shown folded in half, with a dashed line going across the middle, and an arrow pointing from one half to the other.]

:[In each step from Step 2. to Step 9., the paper is shown folded in half again and depicted in the same manner as Step 1. The aspect ratio of the sides alternates between 2:1 and 1:1.]
:Step 2.
:Step 3.
:Step 4.
:Step 5.
:Step 6.
:Step 7.
:Step 8.
:Step 9.

:Steps 10-189.
:[Text shown between tall square brackets:]
:Fold paper in half another 180 or so times.

:Step 190.
:[A labeled arrow points to an apparently glowing black dot]
:Black hole!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

3029: Sun Avoidance

2025-09-18T17:33:10Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3029
| date = December 25, 2024
| title = Sun Avoidance
| image = sun_avoidance_2x.png
| imagesize = 311x403px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = C'mon, ESA Solar Orbiter team, just give the Parker probe a LITTLE nudge at aphelion. Crash it into the sun. Fulfill the dream of Icarus. It is your destiny.
}}

==Explanation==

The comic humorously ranks space missions based on their ability to "avoid" the Sun, presenting it as a "Sun Avoidance Skill Leaderboard." Most space missions remain relatively far from the Sun, with distances in the tens of millions of kilometers. However, the {{w|Parker Solar Probe}} is listed at the bottom of the leaderboard because it has come significantly closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft, at just 6.17 million kilometers. The joke lies in framing this incredible scientific achievement as a "failure" in avoiding the Sun.

The missions listed include notable solar and planetary exploration spacecraft like {{w|Mariner 10}}, {{w|Helios 1}}, {{w|BepiColombo}}, {{w|MESSENGER}}, and {{w|Solar Orbiter}}. These missions, designed to study the Sun or its surroundings, are ranked by their closest approaches to the Sun. The comic highlights the vast difference between the Parker Solar Probe and all other missions, emphasizing its unprecedented proximity to the Sun as part of its mission to study the solar corona and solar wind.

The inclusion of "All Other Expeditions in Human History" at the top of the leaderboard adds to the humor by lumping together all non-Sun-focused missions, which obviously maintain much greater distances from the Sun. The comic concludes with a sarcastic congratulation to the Parker Solar Probe for its "worst job avoiding the Sun," humorously subverting the intention and achievement of the mission.

The caption text further expands on the joke by mockingly framing the Parker Solar Probe's proximity to the Sun as a skill-based failure. It suggests that its operators have demonstrated the "worst Sun avoidance skill" ever. This playful jab contrasts with the reality that the Parker Solar Probe's engineers and scientists intentionally designed the spacecraft to approach the Sun closer than ever before, enduring extreme heat and radiation to gather groundbreaking scientific data.

The title text references the Greek legend of {{w|Icarus}}, whose father crafted artificial wings so the two of them could fly out of the open-topped prison they were in. Icarus, despite his father's warnings, flew too high which, according to the myth, got him appreciably closer to the Sun where it was much hotter, hot enough to destroy Icarus's wings, which caused him to plummet from a very high altitude to his death. The comic reframes this from an unfortunate consequence of his overreaching, to a glorious failure of an attempt to destroy himself by reaching the Sun itself. (As humanity has learned since then, the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere are cold, not hot, and the distance from Earth's surface to the upper reaches of its atmosphere is only a tiny fraction of the total distance from the Earth to the Sun.) The caption text urges the operators of the aforementioned Solar Orbiter to use their satellite to alter the Parker Solar Probe's orbit to send it into the Sun, which would by definition lower the Parker Solar Probe's distance from the Sun to zero. Unfortunately, the Parker Solar Probe was only designed to get close to the Sun, not into it, and would be destroyed soon after entering the Sun if not before. Being destroyed would prevent the Parker Solar Probe from transmitting any further data, terminating its mission. Its operators would probably object to this.{{cn}}

==Transcript==
:[Header:] Sun Avoidance Skill Leaderboard

:[A table with three columns, all with underlined headers.]
:Rank
:Mission
:Sun Nearest Miss
:[First 'row', 'Rank', is of extra height and over several lines, using vertical and horizontal ellipses between the two endpoints to indicate a range of ranks in the first column, the first visible digit of the larger number being cut off by the left frame edge:] 1. ⋮ … ⋮ 4303857.
:[Across both the 'Mission' and 'Sun Nearest Miss' columns, the first row has some text spread across two lines, within a framing pair of large square brackets to match the Rank range:] All other expeditions in human history
:[A simple row, with all three columns separately populated, the first column's Rank number is also cut off across the first visible digit.]
:4303858.
:Mariner-10
:69.0 million km
:[Another row, likewise.]
:4303859.
:Helios 1
:46.4 million km
:[Another row.]
:4303860.
:BepiColombo
:45.8 million km
:[Another row, with a yet more significant Ranking digit now partly visible due to non-proportional spacing, itself being cut off in the stead of the now fully visible next digit.]
:24303861.
:Messenger
:45.3 million km
:[Another row, back to the original pre-cutoff.]
:4303862.
:Solar Orbiter
:43.8 million km
:[Another row.]
:4303863.
:Helios 2
:43.3 million km
:[Final row.]
:4303864.
:Parker
:6.17 million km

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Congratulations to the Parker Solar Probe for setting a new record for "Worst Job Avoiding the Sun."

==Trivia==
*This comic was released on Christmas Day of 2024, but makes no reference to Christmas.
**This year marks the first time in xkcd's 20 year history (of releasing comics around Christmas), that there have been no [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comics]] released during those days.
**Also all nine times before this year, when a release day fell on Christmas Day, that comic has always been about Christmas.
**If [[Randall]] found the accomplishments of the Parker Solar Probe more interesting than Christmas itself that might explain why this comic was released on Christmas Day instead.
**It is not the first space exploration accomplishment mentioned during Christmas, however, in the previous case [[2559: December 25th Launch]] from 2021, the comic was give seasonal spin. 

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Space probes]]

3028: D&D Roll

2025-09-18T17:30:58Z

CalibansCreations: did Caine just say ###?

{{comic
| number = 3028
| date = December 23, 2024
| title = D&D Roll
| image = dnd_roll_2x.png
| imagesize = 312x313px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Under some circumstances, if you throw a D8 and then a D12 at an enemy, thanks to the D8's greater pointiness you actually have to roll a D12 and D8 respectively to determine damage.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a scene from a tabletop roleplaying game, probably {{w|Dungeons & Dragons}}. In [[3015: D&D Combinatorics]], the same people, [[Cueball]], [[Megan]], [[Ponytail]], [[White Hat]] and [[Knit Cap]], are seated playing D&D in the same seats, where Cueball seems to represent [[Randall]].

Here Cueball announces "I roll D20... 18," referring to rolling a 20-sided die and getting the relatively high score of 18, presumably while in a fight with a {{w|kobold (Dungeons & Dragons)|kobold}} (a small reptilian humanoid creature in D&D.) The {{w|gamemaster|Dungeon Master}} (DM, or game master), Ponytail, responds that the kobold is unaffected, but suggests using a sword instead, pointing out the absurdity of trying to defeat an enemy by rolling dice at them. (Ponytail was also the dungeon master in the previous D&D comic).

By making a roll without first stating what the roll represents, Cueball has broken the rules of the game, which explicitly state that players must first describe their character's actions and then with the DM's consent and advice make appropriate rolls. Cueball [[1339: When You Assume|assumed]] that Ponytail would understand which of his weapons or other attacks he intended to use, but since her job is to adjudicate rules and create immersive fiction, not to read the players' minds, she decided to gently tease him about the omission. This is a common mistake, and being gently made fun of is a common result. The next step can vary based on the DM; Cueball may be allowed to state the specific attack intended and roll again, or Ponytail may be generous enough to let him keep the high result once he's properly described his action (despite the rules violation). The rules violation is significant not for the mechanical advantage it gives Cueball (though there is a mechanical advantage, see the Background below), but because D&D is a roleplaying game and the dice exist to facilitate storytelling rather than replace it.

However, the possibility exists that the players' characters have actual dice, such as those which were role-played as being produced in [[244: Tabletop Roleplaying]]. The title text suggests that if you literally threw dice as weapons, an eight-sided die (D8) would do more damage than a twelve-sided die (D12) because of its {{w|Dice#Common variations|pointier shape}}, so ironically, you might need to roll the D12 to determine the D8's damage and vice versa, in "some circumstances." As per the Background below, those circumstances are considerably slight. The effectiveness of the [[2626: d65536|d65536]] in this context has yet to be determined.

===Background===
When attacking an enemy in D&D, regardless of the weapon used, the attack starts with a d20 roll to see if it lands a solid hit. If a sufficiently high (or in the earliest editions, sufficiently low) number is rolled, the attack hits, and then further dice (chosen depending on the weapon's form and any magic it might possess) are rolled to determine damage. Before any dice can be rolled at all, however, the player must declare which enemy they are attacking and what with. This is trivial if the attacking character always uses the same weapon and is facing a single enemy, but becomes an important question if the fight is more complex. Consider a case where there are two kobolds present, one wearing plate armor while the other has only a loincloth on (the armor requiring a better d20 roll to defeat), and the player carries both a greatsword (dealing heavy general damage) and the magical "Icepick of Instant Kobold Death" (normally ignored but in this case very useful) and also has magic item that can shoot a destructive [https://5e.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scorchingRay.htm ''Scorching Ray'']. There are also certain weapons that deal subpar damage on a typical attack, but trigger a powerful extra effect on a very good roll such as 18, making it even more important to specify which weapon one is using before making the roll. A cheating player might roll first, and then decide which weapon they were using and on which target. This could also be used to avoid wasting a weapon (or [[3015: D&D Combinatorics|particular ammunition]]) with limited uses.

By D&D 5 rules, a stone hurled from a sling does [https://5e.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#simpleWeapons 1d4 bludgeoning damage]. A sling bullet typically weighs [https://5e.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/equipment.htm#tableAdventuringGear 3/40 pound (1.2 oz, 35 g)], a plausible weight for a normal-sized die made of a moderately dense material. Presumably, an object of similar weight that's thrown "by hand" rather than with a sling would do less damage, though a heavier object might do similar damage (albeit with less range). The D&D 3.5 spell [https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicStone.htm ''Magic Stone''] enhances ordinary small stones so they do 1d6+1 damage when hurled, or 2d6+2 when striking undead creatures. So depending on the setup, a D&D character throwing a die at an enemy could theoretically cause considerable harm, but would normally be much better served with an intentionally crafted weapon.

DMs may take umbrage at a player's presumption to roll dice for actions before being asked to, and this could be interpreted as a chiding. Sometimes rolls are not necessary in cases where success is automatic (the kobold is effectively helpless) or impossible (the kobold is magically immune to physical attacks), although it should be the DM's own choice whether to still test for a meaningful critical [https://rpgmuseum.fandom.com/wiki/Critical_failure failure] or [https://rpgmuseum.fandom.com/wiki/Critical_hit success], despite it being an apparently foregone conclusion of either kind. There are also other circumstances where the required dice is(/are) different ''in this instance'' from that which the player may assume. From a practical perspective, if the performed rolling of the dice is not required (or correctly composed) for the DM's purposes, they can choose to ignore it and/or ask for some other roll(s) to be made. It may then be the player that might be most upset by having rolled a 'good' roll that has been 'wasted', on the principle that they would have liked it to have it happen later, when it actually mattered, despite this being statistically irrelevant, assuming that the DM doesn't keep any such details mysteriously hidden.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball, Megan, Ponytail, White Hat, and Knit Cap are sitting around a table in a tabletop gaming session. Both Cueball and Knit Cap are sitting in office chairs at the ends of the table, with Cueball leaning forward and holding his hand above the table and Knit Cap leaning back on her arm. Behind the table, Megan sits to the left of Ponytail and White Hat to the right. They are both looking at Ponytail, while Ponytail is looking at Cueball. Objects such as dice, miniatures, a map, and papers are on the table.]
:Cueball: I roll D20... 18.
:Ponytail: The kobold is unaffected.
:Ponytail: Honestly, I don't know why you thought dice would help. You should probably try a sword or something instead.

==Trivia==
{{notice|This trivia is controversial. There's more info in [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Talk:3015:_D%26D_Combinatorics#help this talk page section]. See also [[3015: D&D Combinatorics]].}}
When this comic was first released, its title was mistakenly displayed as "xkcd: D&D; Roll" instead of "xkcd: D&D Roll." This was likely due to a technical error in how the ampersand character (“&”) was processed by the system that generated the title. It seems the software may have misinterpreted "&D" as the beginning of an HTML character entity, even though "&D" is not a valid one.

The browser title for this comic's page is "xkcd: D Roll", presumably caused by a similar error. This has not been fixed.

The earlier comic [[3015: D&D Combinatorics]] and later one [[3142|3142: <City>-Style Pizza]] also had similar issues.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]]

3126: Disclaimer

2025-09-16T16:53:22Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3126
| date = August 8, 2025
| title = Disclaimer
| image = disclaimer_2x.png
| imagesize = 346x396px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = You say no human would reply to a forum thread about Tom Bombadil by writing and editing hundreds of words of text, complete with formatting, fancy punctuation, and two separate uses of the word 'delve'. Unfortunately for both of us, you are wrong.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic shows a message written by [[Cueball]] (likely representing [[Randall]]). The combination of a user profile image, metadata, and the body of text (not to mention the reference to a forum in the title text), suggest this is a posting on a forum. At the end — possibly as an automatically appended forum signature — he includes a disclaimer pre-emptively denying that the content was produced by ChatGPT, and that this is just the way he is.

{{w|ChatGPT}} is a {{w|large language model}}, a type of {{w|generative artificial intelligence}} designed to produce human-like text. In 2025, at the time of this comic’s release, tools like ChatGPT had become widely used for composing everything from professional emails to casual forum posts. Chatbots tend to be verbose. One side effect of this trend is that genuine, naturally long-form writing is sometimes mistaken for AI-generated content. People may become suspicious not only of length and thoroughness, but also of stylistic markers such as formally correct punctuation — particularly the {{w|Dash#Em_dash|em dash}} — which is uncommon among average internet users, but occasionally favored by ChatGPT.

The title text explains the context. It notes that some people claim no human would compose a meticulously organized essay about {{w|Tom Bombadil}}, a relatively minor character from ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings}}'', especially if it contains the word "delve". This word is perceived as atypical in everyday conversation, yet is [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/16/techscape-ai-gadgest-humane-ai-pin-chatgpt frequently used by ChatGPT]. Randall implies that he would write such an essay, and in fact has. The choice of “delve” may also be a deliberate reference to Gandalf’s line in ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' about the Dwarves who “[[760: Moria|delved too greedily and too deep]],” or perhaps to “Michel Delving,” the largest Hobbit settlement in the Shire, whose name literally means “large excavation.” He also says this is unfortunate for both of them: the person he's talking to for having jumped to the wrong assumption about the nature of the author, and Randall for having wasted so much of his time writing about a minor topic.

The presence of the em dash in the disclaimer further fuels the joke. Em dashes are seen by many as an indicator that a piece of text was AI-generated; although they have been a long-standing (even pre-GPT) feature of both Randall's comics and this site's user-written explanations, which of course does not disprove the more general observation being alluded to. The comic is also likely to be have been written specifically as a response to the release of {{w|GPT-5}}, the day before this comic was published.

==Transcript==
:[A Cueball profile picture is shown next to five paragraphs of illegible text, which contains varied punctuation marks and two square-bracketed citations. The last paragraph in the essay is separated from the other paragraphs by a line with three dashes. Its single sentence is highlighted, and lines connect that illegible sentence to a box with an enlarged, legible version of the sentence.]
:Enlarged text: Not ChatGPT output—I’m just like this.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I've had to start adding this disclaimer to my messages.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]
[[Category:LOTR]]

Talk:3141: Mantle Model

2025-09-12T21:04:11Z

CalibansCreations:

The wiki lives! 🥹 [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 21:04, 12 September 2025 (UTC)

3131: Cesium

2025-09-10T16:18:41Z

CalibansCreations: /* Attracting the attention of the IATA */

{{comic
| number = 3131
| date = August 20, 2025
| title = Cesium
| image = cesium_2x.png
| imagesize = 588x298px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Someday I hope to find a way to mess up a recipe so badly that it draws the attention of the International Air Transport Association, the International Mathematical Olympiad, or the NSA.
}}

==Explanation==

{{w|Cesium-137}}, or Cs-137, is a radioactive {{w|isotope}} of {{w|Caesium|cesium}} (officially spelled 'caesium', internationally). This comic was posted the day after the {{w|FDA}} posted an [https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-public-not-eat-sell-or-serve-certain-imported-frozen-shrimp-indonesian-firm advisory] about frozen shrimp sourced from an Indonesian firm because the shrimp were near materials contaminated with Cs-137 during shipment. A sample of breaded shrimp was [https://archive.ph/ri4tv confirmed to have been contaminated.]

Rather than being concerned about the potential health impacts, [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are curious about the technical details that led to this contamination. Cs-137 is normally a by-product of nuclear reactors and is occasionally used in {{w|Food_irradiation|food irradiation}}, along with other more common uses. Cueball and Megan cannot fathom how one could unintentionally contaminate shrimp with radioactive material, let alone with just one specific isotope. Cueball then comments that his biggest culinary screw-up attracted the attention of only his local fire department, likely because he set something on fire while cooking. A real-life example of seemingly-random contamination by Cs-137 was the {{w|Goiânia accident}} in Brazil.

The title text says that one of Cueball's (or possibly [[Randall]]'s) ambitions is to draw the attention of various organizations (the {{w|International Air Transport Association}} (IATA), {{w|International Mathematical Olympiad}} (IMO), or {{w|National Security Agency}} (NSA)) with a recipe he has butchered, either by accident or, more likely in his case, on purpose. Possessing and accidentally or intentionally releasing a radiation source like Cs-137 could get the attention of the NSA. Needless to say, it is difficult to imagine a cooking error that could be in any way brought to the attention of IATA or IMO.

A "[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recipe recipe]" means a set of instructions for making something, typically from various ingredients. (Such as a prescription for a pharmacist, a chemical formula, or step by step instructions to perform a procedure.) Cooking recipes are a very common example of chemical processing instructions. To "mess up a recipe", in the sense of cooking it for oneself or a small group of others, would be unlikely to create a problem on a scale that an international agency would take note of. A recipe that was published for others to use could cause more significant problems if it led to harm to many people. This might involve ingredients that were poisonous, or preparation methods that were unsafe.
A particularly ill-considered thing is sometimes referred to as "a recipe for disaster". A number of these might be of interest to security agencies.

===How to attract attention===
====Attracting the attention of the IATA====
If the recipe is used in major airports and the recipe is contaminated with a drug, the pilots that consume it could experience vision loss or other problems, and if this recipe is widely used and normal people won't notice much besides minor side effects or negative effect was widespread enough where it affected very many flights, then this could attract the attention of the IATA in its primary role of a trade organisation. As a similar example, some airlines have mandated that the captain and first officer eat meals prepared in different kitchens in order to decrease the likelihood that they would both develop food poisoning severe enough to prevent either of them from being able to fly and land the plane. Not all airlines have these mandates, but a food poisoning incident like in ''{{w|Zero Hour!}}'' would likely prompt IATA to institute this policy for all of its members, especially if it ended in a fatal crash. Variations of this concept could even fall under its guidances for how to transport hazardous goods.

Another possibility would be to cook a souffle so high and fluffy that it reaches airspace (like weather balloons sometimes do), or to sauté something that is very smoky, such as chili peppers, so that the smoke interferes with airspace (like the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull). Or rig up a pressure cooker to shoot pasta sauce out of its release valve. Or use the jet engine to pluck chickens. Rather than IATA, though, some of these may first and foremost be issues primarily investigated by the {{w|Federal Aviation Administration}}, instead, at least if occurring within the environs of the United States.

====Attracting the attention of the NSA====
There could be a secret code hidden in the ingredients of a recipe, and if the code affects the whole nation, this could attract the attention of the NSA. However, a much harder way is to have a similar incident with the shrimp, but at a much larger scale and possibly affecting a lot of different foods, if this threat is big enough, the NSA will investigate if there are people purposely doing this.

====Attracting the attention of the International Mathematical Olympiad====
A recipe to attract the attention of the IMO is much harder to imagine. Randall's best chance might be to cause an incident with some mathematically interesting property that inspires a math puzzle to be written about it. Another possibility is some person is trying to give answers to a person in the Olympiad by giving the person a recipe with the answers as a secret code inside, thus attracting the attention of the IMO. If mass food poisoning happens at math Olympiad it can also get some attention, though that would require working for IMO as caterer or at some restaurant near the location where Olympiad is held. However, these are most probably all on purpose or would be not allowed to be served for reasons unrelated to IMO and it would be very unusual to accidentally make these recipes. About a week prior to the publication of this comic, [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/math-question-viral-elementary-school-bobby-seagull-b2807395.html a botched "math exercise" about baking that lacked an actual question] went viral and was reported on by traditional media, but it happened at an elementary school, completely unrelated to the IMO.

Alternatively, Randall might find a way to develop a new form of geometry, topography, etc. which overturns long-held beliefs in mathematics. Accidentally doing something like that (say, proving [[2939: Complexity Analysis|P=NP]] or when like [[704: Principle of Explosion|Cueball derives his friend's mom's phone number]]) is common in XKCD.

====Attracting the attention of all of the above====
To attract the attention of IATA, NSA, and the IMO, it would be very difficult. You could make a meal that is fed to IMO participants, airline pilots, and has a secret national level code inside, that is slightly contaminated (to not raise suspicion beforehand). This would be very hard but possible and will attract the attention of all 3.

A pharmacy or chemical supplier messing up a chemical recipe and dispensing the wrong medication could affect people from the NSA, IATA and IMO, and thus attract attention from all three.

==Transcript==
:[Megan looks at a news story on her phone while talking with Cueball. Cueball is looking at Megan]
:Megan: There's a recall of frozen shrimp contaminated with cesium-137.
:Cueball: With ''what?''
:Megan: I know, right?
:Cueball: ''How!?''

:[Megan has put her phone away and she shrugs with her arms held out palm up, looking at Cueball.]
:Megan: No idea, but I bet it involved some expensive equipment. Those cesium sources aren't cheap.
:Cueball: Man.

:[Megan stands normally while Cueball holds a hand to his chin, looking down.]
:Megan: It's honestly a little inspiring to realize that it's always possible to screw up in a totally new way.
:Cueball: Yeah, the biggest agency whose attention '''''I've''''' drawn by messing up a recipe is the local fire department.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Smartphones]]

ibm hc 3

2025-09-09T15:34:07Z

CalibansCreations:

<noinclude>{{DISPLAYTITLE:ibm_hc_3}}</noinclude>{{comic
| image = ibm_hc_3.png
| lappend = ibm/ibm_hc_3.png
| ldomain = imgs
| extra = yes
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|
*Finish explaining the joke
*Mention the discovery of this comic and Randall's response, using the {{tl|Quote}} template.)}}

This comic was created by [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] after a special request from {{w|IBM}}'s [http://asmarterplanet.com A Smarter Planet blog] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20161119052748/http://asmarterplanet.com archive]). The website now redirects to IBM's Think blog's homepage. This and the other [[:Category:A Smarter Planet|A Smarter Planet]] comic, [[Conservation]], are not part of the regular numbered series of comics, but both of them used to be featured on [https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet xkcd.com/asmarterplanet] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190102070937/https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet/ archive]). Each comic on that page linked to their respective blog posts on IBM's site.

[[Megan]] (presumably) is ranting about how bureaucracy has slowed the introduction of computers to information transmission. She uses the metaphor of hiring {{w|Peter Jackson}} (director, writer, and producer of the {{w|The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy}} as well as the {{w|The Hobbit (film series)|''Hobbit'' trilogy}}) to answer phones, a clear analogy of wasted potential. [[Cueball]] tweaks the metaphor by claiming it's more like {{w|Tiger Woods}}, a championship golf player, on an Olympic swim team, an equally prestigious position but one completely outside of Woods' skillset. [[Ponytail]] then compares it to hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet, a metaphor so weird and oddly specific that the others doubt its applicability here.

==Transcript==

:[Megan is sitting at a desk looking at a computer, Cueball is standing next to her.]
:Megan: We barely use computers. Red tape, paperwork, and bureaucracy should be vanishing, with information appearing where we need it, fast and secure.

:[Megan turns the chair she's on to face Cueball, Ponytail appears on-panel.]
:Megan: Instead, we're emailing scans of forms.

:Megan: It's like hiring Peter Jackson to answer phones at your studio.

:[Cueball lifts his arms up, Ponytail lifts one of her arms.]
:Cueball: Or putting Tiger Woods on your Olympic swim team

:Ponytail: Or hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet.

:[Cueball and Ponytail puts their arms back down, Cueball and Megan look at Ponytail.]
:Megan: Is it really like that?

:Cueball: Yeah, I don't think anything's like that.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:A Smarter Planet]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:No title text]]
[[Category:Unreleased comics]]
[[Category:No date]]

213: Ghostbusters Marathon

2025-09-09T14:58:55Z

CalibansCreations: sorry about the fucked up link in "two more sequels", just trying to keep it symmetrical, I'll fix it when the next film drops :)

{{comic
| number = 213
| date = January 22, 2007
| title = Ghostbusters Marathon
| image = ghostbusters marathon.png
| titletext = If you walk out that door you'll be crossing the Rubicon with me, and that's one stream I'm not ready to cross.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Ghostbusters}}'' is a 1984 supernatural comedy film that spawned {{w|Ghostbusters II|a sequel}}, two {{w|The Real Ghostbusters|animated television series}} (the {{w|Extreme Ghostbusters|latter}} of which lasted less than a season, didn't feature the same cast of titular Ghostbusters, and therefore is probably being pointedly ignored...or maybe left as a 'surprise' for later, after getting through the animated series), and, several years after the publication of this comic, {{w|Ghostbusters (2016 film)|a reboot}} and then {{w|Ghostbusters: Afterlife|two mo}}{{w|Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire|re sequels}} (to the original movies, not the reboot). The box, a "Muon Containment Trap," is a device used in the film to capture ghosts. It is connected to a footswitch by a cable. The man trying to leave is about to be pulled into the box and held there indefinitely (against his will, of course).

The title text refers to Julius Caesar's crossing of the {{w|Rubicon#History|Rubicon}}, a river (or very large stream) that marked the border between Roman Italy and an area of land Caesar was the appointed governor of. At the end of his term, the Roman Senate ordered him to disband his army and return to Italy. Instead, he brought his forces past the border, an act of treason and rebellion against the Republic, instigating the Roman Civil War. The phrase "crossing the Rubicon" now means making a move with gigantic consequences that cannot be undone. In the film ''Ghostbusters'', the protagonists use "proton packs" that fire "streams" of energy. The inventor of the device warns that these streams should not be crossed against each other, as doing so "would be bad." Just how bad? "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light." Important safety tip.{{cn}}

:Final quote taken from the 1984 movie ''{{w|Ghostbusters}}''.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and a friend are in a room. Cueball is standing up. There is litter around them.]
:Cueball: Okay, that's all the Ghostbusters marathon I can handle. Later!
:Friend: You can't leave! We just started the animated series!

:Cueball: I've had my fill. I'm going home.
:Friend: I can't let you do that.

:[Cueball walks along a cord and past a box. The friend clicks a switch.]
:''Click''

:[Cueball is bathed in some kind of aura emitted by the box.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Ghostbusters]]

3137: Cursed Number

2025-09-03T21:35:59Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3137
| date = September 3, 2025
| title = Cursed Number
| image = cursed_number_2x.png
| imagesize = 388x449px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Another group of mathematicians is working to put an upper bound on the number, although everyone keeps begging them to stop.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created in a CURSED YEAR. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
The number in question is a cognitohazard. Do not look for it.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

1346: Career

2025-08-31T18:00:03Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1346
| date = March 24, 2014
| title = Career
| image = career.png
| titletext = They'd convince me to come out of retirement for one last job: biting into a giant lump of slightly soft wax a couple of times.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is presumably asked to answer the typical {{w|Career counseling|career counselor}} question: What is your dream job? Rather than going with the more common answers that are designed to increase the chances of landing that particular job, Cueball talks about unrealistic jobs that are whimsical, and so well compensated that a little over one hour on the clock would provide enough wealth for a luxurious retirement; of course, you can have such a job only in your dreams. He makes jobs out of tasks that people do when they are bored, whether the tasks needed to be done or not. Therefore, if he did not get the job he probably would have done them at some point anyway.

Peeling lint off {{w|Clothes dryer#Tumbler dryers|dryer traps}} can relieve boredom, but it gets tedious soon, so Cueball wants to do that only for 5 minutes, followed by an hour of holding the handle of a {{w|lightsaber}} against things and switching it on. The energy emitted by this fictional weapon will probably burn, melt or cut the object it is touching as demonstrated in a scene from ''{{w|Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace}}'', where Jedi {{w|Qui-Gon Jinn}} uses his lightsaber to cut through a wall. Later, ''{{w|Star Wars: The Last Jedi}}'' turned out to demonstrate a lightsaber being placed against something before being switched on-- on the head of a Praetorian Guard. Obviously, it would be impossible to find a job like this, let alone one with a salary allowing one to retire to a life of luxury.{{Citation needed}}

The title text is poking fun at Hollywood films, particularly stories about violent professions (like mobsters, hitmen, detective or spies) where the hero is retired, but some unforeseen circumstance has forced them out of retirement to do "[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneLastJob one last job]." Usually in these films, the jobs are overtly, improbably dangerous, often with the suggestion that they may lose their lives doing it, but the reward for doing the job (saving the world, a ton of cash, an unresolved/resolved debt) is just too great to refuse. However, in this comic the joke is that his "one last job" is also a mildly amusing task designed to relieve boredom.

An alternative explanation may be that these activities are very sensationally unique and satisfying for certain types of people, such as those with autism, and that this dream job is simply getting paid absurd amounts of money for something they wanted to do anyway. Or, "dream" may be taken literally, and these may be jobs that Cueball has had in his dreams, given the strange nature of them.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands facing a desk, behind which another person is sitting in a desk chair.]
:Cueball: It would start with five minutes of peeling lint from dryer traps,
:Cueball: followed by an hour of pressing a lightsaber handle against things and switching it on.
:Cueball: Then I'd retire to a life of luxury.

:When people ask me to describe my dream job, I'm never sure how realistic to be.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]

161: Accident

2025-08-31T17:56:04Z

CalibansCreations: and thus, it is clearer

{{comic
| number = 161
| date = September 22, 2006
| title = Accident
| image = accident.png
| titletext = As far as treachery-as-driving-music goes, Katamari music is matched only by Guitar Hero music.
}}

==Explanation==
After someone plays a game enough, various instincts develop. One might be ready to push the right button when a right arrow comes up on screen. One might learn the tricky sequences of moves needed for a situation in the game, and find oneself doing them in another game in a similar situation. Or, as in this case, one might get used to pushing a giant ball around trying to collect smaller objects, and try doing so with your car when the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMH49ieL4es game's theme song] starts playing.

In the game {{w|Katamari Damacy}}, the player has to grow a large ball of clutter by rolling the ball over smaller objects in the playfield, which become attached to the ball, growing the clutter ball larger and larger. As the clutter ball gets larger, bigger things in the environment will begin sticking to the clutter ball instead of acting as obstacles, giving the player more clutter to grab. How big the player can get this clutter ball, or "katamari," determines how well the player does in the game, as is also mentioned in [[83: Katamari]].

When Katamari Damacy's theme song comes on in the third panel, [[Cueball]] begins acting out the game's premise, and drives his car into [[Megan]]'s<ref>According to [https://xkcd.com/161/info.0.json this comic's official transcript].</ref> mailbox - which "looked smaller" than his car - trying to get it to attach. This doesn't work so well outside of the game.{{Citation needed}}

The title text implies that music used in the game {{w|Guitar Hero}} is equally hazardous when driving. Anyone who's become accustomed to rocking out on a fake guitar to a particular song could find themselves involuntarily playing the air guitar when said song comes on the radio unexpectedly. Randall is pointing out that Guitar Hero-induced spontaneous air guitar performances are not safe activities while driving. Alternatively, one may try to hit all incoming objects in an attempt to mimic hitting strings of notes as they move down the fretboard, which would be immediately more disastrous. Another possibility is that the hazard is pressing several buttons repeatedly to mimic Guitar Hero, which would not only distract from driving, but also cause chaos in the car.

The theme song from Katamari Damacy is also mentioned in [[851: Na]], and game-related pattern recognition is brought up again in [[1344: Digits]].

==Transcript==
:[Cueball driving in a car while listening to some music.]
:Music: ♫ ♩ ♬
:[Another panel of Cueball listening to music while driving. Cueball's head is turned to the right.]
:Music: ♬ ♪ ♩
:[A third panel. Cueball's head is turned to the left.]
:Music: ♫ NAAAA NA NA NANA NANA NA NA KATAMARI DAMACY ♪ ♩
:[Cueball and Megan talking.]
:Megan: And that's when you veered into the mailbox?
:Cueball: It looked smaller then me. It was just instinct.

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Katamari Damacy]]
[[Category:Rhythm Games]]
[[Category:Guitar Hero]]

1291: Shoot for the Moon

2025-08-31T16:49:01Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1291
| date = November 15, 2013
| title = Shoot for the Moon
| image = shoot_for_the_moon.png
| titletext = Shoot for the Moon. If you miss, you'll end up co-orbiting the Sun alongside Earth, living out your days alone in the void within sight of the lush, welcoming home you left behind.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic and the title text both parody the motivational quote attributed to {{w|Les Brown (speaker)|Leslie Brown}}, which originally says, "Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

In the original form, the phrase "Shoot for the moon" is figurative, meant to inspire people to pursue ambitious goals, reasoning that even if they fail to achieve them, they may still accomplish other great things while trying. The comic and title text, on the other hand, is literally referring to the moon, and using the word "shoot" not in the sense of "aspire" but to mean "fire a weapon at." The comic further explores the humorous motivations for "shooting the moon"; Megan wants to destroy and kill the moon in order to humble it, feeling taunted by its orbiting merrily over her head, and so she inspires her students to physically attempt to destroy the moon whenever possible, only to become sheepish when she realizes the moon is right behind her, as if it were a person who could become offended by what she is saying. This is, of course, a {{tvtropes|RightBehindMe|common comedy trope}}.

Alternatively, everyone in the audience has already prepared their weapons, and Megan is worried that, being directly in front of the moon, she will get caught in the literal crossfire.

The title text invokes another literal interpretation of the phrase - if a space vehicle aims at the Moon and misses, it will end up in a new orbit, possibly (depending on its velocity) escaping from the Earth-Moon system and following a separate but nearby orbit around the Sun. A solar orbit is very hard, very fuel-intensive, and very lengthy to return from, despite physically meaning you will remain very close to Earth, even close enough to see it with some optical magnification. Thus, as a hypothetical space explorer's life support gradually ran out because his craft could not make it back to Earth in time, he would be taunted by Earth remaining close to him. Getting stranded on the Moon was the subject of the title text of [[1510: Napoleon]] and of [[1484: Apollo Speeches]].

==Transcript==
:[Megan stands at a lectern.]
:Megan: Students, shoot for the moon. If you miss,

:[A surprisingly lunar-like object is starting to edge into the frame.]
:Megan: '''''SHOOT AGAIN'''''.
:Megan: Keep shooting and never stop.

:[The moon is now almost entirely in-frame.]
:Megan: Someday, one of us will destroy that stupid skycircle. And—
:Megan: ...What? What are you all—

:[The moon is now in frame, lurking ominously in the background.]
:Megan: ...it's right behind me, isn't it?
:Megan: '''''Shit'''''.
:Megan: Everyone act casual.

==Trivia==
*The What if? Question #109 [http://what-if.xkcd.com/109/ Into the Blue] Made a reference to this comment - see the title text on the third picture.

*Shoot for the moon could also mean an attempt to penalize other players in Hearts, where failing can often put you close to dying.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Public speaking]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

3134: Wavefunction Collapse

2025-08-31T16:41:55Z

CalibansCreations: fairly certain you used some LLM to make that shit

{{comic
| number = 3134
| date = August 27, 2025
| title = Wavefunction Collapse
| image = wavefunction_collapse_2x.png
| imagesize = 656x272px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Wavefunction collapse is only one interpretation. Under some interpretations, graduate students also have souls.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY A SOUlFUl PARTICLE DETECTOR. Should the reference to unsolved problem be removed? Those comics are very different to this and the other two mentioned as it is three different things not three replies to one question. And cursed is not the same a wrong or chaotic!}}

There are multiple {{w|interpretations of quantum mechanics}}, i.e., stories to help us gain intuition. Some of these involve {{w|wave function collapse}}, where multiple mathematically possible states resolve into a particular state.

Quantum mechanics is commonly explained by saying that observation can cause change in the system, as in the {{w|Schrödinger's cat}} and {{w|Elitzur–Vaidman bomb tester}} thought experiments.
A physical example is the {{w|Double-slit experiment}}, where if the apparatus interacts with the photons, such that it indicates which slit photons go through, you get a different pattern of light, compared to an experiment where this is not detected.

The use of the word "observation" causes a bit of confusion about the nature of these experiments, as some people assume that ''human'' observation is what causes this, and conclude that humans must be “special” (more so than we already are to study science in the first place) if our observation is what causes quantum effects to resolve. In actuality “observation” refers to detectors. Any interaction which indicates the presence of a "particle" affects the system, and any quantum effects or mechanics will have already resolved before a human comes along to record the results. While the idea that {{w|Consciousness causes collapse}} was considered seriously by earlier physicists such as Wigner, it is now very unpopular.

This comic presents three possible responses to the question: "does my consciousness affect the universe?" The 'Bad' option shows Cueball telling his student that everybody has a soul, and their individual consciousness affects reality in some way. The 'good' option shows Cueball telling his student that consciousness doesn't play a role at all, and that it is 'just a physical measurement'. The 'chaotic' option shows Cueball apparently observing that the wave function collapses only when ''he'' looks at it, because he is special in some way (in this case, Cueball is a professor while Hairy is the undergraduate student).

Good, bad, and chaotic are likely references to the {{w|Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment system}} in the role-playing game {{w|Dungeons & Dragons}}. In D&D, roles are characterized by their morality (good/neutral/evil) and their views about order (lawful/neutral/chaotic).

The title text continues the chaotic option. Graduate students are intermediate between undergraduate and professors. It is unclear whether graduate students can cause waveform collapse, and therefore have souls. However, in [[2886: Fast Radio Bursts]], Cueball considers them expendable enough for him to send a grad student to verify theories of energetic stellar-sized astrophysical objects in the observatory break room.

In both [[660: Sympathy]] and [[803: Airfoil]] there are situations where three possible replies are given. And, just like here, the first two are simply wrong and right (although in the other order). The last, in those, is Very Wrong: as opposed to the Chaotic here, but it seems like this comics interpretation called chaotic could also have been labeled very wrong. In the [[:Category:Unsolved Problems|Unsolved Problems series]] the third entry is Cursed; however, those are very different scenarios than these other three comics, since it is not three different replies to the same questions but three entirely different problems.

==Transcript==
:[Hairy is sitting behind a desk with one a hand on the desktop and the other in his lap. He is looking up at Cueball, who is standing in front of the desk. Hairy is asking a question:]
:Hairy: If the wavefunction only collapses when I observe it, does that mean my consciousness affects the universe?

:[Three panels follows showing three possible responses from Cueball. Each panel has a label above, written inside a small rectangle that is overlaid on the top left of each panel. Each panel shows the same zoom in on the top half of Cueball.]

:[Panel 1]
:Bad:
:Cueball: Yes. Quantum entanglement proves that we all have souls.

:[Panel 2]
:Good:
:Cueball: No. Consciousness plays no role here. Its just physical measurement.

:[Panel 3]
:Chaotic:
:Cueball: No. The wave function collapses when '''''I''''' look at it because I'm a full professor.
:Cueball: It won't collapse for an undergraduate.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Religion]]

3134: Wavefunction Collapse

2025-08-30T16:56:44Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

Talk:3133: Dual Roomba

2025-08-26T15:10:40Z

CalibansCreations:

wow now way i was here before the page was created ts is crazy [[User:TheTrainsKid|TheTrainsKid]] ([[User talk:TheTrainsKid|talk]]) 04:08, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
: ... I think the bot is broken? [[User:TheTrainsKid|TheTrainsKid]] ([[User talk:TheTrainsKid|talk]]) 04:33, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
::actually, nope! this behavior isn't too surprising of the bot and it ''definitely'' isn't broken. the bot sometimes has a bit of a lag when creating pages, so you might see the comic page before the talk page is created. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 04:55, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

i'm going to be honest, this is one of the first times in MONTHS that randall has been able to get a laugh out of me from his comics. keep it up, randall! miss the good old days in the 2010s when you had a lot more adult-oriented comics C: '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 05:09, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:welcome back Tori! how you doing? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:34, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

profanity will return to xkcd [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:34, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY 42.BOOK.ADDICT! MAY SHE BRING PEACE AND UNITY TO ALL READERS AND EDITORS ALIKE! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 14:09, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:[[File:optruemus.gif]] [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 15:10, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

File:optruemus.gif

2025-08-26T15:09:50Z

CalibansCreations: reaction image

reaction image

Talk:3133: Dual Roomba

2025-08-26T11:34:49Z

CalibansCreations:

Talk:3133: Dual Roomba

2025-08-26T11:34:33Z

CalibansCreations:

wow now way i was here before the page was created ts is crazy [[User:TheTrainsKid|TheTrainsKid]] ([[User talk:TheTrainsKid|talk]]) 04:08, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
: ... I think the bot is broken? [[User:TheTrainsKid|TheTrainsKid]] ([[User talk:TheTrainsKid|talk]]) 04:33, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
::actually, nope! this behavior isn't too surprising of the bot and it ''definitely'' isn't broken. the bot sometimes has a bit of a lag when creating pages, so you might see the comic page before the talk page is created. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 04:55, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

i'm going to be honest, this is one of the first times in MONTHS that randall has been able to get a laugh out of me from his comics. keep it up, randall! miss the good old days in the 2010s when you had a lot more adult-oriented comics C: '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 05:09, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:welcome back Toti! how you doing? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:34, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

profanity will return to xkcd [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 11:34, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3132: Coastline Similarity

2025-08-22T18:52:53Z

CalibansCreations:

Lol what [[User:SectorCorruptor|SectorCorruptor]] ([[User talk:SectorCorruptor|talk]]) 16:20, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

Lol what --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 17:30, 22 August 2025 (UTC)
Lol what [[User:Broseph|Broseph]] ([[User talk:Broseph|talk]]) 18:13, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

Lol what [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 18:52, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3132: Coastline Similarity

2025-08-22T18:52:41Z

CalibansCreations:

Lol what [[User:SectorCorruptor|SectorCorruptor]] ([[User talk:SectorCorruptor|talk]]) 16:20, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

Lol what --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 17:30, 22 August 2025 (UTC)
Lol what [[User:Broseph|Broseph]] ([[User talk:Broseph|talk]]) 18:13, 22 August 2025 (UTC)
Lol what [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 18:52, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

2355: University COVID Model

2025-08-21T16:44:54Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2355
| date = September 4, 2020
| title = University COVID Model
| image = university_covid_model.png
| titletext = I admit this is an exaggeration, since I can think of at least three parties I attended while doing my degree, and I'm probably forgetting several more.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}.

Cueball begins telling Megan an anecdote about how a college decided to reopen "based on a COVID model developed by two physicists." (The incident in question is likely a reference to this [https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/202005/challenge.cfm article] and [https://twitter.com/yellingatwind/status/1301588828860235777 tweet] about the University of Illinois, that went viral with similar wording the day before the comic was published). Presumably, the model predicted that the university could allow students to return to campus while still keeping cases of COVID-19 under control, perhaps using some combination of reduced classroom and residence hall density, and by implementing policies against large social gatherings.

Before he can get further, Megan interrupts him with "Uh oh," perhaps worried that an epidemiological model created by people who aren't epidemiologists could be ineffective. Alternately, she may be expressing concern specifically about physicists' epidemiological modelling. Cueball then confirms her fears by saying that the model underestimated how many parties the students would hold, and so the actual number of cases on campus has turned out to be greater than even their worst-case prediction. Megan facetiously wonders how a physicist could have failed to know how much college kids party, implying that physicists do not attend many parties. Cueball, representing [[Randall]], a physics major, then retorts that he "was invited to ''multiple'' parties! And attended ''both'' of them!" implying first that he was invited to many parties over an undefined period of time at college, but then admitting it was only two.

In the title text, Randall, no longer in-character, admits to attending at least a third party, and possibly a few more that have been forgotten, and confirms this was over the entire course of his degree studies, likely 4-8 years or more. This demonstrates, as an introverted physics major who [[:Category:Social interactions|struggles with social interactions]],
he (and by implied extension most Physics majors) has little interest in attending parties. As many other people go to college for the parties rather than the education,{{Actual citation needed}} we can only imagine how severely his campus epidemiology model would underestimate the number of opportunities for the coronavirus to spread.

A nontrivial number of colleges followed this trajectory in 2020, such as the aforementioned [https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/09/03/909137658/university-with-model-testing-regime-doubles-down-on-discipline-amid-case-spike University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign].

A different comic with physicists modeling another field is [[793: Physicists]].

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan are talking to each other.]
:Cueball: Apparently some university reopened based on a COVID model developed by two physicists.
:Megan: Uh oh.

:[Cueball raises an arm slightly.]
:Cueball: But even their worst-case model underestimated the number of student parties and they had to shut down.

:[Cueball holds up a finger.]
:Megan: Can't understand why someone with a physics degree would be bad at judging how often college students get invited to parties.
:Cueball: Excuse me, I was invited to '''''multiple''''' parties.
:Cueball: And attended ''both'' of them!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Physics]]

2048: Curve-Fitting

2025-08-21T15:52:59Z

CalibansCreations: /* LOESS */

{{comic
| number = 2048
| date = September 19, 2018
| title = Curve-Fitting
| image = curve_fitting.png
| titletext = Cauchy-Lorentz: "Something alarmingly mathematical is happening, and you should probably pause to Google my name and check what field I originally worked in."
}}

==Explanation==

An illustration of several plots of the same data with {{w|Curve fitting|curves fitted}} to the points, paired with conclusions that you might draw about the person who made them. These data, when plotted on an X/Y graph, appear to have a general upward trend, but the data is far too noisy, with too few data points, to clearly suggest any specific growth pattern. In such a case, many different mathematical and statistical models ''could'' be presented as roughly fitting the data, but none of them fits well enough to compellingly represent the data.

When modeling such a problem statistically, much of the work of a data scientist or statistician is knowing which fitting method is most appropriate for the data in question. Here we see various hypothetical scientists or statisticians each applying their own interpretations to the exact same data, and the comic mocks each of them for their various personal biases or other assorted excuses. In general, the researcher will specify the form of an equation for the line to be drawn, and an algorithm will produce the actual line.

Nonetheless scientists work much more seriously on the reliability of their assumptions by giving a value for the {{w|Standard deviation|standard deviation}} represented by the Greek letter sigma σ or the Latin letter s as a measure to quantify the amount of variation of the data points against the presented ''best fit''. If the σ-value isn't good enough an interpretation based on a specific fit wouldn't be accepted by the science community.

Since [[Randall]] gives no hint about the nature of the used data set - same in each graph - any fitting presented doesn't make any sense. The graphs could represent a star map, the votes for the latest elected presidents, or your recent invoices on power consumption. This comic just exaggerates various methods on interpreting data, but without the knowledge of the matter in the background nothing makes any sense.

===Linear===
[[File:Anscombe's quartet 3.svg|thumb|200px|Different data sets result in the same regression.]]
<math>f(x) = mx + b</math>

{{w|Linear regression}} is the most basic form of regression; it tries to find the straight line that best approximates the data. As it's the simplest, most widely taught form of regression, and in general differentiable functions are locally well approximated by a straight line, it's usually the first and most trivial attempt of fit.

The picture to the right shows how totally different data sets can result in the same line. It's obvious that some more basics about the nature of the data must be used to understand if this simple line really does make sense.

The comment below the graph ''"Hey, I did a regression."'' refers to the fact that this is just the easiest way of fitting data into a curve.

===Quadratic===
<math>f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c</math>

{{w|Polynomial regression|Quadratic fit}} (i.e. fitting a parabola through the data) is the lowest grade polynomial that can be used to fit data through a curved line; if the data exhibits clearly "curved" behavior (or if the experimenter feels that its growth should be more than linear), a parabola is often the first, easiest, stab at fitting the data.

The comment below the graph ''"I wanted a curved line, so I made one with math."'' suggests that a quadratic regression is used when straight lines no longer satisfy the researcher, but they still want to use simple math expression. Quadratic correlations like this are mathematically valid and one of the simplest kind of curve in math, but this curve doesn't appear to satisfy the data any better than does simple, linear regression.

===Logarithmic===
[[File:Logarithm_plots.png|thumb|200px|Common logarithm functions.]]
<math>f(x) = a\log_b(x)</math>

A {{w|Logarithm|logarithmic}} curve grows slower on higher values, but still grows without bound to infinity rather than approaching a horizontal {{w|asymptote}}. The small ''b'' in the formula represents the base which is in most cases ''{{w|e (mathematical constant)|e}}'', 10, or 2. If the data presumably does approach a horizontal asymptote then this fit isn't an effective method to explain the nature of the data.

The comment below the graph ''"Look, it's tapering off!"'' builds up the impression that the data diminishes while under this fit it's still growing to infinity, only much slower than a linear regression does.

===Exponential===
[[File:Exponential.svg|thumb|200px|Exponential growth (green) compared to other functions.]]
<math>f(x) = a\cdot b^x</math>

An {{w|Exponential growth|exponential curve}}, on the contrary, is typical of a phenomenon whose growth gets rapidly faster and faster - a common case is a process that generates stuff that contributes to the process itself; think bacteria growth or compound interest.

The logarithmic and exponential interpretations could very easily be fudged or engineered by a researcher with an agenda (such as by taking a misleading subset or even outright lying about the regression), which the comic mocks by juxtaposing them side-by-side on the same set of data.

The comment below the graph ''"Look, it's growing uncontrollably!"'' gives an other frivolous statement suggesting something like chaos. Also this even faster growth is well defined and has no asymptote at both axes.

===LOESS===
A {{w|Local regression|LOESS fit}} (locally estimated scatterplot smoothing) doesn't use a single formula to fit all the data, but approximates data points locally using different polynomials for each "zone" (weighting data points differently as they get further from it) and patching them together. As it has many more degrees of freedom compared to a single polynomial, it generally "fits better" to any data set, although it is generally impossible to derive any strong, "clean" mathematical correlation from it - it is just a nice smooth line that approximates the data points well, with a good degree of rejection from outliers.

The comment below the graph ''"I'm sophisticated, not like those bumbling polynomial people."'' emphasises this more complicated interpretation, but without a simple mathematical description it's not very helpful to find informative interpretations of the underlying data.

===Linear, No Slope===
<math>f(x) = c</math>

Also known as a constant function, since the function takes on the same (constant) value ''c'' for all values of ''x''. The value of ''c'' can be determined simply by taking the average of the ''y''-values in the data.

Apparently, the person making this line figured out pretty early on that their data analysis was turning into a scatter plot, and wanted to escape their personal stigma of scatter plots by drawing an obviously false regression line on top of it. Alternatively, they were hoping the data would be flat, and are trying to pretend that there's no real trend to the data by drawing a horizontal trend line.

The comment below the graph ''"I'm making a scatter plot but I don't want to."'' is probably done by a student who isn't happy with their choice of field of study.

===Logistic===
[[File:Logistic-curve.svg|thumb|200px|A standard logistic function between the values ''0'' and ''1''.]]
The {{w|Logistic regression|logistic regression}} is taken when a variable can take binary results such as "0" and "1" or "old" and "young".

The curve provides a smooth, S-shaped transition curve between two flat intervals (like "0" and "1").

The comment below the graph ''"I need to connect these two lines, but my first idea didn't have enough math."'' implies the experimenter just wants to find a mathematically-respectable way to link two flat lines.

===Confidence Interval===
Not a type of curve fitting, but a method of depicting the predictive power of a curve.

Providing a confidence interval over the graph shows the uncertainty of the acquired data, thus acknowledging the uncertain results of the experiment, and showing the will not to "cheat" with "easy" regression curves.

The comment below the graph ''"Listen, science is hard. But I'm a serious person doing my best."'' is just an honest statement about this uncertainty.

===Piecewise===
Mapping different curves to different segments of the data. This is a legitimate strategy, but the different segments should be meaningful, such as if they were pulled from different populations.

This kind of fit would arise naturally in a study based on a regression discontinuity design. For instance, if students who score below a certain cutoff must take remedial classes, the line for outcomes of those below the cutoff would reasonably be separate from the one for outcomes above the cutoff; the distance between the end of the two lines could be considered the effect of the treatment, under certain assumptions. This kind of study design is used to investigate causal theories, where mere correlation in observational data is not enough to prove anything. Thus, the associated text would be appropriate; there is a theory, and data that might prove the theory is hard to find.

One notable time this is used is when a researcher studying housing economics is trying to identify housing submarkets. The assumption is that if two proposed markets are truly different, they will be better described using two different regression functions than if one were to be used.

The additional curved lines visible in the graph are the kind of confidence intervals you'd get from a simple OLS regression if the standard assumptions were valid. In the case of two separate regressions, it would be surprising if all those assumptions (that is, i.i.d. Normal residuals around an underlying perfectly-linear function) were in fact valid for each part, especially if the slopes are not equal.

A classical example in physics are the different theories to explain the black body radiation at the end of the 19th century. The {{w|Wien approximation}} was good for small wavelengths while the {{w|Rayleigh–Jeans law}} worked for the larger scales (large wavelength means low frequency and thus low energy.) But there was a gap in the middle which was filled by the {{w|Planck's law}} in 1900.

The comment below the graph ''"I have a theory, and this is the only data I could find."'' is a bit ambiguous because there are many data points ignored. Without an explanation why only a subset of the data is used this isn't a useful interpretation at all. As a matter of fact, with the extra degrees of freedom offered by the piecewise regression, it could indicate that the researcher is trying to fit the data to confirm their theory, rather than building their theory off of the data.

===Connecting lines===
This is often used to smooth gaps in measurements. A simple example is the weather temperature which is often measured in distinct intervals. When the intervals are high enough it's safe to assume that the temperature didn't change that much between them and connecting the data points by lines doesn't distort the real situation in many cases.

The comment below the graph ''"I clicked 'Smooth Lines' in {{w|Microsoft Excel|Excel}}."'' refers to the well known spreadsheet application from {{w|Microsoft Office}}. Like other spreadsheet applications it has the feature to visualize data from a table into a graph by many ways. "Smooth Lines" is a setting meant for use on a {{w|line graph}}, a graph in which one axis represents time; as it simply joins up every point using bezier (or similar) curves as necessary to pass through every point (rather than finding a more sensible line that accepts some minimal but non-zero acceptible level of error in the datapoints), it is not suitable for regression.

===Ad-Hoc Filter===
Drawing a bunch of different lines by hand, keeping in only the data points perceived as "good". Not really useful except for marketing purposes.

The comment below the graph ''"I had an idea for how to clean up the data. What do you think?"'' admits that in fact the data is whitewashed and tightly focused to a result the presenter wants to show.

===House of Cards===
Not a real method, but a common consequence of misapplication of statistical methods: a curve can be generated that fits the data extremely well, but immediately becomes absurd as soon as one glances outside the training data sample range, and your analysis comes crashing down "like a house of cards". This is a type of ''overfitting''. In other words, the model may do quite well for (approximately) {{w|Interpolation|interpolating}} between values in the sample range, but not extend at all well to {{w|Extrapolation|extrapolating}} values outside that range.

''Note:'' Exact polynomial fitting, a fit which gives the unique <math>(n-1)</math>th degree polynomial through <math>n</math> points, often display this kind of behaviour.

The comment below the graph ''"As you can see, this model smoothly fits the- wait no no don't extend it AAAAAA!!"'' refers to a curve which fits the data points relatively well within the graph's boundaries, but beyond those bounds fails to match at all.

===Cauchy-Lorentz (title text)===
{{w|Cauchy_distribution|Cauchy-Lorentz}} is a continuous probability distribution which does not have an expected value or a defined variance. This means that the law of large numbers does not hold and that estimating e.g. the sample mean will diverge (be all over the place) the more data points you have. Hence very troublesome (mathematically alarming).

Since so many different models can fit this data set at first glance, Randall may be making a point about how if a data set is sufficiently messy, you can read any trend you want into it, and the trend that is chosen may say more about the researcher than about the data. This is a similar sentiment to [[1725: Linear Regression]], which also pokes fun at dubious trend lines on scatterplots.

A brief Google search reveals that Augustin-Louis Cauchy originally worked as a junior engineer in a managerial position. Upon his acceptance to the Académie des Sciences in March 1816, many of his peers expressed outrage. Despite his early work in "mere" engineering, Cauchy is widely regarded as one of the founding influences in the rigorous study of calculus & accompanying proofs. Notably, his later work included theoretical physics, and Lorentz was also a well-known physicist. Therefore, the title-text may be referring back to [[793: Physicists]].

Alternately, the title-text could be implying that the person who applied the Cauchy-Lorentz curve-fitting method may not be well qualified to the task assigned.

==Transcript==
:'''Curve-Fitting Methods'''
:and the messages they send

:[In a single frame twelve scatter plots with unlabeled x- and y-axes are shown. Each plot consists of the same data-set of approximately thirty points located all over the plot but slightly more distributed around the diagonal. Every plot shows in red a different fitting method which is labeled on top in gray.]

:[The first plot shows a line starting at the left bottom above the x-axis rising towards the points to the right.]
:Linear
:"Hey, I did a regression."

:[The second plot shows a curve falling slightly down and then rising up to the right.]
:Quadratic
:"I wanted a curved line, so I made one with math."

:[At the third plot the curve starts near the left bottom and increases more and more less to the right.]
:Logarithmic
:"Look, it's tapering off!"

:[The fourth plot shows a curve starting near the left bottom and increases more and more steeper towards the right.]
:Exponential
:"Look, it's growing uncontrollably!"

:[The fifth plot uses a fitting to match many points. It starts at the left bottom, increases, then decreases, then rapidly increasing again, and finally reaching a plateau.]
:LOESS
:"I'm sophisticated, not like those bumbling polynomial people."

:[The sixth plot simply shows a line above but parallel to the x-axis.]
:Linear, no slope
:"I'm making a scatter plot but I don't want to."

:[At plot #7 starts at a plateau above the x-axis, then increases, and finally reaches a higher plateau.]
:Logistic
:"I need to connect these two lines, but my first idea didn't have enough Math."

:[Plot #8 shows two red lines embedding most points and the area between is painted as a red shadow.]
:Confidence interval
:"Listen, science is hard. But I'm a serious person doing my best."

:[Plot #9 shows two not connected lines, one at the lower left half, and one higher at the right. Both have smaller curved lines in light red above and below.]
:Piecewise
:"I have a theory, and this is the only data I could find."

:[The plot at the left bottom shows a line connecting all points from left to right, resulting in a curve going many times up and down.]
:Connecting lines
:"I clicked 'Smooth Lines' in Excel."

:[The next to last plot shows a echelon form, connecting a few real and some imaginary points.]
:Ad-Hoc filter
:"I had an idea for how to clean up the data. What do you think?"

:[The last plot shows a wave with increasing peak values. Finally the plot of the wave is continued beyond the x- and y-axis borders.]
:House of Cards
:"As you can see, this model smoothly fits the- ''wait no no don't extend it AAAAAA!!''"

==Trivia==
*This is the comic 2048, or 211. In addition to being the name of a popular app referenced in [[1344: Digits]], this is an extremely round number in binary (100,000,000,0002). [[1000: 1000 Comics]] pointed out that comic 1024 would be a round number, but there were not any comics noting 2048.

*This comic is similar to [[977: Map Projections]] which also uses a scientific method not commonly thought about by the general public to determine specific characteristics of one's personality and approach to science.

*Regressions have been the subject of several previous comics. [[1725: Linear Regression]] was about linear regressions on uncorrelated or poorly correlated data. [[1007: Sustainable]], [[1204: Detail]] and [[1281: Minifigs]] depict linear regressions on data that was actually logistic, leading to bizarre extrapolations. [[605: Extrapolating]] shows a line extrapolating from just two data points.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Scatter plots]]
[[Category:Line graphs]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Science]]

2332: Cursed Chair

2025-08-20T16:57:35Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */ nobody (not even my worst enemy) deserves to click on a direct Insta link

{{comic
| number = 2332
| date = July 13, 2020
| title = Cursed Chair
| image = cursed_chair.png
| titletext = The Wirecutter staff called the Herman Miller Siege Perilous "the most cursed product we've ever had to fight" and "nearly as immortal as it boasts."
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}.

[[Beret Guy]] informs [[Cueball]] that he purchased a cursed office chair from a mysterious shop. Cueball isn't sure if he remembers this happening, which is possibly because Beret Guy has [[1772: Startup Opportunity|previously stated]] that he makes a habit of purchasing daily necessities from such stores. Beret Guy then exclaims that the store he bought the chair from was gone when he went to return it, though given his buying preferences, he should perhaps not be so surprised. Cueball suggests that maybe the shop was simply closed due to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}, as is the case for wide variety of non-cursed businesses.{{Citation needed}} Beret Guy takes this as proof that the chair somehow caused the pandemic, a claim Cueball meets incredulously. In the final panel, Beret Guy is doing battle with the chair, which taunts him and claims to be immortal (“''I can not die''”). In fact, most chairs cannot die, because they are not alive.{{Citation needed}} Cueball remarks that it would be simpler to shop at {{w|IKEA}}, a store famous for its minimalist flat-pack furniture, and which usually does not sell cursed items{{Citation needed}} (although they ''do'' sell “[[2024: Light Hacks|miniature Dyson spheres]]”).

The cursed chair and the boarded-up store are references to the stores that sell cursed items mentioned in [[1772: Startup Opportunity]]. In that comic, the stores vanished without a trace. But the fact the door was boarded is much more likely due to the pandemic or other causes than the store mysteriously disappearing.

Buying an item from a shop you never noticed before, bringing it home, discovering it is cursed, and trying to return it only to discover the shop isn’t there anymore is a popular trope. See {{tvtropes|TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday|The Little Shop That Wasn't There Yesterday}}.

In the title text, the {{w|Siege Perilous}} is the empty seat at the Round Table in Arthurian legend, reserved by Merlin for the knight who would find the {{w|Holy Grail}} (who turns out to be Sir {{w|Galahad}}) and fatal to anyone else who sits in it. {{w|Herman Miller (manufacturer)|Herman Miller}} is an American office furniture company that produced the {{w|Aeron chair}}, which is the basis for [https://scontent-ord5-3.cdninstagram.com/o1/v/t16/f2/m84/AQOlktZxRajX2dq0rjli07CI4ZMJE3E4L_LYTZJvFJ2WszhGaaeZIBQchD-wRkab-oIVnb1KmiTT2Jb3NO1yYdPCpQpX23wIkWTYlAY.mp4?stp=dst-mp4&efg=eyJxZV9ncm91cHMiOiJbXCJpZ193ZWJfZGVsaXZlcnlfdnRzX290ZlwiXSIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoidnRzX3ZvZF91cmxnZW4uZmVlZC5jMi42NDAuYmFzZWxpbmUifQ&_nc_cat=106&vs=277142451888121_2639746193&_nc_vs=HBksFQIYTGlnX2JhY2tmaWxsX3RpbWVsaW5lX3ZvZC8yMzQ1QUY0Q0I3NUZBMDZEM0RBM0MzM0U0MDM4MzNBNV92aWRlb19kYXNoaW5pdC5tcDQVAALIARIAFQIYOnBhc3N0aHJvdWdoX2V2ZXJzdG9yZS9HTGVCRmhjWU82SjkyMmdKQUVsa2NxaWdMZ3NpYnBrd0FBQUYVAgLIARIAKAAYABsAFQAAJsCv27fa3a4BFQIoAkMzLBdALgeuFHrhSBgSZGFzaF9iYXNlbGluZV8xX3YxEQB16gdl8J0BAA%3D%3D&_nc_rid=bf8e87210d&ccb=9-4&oh=00_AfX7Wjh7m67vICIxZhcS212_vAt6_UP8nYspPOy_V9Ndjw&oe=68A7EDEF&_nc_sid=10d13b an artwork] by {{w|Glenn Kaino}} called ''The Siege Perilous''. {{w|Wirecutter (website)|''Wirecutter''}} is a website that evaluates and recommends consumer products. From the title text, it sounds like (in the xkcd universe) Wirecutter is used to encountering cursed products,{{Citation needed}} so they didn’t even bother trying to sit in it to test the Siege Perilous’s perilousness (er, ''peril'') before they started fighting it—and emerged victorious, if it’s only ''nearly'' as immortal as it boasts.

==Transcript==
:[Beret Guy and Cueball are talking.]
:Beret Guy: Remember how I bought my desk chair from that mysterious shop?
:Cueball: I think so?
:Beret Guy: Turns out the chair was cursed.

:[Beret Guy and Cueball are still talking. Beret Guy has his palms out.]
:Beret Guy: So I went back to return it, but the shop was gone! The door was boarded up!
:Cueball: I think most of the shops are closed because of coronavirus.

:[Beret Guy has his hands over his mouth in shock.]
:Beret Guy: Oh no!
:Beret Guy: ''The curse must have caused the pandemic!''
:Cueball (off-panel): What.

:[Beret Guy starts running with a raised sword in a frameless panel. Cueball is next to him.]
:Beret Guy: If I destroy the chair, we can stop the virus!
:Cueball: What.

:[Beret Guy is chasing a floating desk chair. Cueball is watching. The desk chair speaks with white-on-black text.]
:Beret Guy: ''Die, plague-bringer!''
:Desk chair: Hee hee I can not die
:Cueball: Maybe you should just shop at IKEA.

==Trivia==

* The hotlink image for the comic was initially [https://web.archive.org/web/20200713231037/https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/cursed_chair.png extremely pixelated], but the image displayed on the page was a different URL and looked fine. This was soon fixed.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics with cursed items]]

3059: Water Damage

2025-08-20T16:43:32Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3059
| date = March 5, 2025
| title = Water Damage
| image = water_damage_2x.png
| imagesize = 612x329px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Your homeowner's insurance might cover it, but be sure to check the subductible.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is the second in a series about absurd results of [[:Category:Home Inspections|home inspections]]. The first, [[3037: Radon]] came out less than two months before this one. [[Cueball]] is once again getting his home inspected by [[Ponytail]], using the exact same device as in the first comic and also making the same introductory comment: "Oof. I was afraid of that." This time, she alerts Cueball about {{w|water damage}}, normally caused by leaky pipes or roofs. Water damage is hazardous to homes due to its ability to instigate mold and have negative impacts on structural stability of the home. Instead of his home suffering from water damage, Ponytail claims that the crust under Cueball's home suffers from water damage. The Earth's crust typically {{w|groundwater|contains water}}; she could be referring to {{w|erosion}}, which is one cause of {{w|subsidence}} and even {{w|sinkhole}}s, a concern to homeowners, but it soon becomes clear that she has different effects in mind.

Upon further investigation, Ponytail discovers that Cueball's home is near a {{w|subduction|subduction zone}} — a place where two {{w|tectonic plate}}s meet, with one pushing beneath the other and descending deep into the Earth. This leads to the formation of magma as the descending plate heats up. The subducted material includes water in the form of hydrated minerals as well as liquid water, originally from seawater and seabed sediments drawn into the subducting fault. This moisture is forced out of the medium it is transported in and [https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/earth-hazards/volcanoes/how-volcanoes-form-2/ acts to lower the melting point of the adjacent rock], relative to what it would otherwise be, allowing magma to form more easily above the subduction interface. The magma can then force its way to the surface to form volcanoes, as Ponytail alludes to. However, there is nothing that Cueball can actually do about this supposed problem.{{Citation needed}}

The solution given is similarly colossal in scale. Ponytail suggests "{{w|lithospheric}} {{w|dehumidifier}}s" as a solution, which would presumably dry out the Earth's crust, but this is not realistically possible. In waterlogged ground, {{w|continuous flight augering}} or the {{w|Pressure grouting|injection of grouting}} can assist in isolating the foundations from the surrounding {{w|water table}}. However, this has little use below the {{w|pedosphere}} and near-surface rock, such as down to the base of the upper plate involved in the subduction (well below the {{w|Mohorovičić discontinuity}}, tens of kilometers down). In addition, by drying out the crust, they might {{w|Groundwater-related subsidence|cause further subsidence}} and present additional hazards to the home. Massive lithospheric dehumidifiers would probably make the HOA upset, and possibly local governments. Also, as Ponytail notes, the installation would be ''incredible'' expensive. Like in [[3037: Radon]], this treats the Earth itself as if it is part of Cueball's property.

An example of an area with many volcanoes caused by subduction is the {{w|Ring of Fire}} along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. In the contiguous 48 states, the {{w|Cascade Volcanoes}} of the Pacific Northwest are the result of this type of subduction. Subduction has been the topic of a few comics, see other examples in the explanation for the recent comic [[3021: Seismologists]] that mentions it in the title text.

The title text is a pun making a portmanteau of ''subduction'', explained above, and the ''{{w|deductible}}'', the amount an insurance policy requires you to pay before it starts to contribute to the cost of the losses or expenses it covers. The title text may also be a critique of the [https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2791 homeowners insurance crisis] in the United States at the time of the comic's posting.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail stands to the left of Cueball. She is looking down at a meter of some sort in one hand, and is holding a clipboard in the other hand.]
:Ponytail: The crust under your house shows signs of water damage. Is there a subduction zone nearby?
:Cueball: Uh, I think there's one off the coast.
:Ponytail: Oof. I was afraid of that.

:[Closeup on Ponytail who is pointing to a diagram of subducting faults.]
:Ponytail: Subducting hydrous minerals carry water down into the mantle, causing melting in the overlying crust. If you let this go, you'll have volcanoes everywhere.

:[Cueball, with his hand to his chin, looks at the diagram. Ponytail, holding her equipment, is standing behind him.]
:Cueball: Is there any solution?
:Ponytail: Giant lithospheric dehumidifiers. But the installation won't be cheap.
:Cueball: ''Oh no...''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Home Inspections]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Geology]]
[[Category:Volcanoes]]
[[Category:Subduction]]
[[Category:Portmanteau]]

3127: Where Babies Come From

2025-08-20T16:41:50Z

CalibansCreations: no it has not been fixed

{{comic
| number = 3127
| date = August 11, 2025
| title = Where Babies Come From
| image = where_babies_come_from_2x.png
| imagesize = 652x362px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Historians: Contemporaneous documentation of the initial events is often sparse, and in fact people often get testy and uncooperative when we urge better documentation for the historical record.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Copy pasted from talk ↓ [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 16:41, 20 August 2025 (UTC)

GoComics now requires paid subscriptions, so the link to the Calvin and Hobbes comic should probably be changed to an image that doesn't have this restriction. [[Special:Contributions/2001:8003:1DC8:7900:ACDF:2A0D:1D9F:87F5|2001:8003:1DC8:7900:ACDF:2A0D:1D9F:87F5]] 03:15, 17 August 2025 (UTC)}}
Children are often curious, and ask a lot of questions about the world around them. "Where do babies come from?" is one such question that tends to come up at some point, and is notable as one that many adults are uncomfortable giving correct answers to, because of the common reluctance to discuss sex-related matters with youngsters. While children are sometimes told that there's a baby inside a pregnant woman's tummy, the issues of how the baby got in there, or how it's supposed to get out, are often dodged. There are a variety of common myths about where babies come from, as told to children, such as "brought by a stork", "found in a cabbage patch", or [https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1987/04/18 "built from a kit"]. This comic presents a variety of answers to that question, supposedly from the point of view of specialists in several different areas of science, and expressed in the vocabulary of the specialist's field. Some of them are allusions to the process of conception or childbirth; others are simply incorrect.

The experts might be deliberately misleading the questioner by using very euphemistic terms that would likely not be understood by a child to avoid personal embarrassment, deliberately over-'simplifying' the explanation as a {{w|Lie-to-children|stepping stone}} to the eventual more specific truth, or else themselves be ignorant/misled about the process. In each case, however, their abstraction of the process is described in terms that are actually relatively technical ones from their own field, to the presumed audience, showing that they are not necessarily able to find the right level of explanation, as well as not having used a less obtuse reframing of the topic much closer to that of actual reproductive biology. "How is babby formed?" was a [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/how-is-babby-formed notorious meme] from the early 2000s.

;Geneticist: An admixture event refers to new genes being introduced into a population (for example, intermarriage adding genes for blue eyes into a population that previously lacked them). These gene movements are typically measurable on the order of thousand year or more timescales, and therefore are commonly dated to thousands or even millions of years ago. KYA = "one thousand years ago" and 0.001 KYA = 1 year, [[2205: Types of Approximation|approximately]] the duration of most human pregnancies. The comic uses this term to describe the gene mixing of two people having a child. The joke is in the use of such large scale terms to describe the creation of one child, and how the technical language being used hides the answer, especially from a child.

;Astronomer: Ejections of matter from parent bodies are common astronomical events, at scales ranging from comets to black holes. The process of giving birth is compared to a "low-impulse" ejection, such as the casting off of rocks and dust from a rotating asteroid. Such a comparison, while it may make sense in cosmology, is unlikely to find favor with any woman who is, or has ever been, in labor.
:Alternatively, the "low-impulse ejection" could refer to ejaculation, not the act of giving birth. Since impulse is defined as change in momentum, and momentum is mass times velocity, birth would technically be a higher-impulse event than ejaculation, due to the relative mass of a baby and of an ejaculate, but it's still very low on a cosmic scale and would still qualify as "low-impulse".

;Software Engineer: An {{w|off-by-one error}} (aside from [[2248: New Year's Eve|being a difficult theme to build a party around]]) is a common programming mistake where a value ends up off by one. This is most frequently the result of confusion about whether lists of items are indexed {{w|Zero-based numbering|starting at position 'zero'}} or with the first of them at the more language-like position 'one'. A birth could also be described as a "population" metric suddenly [[605: Extrapolating|increasing by one]]; or, alternatively, a baby could cause a previously accurate static population metric to become off-by-one from the new correct total. This could also be referring to an unplanned pregnancy, which would lead the local population to be one higher than the parent(s) may have calculated.

;Geologist: The baby is said to have been created by the process of differential erosion, in which softer rocks are eroded more quickly, leaving harder rocks behind. Arguably, a geologist who was making a serious attempt to compare geological and biological processes would recognize that the growth of a fetus has much more in common with accretionary, rather than erosional, mechanisms. Granting that the geologist depicted is witty and not clueless, this explanation is the most intentionally farcical, the most {{w|List_of_Calvin_and_Hobbes_characters#Mom_and_Dad|Calvin's Dad}}, of the five. (The Wikipedia article on Calvin’s dad mentions that he gave explanations involving purchases at Sears and Kmart.) The suggestion that everything is removed except for the desired result is fairly often used to describe how sculptors work, and similar craftspeople such as woodcarvers.

;Meteorologist: Turbulent mixing of air masses ("turbulence") has been experienced by just about everyone who has ever been in an airborne aircraft. Turbulence can occur at all levels of the atmosphere from the ground up, and is frequently accompanied by clouds and precipitation, although the moisture alluded to here is likely that of bodily fluids and the turbulence being more about a tangible physicality between people. It is a pungent metaphor for coitus.

;Historians (title text): Instead of proffering an explanation for "where babies come from", the historians (plural) lodge a complaint about the difficulties they have encountered in obtaining the data needed to substantiate the babies' provenance. The plaint is a common preamble and disclaimer in formal history publications. Rather than answer the question in the general, they appear to be trying to answer it for each individual baby by questioning those thought to be responsible. The historians express surprise and indignation that their efforts to obtain "better documentation" of the "initial events" (the mating behavior) leading to baby formation are seen as prurient and voyeuristic, and are met with resistance.

==Transcript==
:[Hairy, Ponytail, Hairbun, Cueball and Megan are standing below a question given at the top of the comic. Each of the five gives their answer to the question. Below each character is a label with their respective occupation.]
:Various experts answer the question “Where do babies come from?”

:Geneticist
:Hairy: Recent admixture event, roughly 0.001 Kya.

:Astronomer
:Ponytail: Low-impulse ejection from a parent body.

:Software engineer
:Hairbun: Off-by-one error in the population calculations.

:Geologist
:Cueball: The area was originally a uniform plane, but the non-baby parts eroded at higher rates.

:Meteorologist
:Megan: Moist ground-level turbulent mixing.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics with babies]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Geology]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Sex]]

3131: Cesium

2025-08-20T14:46:19Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2690: Cool S

2025-08-19T17:34:50Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2690
| date = October 26, 2022
| title = Cool S
| image = cool_s_2x.png
| imagesize = 325x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Although I hear they were caught cheating off of Rosalind, who sat at a desk in front of them.
}}

==Explanation==

The '{{w|Cool S}}' is a stylized drawing of the letter "S". It is a popular doodle among teenagers and pre-teens as it can be quickly hashed out using six vertical lines which are then connected with an appropriate pattern of diagonal lines. The drawing has been around for a very long time, and may be independently discovered simply because it is a logical progression of combining a series of straight lines in an interesting manner.

Randall first draws the steps to make the Cool S. Then he draws a chain of repeats of this pattern, excluding the end caps, making something that looks like a twisted rope. Finally he separates the two strands and adds cross bars, creating something that turns out to have a visual similarity to the discovered helical structure of {{w|DNA}}. However, although the final diagram is a double helix, the chirality, or "handedness", is backwards: an actual DNA molecule usually winds in the opposite direction (clockwise, if you're looking at it end-on). (The tutorial at [http://realerthinks.com/correctly-draw-dna/ How to (correctly) draw DNA] describes this in more detail.) It is possible for left-handed DNA segments, called Z-DNA, to form in purine-pyrimidine alternating regions; but this is much less common than the more typical conformations of B-DNA and A-DNA. (B-DNA is the most common and is elongated with accentuated major grooves: see {{w|Nucleic acid structure}}. This asymmetry can be seen in the spacing between strand segments, which alternates between short and long distances, as opposed to A-DNA and Z-DNA where these distances are much more uniform.)

He posits that the helical shape of DNA was originally discovered when somebody decided to doodle this extended S pattern.

Understanding the shape of the DNA molecule was an important step towards understanding how it duplicates itself and serves as a template for RNA. In real life, {{w|Francis Crick}} and {{w|James Watson}} were awarded a Nobel Prize for this discovery.

The title text is a reference to {{w|Rosalind Franklin}}, who made a material contribution to the discovery of DNA but was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160927113256/http://www.biomath.nyu.edu/index/course/hw_articles/nature4.pdf controversially not included in the Nobel Prize]. Many are quick to assume she was excluded simply due to sexism, although she had also been dead for five years (Nobel rules now prohibit posthumous nominations (though this statute was not formally in effect until 1974)). Franklin's boss at the time of the discovery, {{w|Maurice Wilkins}}, was also named on the prize, and Nobel rules also forbid splitting of Prizes more than three ways. Wilkins had shared some of Franklin's data with Watson, who then shared what he saw with Crick. None of the three men ever told Franklin that Watson and Crick had based their model on her data. Fortunately, international astrobiology programme {{w|ExoMars}} have since named a {{w|Rosalind Franklin (rover)|Mars rover}} after her!

This account is reminiscent of how {{W|August Kekulé}} said he identified the ring structure of the benzene molecule. He claimed to have had a dream in which the atoms were moving around, with the last grabbing onto the first like the classic image of a snake grabbing its tail, forming a ring of six lines.

==Transcript==
:[10 drawings evolving from simple dashes, to a "cool S" symbol, to a representation of DNA. Unless otherwise stated, each drawing adds to the previous drawing]
:First drawing - three vertical lines side by side over three equally sized vertical lines
:Second drawing - Two diagonal lines added from the bottom of the top left line to the top of the bottom middle line, and the bottom of the top middle line to the top of the bottom right line
:Third drawing - Four diagonal lines added from the top of the top left line and top right line, and the bottom of the bottom right line and bottom left line. The two lines at the top meet above the top middle line, at a 90 degree angle. The two lines at the bottom meet below the bottom middle line, at a 90 degree angle, making an incomplete "Cool S", missing two lines.
:Fourth drawing - Two diagonal lines added. One from top of the bottom left line, pointing towards the bottom of the top middle line; it stops halfway where it intersects with the line between the top of the bottom middle line and the bottom of the top left line drawn in the second drawing. One from bottom of the top right line, pointing towards the top of the bottom middle line; it stops halfway where it intersects with the line between the bottom of the top middle line and the top of the bottom right line drawn in the second drawing. forming a complete "Cool S"
:Fifth drawing - Resets the last few steps and is the same as the second drawing.
:Sixth drawing (located under the first drawing, making a new line of drawings) - The lines from the fifth drawing remain present and untouched, but there are now three vertical lines side by side above and below, with a gap left between them and the previous lines.
:Seventh drawing - The pattern between the middle two sets of three lines established in the second drawing is repeated above and below, such that for each pair of three lines, Two diagonal lines are added from the bottom of the top left line to the top of the bottom middle line, and from the bottom of the top middle line to the top of the bottom right line
:Eighth drawing - The pattern between the middle two sets of three lines established in the fourth drawing is both reimplemented, and repeated in the upper and lower two sets of lines. One from top of the bottom left line, pointing towards the bottom of the top middle line; it stops halfway where it intersects with the line between the top of the bottom middle line and the bottom of the top left line drawn in the second drawing. One from bottom of the top right line, pointing towards the top of the bottom middle line; it stops halfway where it intersects with the line between the bottom of the top middle line and the top of the bottom right line drawn in the second drawing.
:Ninth drawing - The same pattern as in the eight drawing, but with dots in some sections of the pattern.
:Tenth drawing - The same pattern as in the ninth drawing, but the pattern is spaced out in halves. The dots have turned into lines, creating something comparable to DNA.

:[Caption below the panel]:
:The structure of DNA was originally discovered by a group of especially cool middle school researchers.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

2873: Supersymmetry

2025-08-19T17:02:32Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2873
| date = December 27, 2023
| title = Supersymmetry
| image = supersymmetry 2x.png
| imagesize = 313x375px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = High-speed collisions at the Baby Park track may support the hypothesis that Daisy is her own evil twin, a theory first suggested by Nintendo in the game Majorana's Mask.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic imagines a "theory of supersymmetric Mario Bros." that merges the theoretical physics concept of {{w|supersymmetry}} (explained [[#Background on subatomic particles|below]]) with another "super" thing, {{w|Super Mario Bros.}}, originally developed for the {{w|Nintendo Entertainment System}} and later the {{w|Super Nintendo Entertainment System|''Super'' Nintendo Entertainment System}} (commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES), two home game consoles popular during Randall's childhood. Mario game characters are equated with certain subatomic particles, with the central protagonists Mario and Luigi (his brother) comprising the center of an atom (proton and neutron).

The "Free Luigi Decay" diagram is a {{w|Feynman diagram}}, a {{w|particle physics}} depiction of interactions between particles. This diagram reinterprets the process of {{w|free neutron decay}}, in which a neutron that is left alone — not part of a nucleus with a proton — is unstable, such that one of its constituent quarks will transform, making a more stable proton, by emitting a W- boson (not shown, or renamed), after around 10 to 30 minutes. The boson will then almost immediately decay into a suitable electron and neutrino. In Free Luigi Decay, the Luigi particle decay leads into there being a Mario, a Peach, and a notably right-handed Daisy, which would imply that this particular Daisy represents a {{w|sterile neutrino}}. The instability of a Luigi particle could be a reference to the fact that Luigi is almost never seen without Mario; decades of Mario games and spinoffs have produced just a few Luigi-only video games, such as ''{{w|Mario Is Missing!}}'' and the ''{{w|List of Luigi video games#Luigi's Mansion series|Luigi's Mansion}}'' series.

The Mario characters and their subatomic particle equivalents:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|-
! Particle !! Symbol !! Type !! Charge !! Mass !! Mario Character !! Notes
|-
| {{w|Proton}}
| p / p+
| Baryon ('uud' quarks)
| +1
| ≲1 {{w|Dalton (unit)|mu}}
| Mario
| The hero-protagonist of a large majority of the series
|-
| {{w|Neutron}}
| n / n⁰
| Baryon ('udd' quarks)
| +0
| ≳1 mu
| Luigi
| Mario's younger brother and deuteragonist of many of the games, as well as the protagonist of a few games
|-
| {{w|Antiproton}} (not involved in the diagram)
| p / p-
| Antibaryon ('uud' quarks)
| -1
| as proton*
| Wario
| Mario's arch-rival, occasional antagonist/anti-hero, protagonist of the ''Wario Land'' series, and major character in the ''WarioWare'' series 
|-
| {{w|Antineutron}} (not involved in the diagram)
| n / n-0
| Antibaryon ('udd' quarks)
| -0
| as neutron*
| Waluigi
| Luigi's rival and Wario's partner, exclusively appearing in spin-off games such as ''Mario Tennis'', ''Mario & Sonic'', ''Mario Kart'', and ''Mario Party'' 
|-
| {{w|Electron}}
| e-
| Lepton (charged)
| -1
| 5.5x10-4 mu
| (Princess) Peach
| Mario's love interest, as well as the "damsel in distress" and/or reward-giver when not a character in her own right
|-
| {{w|Positron}} / Antielectron (not depicted/involved)
| e+
| Antilepton (charged)
| +1
| as electron*

|-
| {{w|Electron Neutrino}}
| νe
| Lepton (uncharged)
| 0
| Assumed >0 (very small*)
| (Princess) Daisy
| Luigi's (rumored) love interest, as well as another "damsel in distress" and/or reward-giver when not a character in her own right
|-
| Electron {{w|Neutrino#Antineutrinos|Antineutrino}} (not depicted, hypothetical)
| νe
| Antilepton (uncharged)
| 0
| as electron neutrino*

|}
<nowiki/>* - to within experimental uncertainty

The Mario-Peach particle relationship is appropriate. Just as Mario is attracted to Princess Peach in the first generation of Mario games, so is the Mario particle (proton) attracted to the Peach particle (electron).

The particle assignments for Peach and Daisy are also appropriate. Just as Princess Peach is often the central character (e.g., needing rescue) with Princess Daisy usually playing a supporting or secondary role, so too is the electron a well-known particle with a significant role in forming atoms and determining chemical properties, while the neutrino is more elusive, playing a less obvious role in the universe.

The title text is a pun on the title of the Nintendo 64 game ''{{w|The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask}}'' and the concept of {{w|Majorana fermion}}, which attempts to reconcile how, while many particles have separate antiparticle counterparts, certain ones do not. Until this is resolved, scientists may depict a theoretical antiparticle in place of a neutrino in order to preserve various total values across the diagram. But scientists do wonder if a neutrino is its own antiparticle, much as they have also previously wondered if {{w|Neutrino oscillation|they also flip their 'flavor'}} as a way to explain certain experimental results.

Baby Park is an oval-shaped race track in the ''{{w|Mario Kart}}'' series and used as a particle collider in the title text, first featured in ''{{w|Mario Kart: Double Dash|Mario Kart: Double Dash!!}}'' on the Nintendo GameCube, and most recently appearing in ''{{w|Mario Kart 8 Deluxe}}'' for the Nintendo Switch. The Baby Park track is unusually short by the series' standards, making collisions between racers more likely than on the other, longer tracks.

This comic was posted shortly after the release of [https://www.gameshub.com/news/news/wapeach-princess-peach-waluigi-creator-2634191/ concept art] from ''Mario Tennis'' (the game where Waluigi debuted) of Wapeach, an "evil" counterpart to Peach which was ultimately scrapped. Under the model depicted in the comic, Wapeach would serve as a positron analogue.

===Background on subatomic particles===
At the atomic level, particle interactions may involve the bulky nucleons (protons and neutrons, these being each a particular triumvirate of quark 'flavors'), electrons (smaller, charged fermions) and various others (such as neutrinos, also fermions, chargeless and often ''nearly'' massless). Sometimes other more exotic/fundamental particles (force-mediating or otherwise transient) are included.

Added within the {{w|standard model}} are the "{{w|antiparticle}}s" that are oppositely charged (or built up of more fundamental antiparticles), and further issues have required extending this further through theories of supersymmetry which further adds counterparts that have alternate '{{w|Spin (physics)|spin}}'s.

The right-handed Daisy (Electron Neutrino) means that Daisy’s direction of spin (in subatomic terms, a measurement which does not now match that of the angular momentum in classical physics which inspired its naming) is the same as the direction of motion. A left-handed Daisy (Electron Neutrino) would have the opposite value.

Certain current understandings of the process require that the electron neutrino be an ''anti''neutrino, but antineutrinos have not so far been sufficiently confirmed to exist, with some theorising that a neutrino can be its own anti-particle (unlike the neutral neutron, composed of charged quarks, which has the similarly neutral antineutron, composed of oppositely charged antiquarks).

==Transcript==
:[List of characters with their heads on the left side and particles with their depictions on the right side.]
:Mario : Proton
:Luigi : Neutron

:Wario : Antiproton
:Waluigi : Antineutron

:Peach : Electron
:Daisy : Electron neutrino

:Free Luigi decay:
:[An illustration of Luigi → Mario + Peach + Daisy (shown with the characters' heads).]
:[Label below Daisy:] (Right-handed)

:[Caption below the panel:]
:The theory of Supersymmetric Mario Bros suggests that each fundamental particle has a Super Nintendo partner.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Mario Kart]]
[[Category:Physics]]

2348: Boat Puzzle

2025-08-19T15:43:53Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2348
| date = August 19, 2020
| title = Boat Puzzle
| image = boat_puzzle.png
| titletext = 'No, my cabbage moths have already started laying eggs in them! Send the trolley into the river!' 'No, the sailing wolf will steal the boat to rescue them!'
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a twist on {{w|Wolf, goat and cabbage problem|an old riddle}}. In the original riddle, a person has to cross a river in a boat that can only hold them and one other object. They have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage that they need to bring across with them, similar to the first panel. If the wolf is left alone with the goat, however, the wolf will eat the goat; and if the goat and cabbage are alone, the goat will eat the cabbage. (The problem can be solved in seven trips.)

However, the comic quickly devolves into surrealism in the later panels as new characters show up, bringing deviations of the original "cabbage", "goat", and "wolf" that add extra layers of complexity to the riddle. [[White Hat]] brings extra wolves and cabbages. [[Black Hat]], in his traditional [[72:_Classhole|classhole]] style, brings {{w|cabbage moth}}s which will infest unsupervised cabbages with destructive larvae, and boat-destroying {{w|termite}}s. How he intends to bring them across the river (or even if he wants to) is unknown, but it brings to mind the parable of {{w|The Scorpion and the Frog}}, where the scorpion stings the frog ferrying it across the river out of instinct. [[Beret Guy]] arrives with a wolf who can operate a boat, who could perhaps serve as a second pilot to expedite the crossing, so long as he is not asked to ferry a goat, and also a goat who eats wolves, possibly in addition to the cabbages. This is unusual,{{cn}} as one would expect from Beret Guy's associates.

The last panel is a reference to the {{w|Trolley_Problem|Trolley Problem}}, a moral test that asks the participant whether they would passively let people in the way of an uncontrollable trolley die or actively divert the trolley to kill a single person standing on a branch of the tracks. The comic gives a twist here too: according to the title text, the characters must choose between stopping the trolley full of wolves with a cushion of cabbages (in which Black Hat's cabbage moths have laid eggs, which he implicitly argues are morally equivalent to "innocent children") or letting it crash into the river (at which point the wolf who can operate a boat will steal the boat to rescue the wolves from the trolley, which will delay the other characters from crossing the river).

The River Crossing puzzle was also mentioned in [[1134: Logic Boat]] and referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]] and [[2684: Road Space Comparison]].

The Trolley Problem was also mentioned in [[1455: Trolley Problem]] and referenced in [[1938: Meltdown and Spectre]].

==Solving the problem==

Unlike typical Logic Boat problems the presence of multiple humans makes finding a solution almost trivial, however trying to determine the solution with the least number of trips could still make the somewhat challenging. Because the set of constraints are both ambiguous and incomplete, it requires the reader to make assumptions that, in turn, will lead to different solutions.

===Reasonable Assumptions===

The following assumptions can be made based on the setup of the problem or are necessary to avoid an unsolvable puzzle.

* '''Cueball is an observer.''' He is set up as an observer there to solve the problem, not pilot the boat or "watch" the cargo.
* '''The boat can only hold two items.''' This is standard in logic boat problems. Groups of insects count as one item.
* '''Black Hat and Beret Guy both want to cross the river with their cargo'''. Neither states that they wish to cross the river like Ponytail and White Hat, but it can be inferred from the setup of the scenario.
* '''The termites will destroy the boat ''after'' crossing.''' Otherwise the problem is unsolvable. This is similar to the {{w|Poncelet–Steiner theorem}}, which shows that any compass-and-straightedge construction can be completed with a "rusty compass", so long as the compass works at least once.
* '''The wolf-eating goat also eats cabbage.''' The wolf-eating constraint adds to the goat's existing constraints.
* '''The sailing wolf follows the command of an adjacent human.''' The alternatives require more assumptions for a solvable puzzle.
* '''The sailing wolf returns the trolley wolves to the near shore.''' The trolley wolves show no indication of wanting to cross the river.
* '''Stopping the trolley destroys all the cabbages.''' Otherwise the event does not affect the logic puzzle.
* '''The pack of wolves from the trolley will eat a human or wolf-eating goat left by themselves.''' Aligns with the spirit of the constraints.
** '''A wolf can protect a human from a pack of wolves'''. A human who is accompanied by one of the wolves who want to cross the river should not count as being "alone" for the purpose of getting eaten by the wolves from the trolley; otherwise, there is no way to get everyone across.

===The Trolley===

The trolley problem creates two versions of the puzzle, one where the cabbages are destroyed, the other where they are not and a wolf rescue takes place. The ethical issues associated with the trolley problem are independent from the logic of how to cross the river.

===Solutions===

* General

With four humans involved, the first trip across can bring an extra human who then can guard the cargo as it is brought across in arbitrary order with care being taken not to have predator and prey alone together at the end. The termites must be last cargo ferried across as they will destroy the boat.

* The Trolley is Stopped

The cabbages are destroyed. The second to last trip brings across the last human and the last trip brings across the termites.

* The Trolley is not Stopped

A pack of wolves is now on the near bank. The last human is brought across in the third to last trip, followed by the last wolf and lastly the termites.

===Missing Information===

No information is provided about whether or not the humans all get along with each other and this is left as a possible exercise for the reader given all of the characters' varying personality traits. However the sailing wolf would likely come in handy if certain humans (ex Black Hat, Beret Guy) cannot be left alone. It is also probable that certain characters might not serve in the capacity as a cargo guard.

It is also unclear if humans can leave with their cargo once all the cargo has been brought across. This could complicate matters if a far side "guard" leaves early.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Ponytail are standing on the bank of a river. There is a boat in the river. A goat and wolf are also on the riverbank, and Ponytail is holding a cabbage.]
:Ponytail: I need to cross the river. I have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage.
:Cueball: Hmm.

:[White Hat appears, accompanied by two wolves and pulling a wagon full of cabbages.]
:Cueball: OK, here's what-
:White Hat: Hi, I also need to cross. I have two wolves and 100 cabbages.

:[Black Hat arrives, surrounded by a cloud of flying creatures and carrying a jar of bugs under his arm. Beret Guy follows with another wolf and goat on leashes.]
:Black Hat: I have 50 cabbage moths and 2,000 boat-destroying termites.
:Beret Guy: I have a wolf that can operate a boat, and a goat that eats wolves.

:[The fourth panel is a zoomed-out shot, where everything but the sky appears black.]

:[A trolley speeds in, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. A person is standing on the front, and many ears are barely visible above the seats.]

:Cueball: Hang on, I need to make a spreadsheet.
:Trolley operator: Look out!
:Trolley operator: My wolf-filled trolley is out of control and can only be stopped by a cushion of cabbages!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

1602: Linguistics Club

2025-08-19T15:34:44Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1602
| date = November 11, 2015
| title = Linguistics Club
| image = linguistics_club.png
| titletext = If that's too easy, you could try joining Tautology Club, which meets on the date of the Tautology Club meeting.
}}

==Explanation==
A "{{Wiktionary|sesquiannual}}" meeting is one that occurs one and a half times every year; equivalently, 3 times every 2 years, or once every 8 months (this could be taken even more literally by having one meeting during each year, and another meeting which spans midnight every other New Year's Eve, thus having a one and a half meetings each year).

The term comes from the Latin prefix "{{Wiktionary|sesqui-}}", which means "one and a half", and the root word "{{Wiktionary|annual}}", which equates to "…times per one year". The root word "annual" is commonly confused with the suffix "{{Wiktionary|-ennial}}", meaning "one time per x years." In particular, “sesquiannual” should not be confused with “{{Wiktionary|sesquiennial}}”, meaning "one time per one and a half years" or every one and a half years (18 months). Note that the Wiktionary entry on sesquiannual has both meanings listed – both 8 month and 18 months intervals. This is an extension of the common confusion between "biannual," meaning "twice a year", and "biennial", meaning "once every two years". Compare with the {{w|Sesquicentennial Exposition}} celebrating the first 1½ centuries of the United States, and "sesqui''bi''centennial", being 'half and two' hundred years, i.e. 250 (even though it should properly be sestercentennial, based on the Latin {{Wiktionary|sestertius}}, meaning "(two and) half of a third").

The joke suggests that only a competent linguist could understand the word “sesquiannual”. One reason for this is that the prefix “sesqui-” is rare, so those who know its meaning are likely to be linguists. Another is that a competent linguist should be able to distinguish between “sesquiannual” and “sesquiennial”.

If you understand this then you can join the '''Linguistics Club'''. While most organizations attempt to ensure that the schedule of their meetings are clear to participants so that everyone will attend, the club in the comic deliberately instills an ambiguity for those outside their target demographic. Their membership will thus swell with the desired cognoscenti who remain unconfused, and maybe also a few lucky guessers.

Once the applicant correctly understands the frequency of meetings, presumably they are told at least one meeting date in the cycle so that an attendance can be made.

Regarding the title text, a {{w|tautology (rhetoric)|tautology}} is a statement that is true (or self-evident) because of its logical form, such as "all birds are birds" or "A = A." As such, the statement "the Tautology Club meets on the date of the Tautology Club's meeting" is itself tautological.

While the membership requirement for the Linguistics Club is merely to know the intended frequency, the Tautology Club's stipulation appears to require an eligible member to derive a valid meeting date from thin air without any clue at all (and no indication that there is even a regular cycle of any kind). This would definitely be more of a challenge,{{cn}} unless you're particularly good at using the [[Principle of Explosion]].

The title text has a connection to [[703: Honor Societies]] in which Cueball creates a Tautology Club where tautologies are used in practically every spoken sentence.

==Transcript==
:[Megan talks to Ponytail.]
:Megan: You should come to our Linguistics Club's sesquiannual meeting.
:Megan: Membership is open to anyone who can figure out how often we meet.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]

700: Complexion

2025-08-19T15:30:47Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 700
| date = February 10, 2010
| title = Complexion
| image = complexion.png
| titletext = Why do all my attempts at science end with me being punched by Batman? (P.S. benzoyl peroxide soap works great.)
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] suffers from {{w|acne}}. Like many others afflicted with the same condition, he uses skin care products designed to treat acne. Unlike most other people, he does his own controlled trial by using them on only one half of his face and measuring the effects; the blemishes on the treated half of his face are noticeably diminished, while the untreated half remains the same, allowing him to isolate the effects of the cream versus the effects of time.

He convinces his friends to try the same experiment with different treatments so they can find out which works the best. In order to properly randomize the trials, he flips a coin. However, because half of his face is "scarred" (with acne blemishes), he's flipping a coin, and appears to be threatening someone with acid, he's mistaken for the Batman villain {{w|Two-Face}}. (Two-Face flips a coin to decide whether his victims will live or die, and was badly burned by acid on exactly one half of his face.) Cueball is subsequently punched by Batman; {{tvtropes|NoodleIncident|the title-text implies that this has happened before}}.

{{w|Salicylic acid}} and {{w|benzoyl peroxide}} are both chemicals known for their skin care effects (salicylic acid in particular is also used to treat {{w|psoriasis}}).

==Trivia==
The version of Batman depicted appears to be Christian Bale's character from the Dark Knight trilogy thanks to the wrist blades and unique cowl shape. Two-Face appeared in the second film, which was released two years prior to this comic.

==Transcript==
:I get frustrated trying to judge whether acne creams are having any effect. In the spirit of a controlled trial, I used one on just half my face for a few weeks.
:[A graph shows pimples vs. time, with two lines: one remains steady, and one is declining.]

:It was cool seeing the effects so clearly, so I got some friends to try different treatments in an impromptu study.
:[Cueball looks in a mirror, sees a half-pimpled face, and applies a treatment.]

:[Cueball is talking to Ponytail and Megan, each with some pimples also.]
:Cueball: Okay, you try the salicylic acid first.
:Ponytail: Wait, we should randomize the trials. Got a coin?

:Cueball: Okay, call it. Heads, she gets the-
:(Off-panel): YOU!

:[Batman runs into frame and punches Cueball. The coin goes flying.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Line graphs]]

Talk:3130: Predicament

2025-08-19T15:23:59Z

CalibansCreations:

Those are some pretty dang tall stilts ... oh yeah, and F1RST P0ST! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 20:59, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

There's a not entirely tenuous link with [[1660: Captain Speaking]], methinks... [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.228|92.23.2.228]] 21:31, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

Is unlocking the phone with stilts even possible? Aren't phone touchscreens based on electrical conductivity? What are these stilts made of? [[Special:Contributions/160.39.41.182|160.39.41.182]] 21:33, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:Ah, I just added a paragraph about that! Great minds think alike/fools never differ...
:Probably capacitative (which is what I linked), and indeed I was thinking that wooden/other-structural-material wouldn't get any response unless you put a pad of special material (such as seen on the tips of "iPhone gloves") that emulates the electrical qualities of bare skin. Which is probably not what you usually get, there, even if they're given "little rubber boots/soles" for grip purposes. [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.228|92.23.2.228]] 21:44, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

So... is there a special procedure for getting off stilts? If so, it should be mentioned in the explanation. [[Special:Contributions/2A01:36D:104:47E3:7D15:7369:B5C7:C18D|2A01:36D:104:47E3:7D15:7369:B5C7:C18D]] 22:56, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:Gravity being what it is, I always found it easier to get down than to stay up. {{unsigned ip|98.5.115.49|23:39, 18 August 2025 (UTC)}}
::I think the trick is getting down without hurting yourself. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 04:59, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
:You don’t get down from stilts, you get down from an elephant! [[Special:Contributions/2607:FB90:8B0C:94F1:95A5:B4D0:D3A3:4420|2607:FB90:8B0C:94F1:95A5:B4D0:D3A3:4420]] 06:54, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::I'm sure you could get down from {{w|stilt}}s if you really wanted to. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:48, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::Heh. Nice! [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 14:34, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

Why did he make this comic? Is he running out of ideas? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 15:23, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals

2025-08-16T21:43:55Z

CalibansCreations: /* Pages */

<noinclude>{{Community links}}

{|-
|valign="top" width="100%"|[[File:Crystal Clear app ktip.png|left|120px]] <big><big>Proposals</big></big>

Place for ideas and suggestions to improve the wiki's design and organization on general issues can be incubated for later submission for consensus discussion. Be sure to check whether your proposal has already been submitted. {{AddNewSection|Page=Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals|Text=(+post)}}
|}</noinclude>

==ARCHIVED DISCUSSIONS==
<div class="plainlinks" style="background:#edf6ff; border:1px solid #a7d7f9; margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:100%; font-size: 120%; padding: 0.5ex; text-align: center;">Most of the discussions on this page have been archived. The archive is available at '''[[explain xkcd talk:Community portal/Proposals]]'''.</div>

== Removing unnecessary 3-comic categories? ==

I count eight categories on explainxkcd that satisfy the following properties: 1. They have only three comics in them. 2. They aren't really a comic series; they just feature or reference a comic theme. 3. They aren't Featuring some person or character. In short, they seem to have no real reason to exist. (They're [[:Category:Spice_Girls|t]][[:Category:Wind_turbine|h]]e[[:Category:Ender%27s_Game|s]]o[[:Category:FernGully|n]][[:Category:Giraffes|e]]s.) So my proposal: remove them. -[[User:Account|Account]] ([[User talk:Account|talk]]) 20:37, 9 November 2019 (UTC)
:In addition, there are [[:Category:Sketches|t]][[:Category:BSD|h]][[:Category:Emacs|i]][[:Category:Identity_Theft|r]][[:Category:Katamari_Damacy|t]][[:Category:Super_Bowl|e]][[:Category:The_Matrix|e]][[:Category:Tournament_bracket|n]][[:Category:Traffic_light| ]][[:Category:Trebuchet|m]][[:Category:Wingsuit|o]][[:Category:Euler_diagrams|r]][[:Category:Pedantic|e]] four-comic categories that also seem rather in need of deletion.
:: Shouldn't the community at least have some time to expand on these categories, in case they're currently incomplete? For example, [[:Category:The Matrix]] is on your list and now contains 7 strips, and [[:Category:Tournament bracket]] got its 5th entry after your post. Even if they're not, a theme category can save some typing in the search box (and is probably also cheaper in terms of server resources than all the searches it'll eliminate). [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 22:43, 21 November 2019 (UTC)
:::So what do you think the limit should be for categories? Should we create a category when two comics mention the same topic? Three? --[[User:Account|Account]] ([[User talk:Account|talk]]) 16:28, 22 November 2019 (UTC)
::::Three seems reasonable to me, and I could see a case being made for two. Categories aren't expensive. [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 00:17, 23 November 2019 (UTC)

== New transcript ==

The transcripts in the comic pages are quite inconsistent, especially in the brackets where you have to describe what happens in the panels. If I understand correctly, the transcripts are for people to copy the text in the comic without having to type them out. If that's the case, then I think propose a new transcript. This transcript should have the comic with the words erased, and then the copy-pasteable words on top of that. Such a transcript would have no room for error, which would let anyone contribute to a seamless transcript.
:The aim of the transcript is to provide a text-only version of the comic that would allow someone who is visually impaired to use a text-to-speech converter to understand the comic and also in a machine readable format for searching (see the [[explain_xkcd:Editor_FAQ#What_is_the_format_of_the_transcript_section?|Editor FAQ]]). Anything using mark-up, images or anything other than plain text will interfere with this and so should be avoided in the transcript. [[User:A(l)Chemist|AlChemist]] ([[User talk:A(l)Chemist|talk]]) 18:22, 23 November 2019 (UTC)

== Add title text and heading to transcript section ==

It has always bothered me that the transcript did not include the title text since it contributes so much to the humor of the comics. Also, it looks to me like the comic heading is sometimes included as part of the transcript and sometimes left out. I checked the previous proposals and did not see any discussion of these issues. Please consider having a policy going forward of including the heading and the title text within the transcript. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 22:43, 1 January 2020 (UTC)
:To my understanding (and also others, see discussion directly above) one of the main points of the transcript is to make the comics searchable, the other is, to make it readable when images are not an option. In both cases the comic's name and the title text mentioned above and below the image should be sufficient. I personally think this convention is fine. [[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 08:28, 2 January 2020 (UTC)

::Pardon me -- (and, '''<big>''thanks'' for your patience</big>''') -- if this is too off-topic (/slash "boring") or [[wikt:TMI|TMI]] (see {{w|Information overload#Web accuracy}} e.g.), '''...OR''' if this should have been posted elsewhere ...instead of here.

::IMHO the term '''"title text"''' is a misnomer. I think the term is used to refer to the little (or, '''BIG!''') pop-up -- (kinda like what is sometimes called a <code>"tooltip"</code>, but ... aren't those usually pretty '''small?''') -- that appears when one "hovers" his mouse [pointer] over an XKCD cartoon. ...at least, according to '''the "Talk:" page section''' [[Template talk:comic#The template field called .22titletext.22]] which was added almost 3 years ago. I think that calling it a <code>"BONUS text"</code> would be even better than calling it a "caption". However, [to me], '''either one''' of those terms would make sense ''WAY'' more than calling it a '''"title text"''' ... for reasons which are stated in the [Template] "Talk:" page section mentioned (and ... '''LINKED TO''') above. '''<big>Any Comments? . . ''' *** Thanks! *** for listening!</big> --[[User:Mike Schwartz|Mike Schwartz]] ([[User talk:Mike Schwartz|talk]]) 08:57, 7 April 2020 (UTC)

:::Hi Mike, I see your point, and yes, something like "bonus text" might be a bit more descriptive. But FWIW, I think the reason it's called "title text" is because that's the text that appears in the <code>[https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_global_title.asp title]</code> attribute of the HTML <code>[https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_img.asp <img>]</code> tag of the comic's image on the xkcd.com site. For example, at https://xkcd.com/2364/, the code for the comic image looks like this:
<pre>
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/parity_conservation.png"
title="Bloody Mary is made of antimatter. It explains so much."
alt="Parity Conservation"
srcset="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/parity_conservation_2x.png 2x">
</pre>
:::In there, you can see the title text as <code>title="Bloody Mary is made of antimatter. It explains so much."</code> See [[title text|here]] for more explanation about that, and some discussions about it [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Miscellaneous#Common mistake|here]]. – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 03:11, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

== Wikipedia links. ==

I think the links to Wikipedia should have symbols, so it's not confusing which ones lead to other comic pages.

== It's time to remove the HTTPS lock icon ==

Explainxkcd should do the same thing that browser makers have done: treat HTTPS as the modern standard, and mark HTTP as the deviation instead.

Here are appropriate replacement icons:
* https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unlock_Icon_Red_(32_bit).png
* https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unlock_Icon_Red_(4_bit).gif
- [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 12:49, 16 May 2020 (UTC)

== New page for Randall's regular column in the New York Times ==
Randall Munroe has been writing and illustrating a monthly science column in the New York Times. I suggest a page in this Wiki, indexing those columns. For some reason the New York Times itself does not provide such an index. If they ever do add one, we would still have a topic article here, similar to the one we have for the What If blog, that could link to their index. --[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 00:47, 11 June 2020 (UTC)
------
=== New York Times column: Good Question ===

'''Good Question''' is a more-or-less monthly column written and illustrated by '''[[Randall|Randall Munroe]]''' in the '''[https://www.nytimes.com/section/science Science section of the New York Times]''', beginning in November 2019. The columns give serious answers to science questions, in Munroe's inimitable style.

The New York Times website ordinarily requires registration, and its content is always protected by copyright. Most particularly it is ''not'' under [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License] the way [[xkcd]] is. The good news: anyone can register for a free digital subscription to the New York Times, with access to 'recent' Science articles among some others, but outside of that only five articles per month. See [https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/info/help/freesearch.html Free Articles].

Unlike for many of their other regular columnists, the New York Times does not provide a clickable link either on the byline '''Randall Munroe''' or on the column title '''Good Question'''. The following tables are intended to correct that omission.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ New York Times columns ''by'' Randall Munroe
! Column !! Headline !! Byline !! Date
|-
! SCIENCE
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/science/what-makes-a-red-sky-at-night-and-at-morning.html What Makes a Red Sky at Night (and at Morning)]
| Randall Munroe
| Aug. 13, 2019
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/science/randall-munroe-moon.html If I Touched the Moon, What Would It Feel Like?]
| Randall Munroe
| Nov. 12, 2019
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://nytimes.com/2019/12/10/science/earth-size-mass.html Is Earth Getting Bigger Over Time?]
| Randall Munroe
| Dec. 10, 2019
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/science/human-running-speed-quadruped.html How Fast Can a Human Run?]
| Randall Munroe
| Jan. 21, 2020 / Feb. 7, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/science/worst-odor-smell-thioacetone.html What’s the World’s Worst Smell?]
| Randall Munroe
| Feb. 17, 2020 / Feb. 26, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://nytimes.com/2020/03/10/science/question-randall-munroe-bobsled-gravity.html What if Galileo Had Dropped Bobsleds From the Tower of Pisa?]
| Randall Munroe
| March 10, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/science/pulsar-xkcd-munroe-stars.html How’s the View From a Spinning Star?]
| Randall Munroe
| April 7, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/science/traffic-barrier-rice-krispies.html What’s the Sweetest, Crispiest Way to Stay Safe in a Car Crash?]
| Randall Munroe
| May 11, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/science/randall-munroe-question-eggs.html Can You Boil an Egg Too Long?]
| Randall Munroe
| June 9, 2020
|-
! GOOD QUESTION
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/science/neutrinos-snowball-randall-munroe.html Could You Make a Snowball of Neutrinos?]
| Randall Munroe
| July 7, 2020
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ New York Times columns ''about'' Randall Munroe
! Column !! Headline !! Byline !! Date
|-
! LINK BY LINK
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/business/media/26link.html This Is Funny Only if You Know Unix]
| Noam Cohen
| May 26, 2008
|-
! BITS
| [https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/techs-favorite-cartoonist-enters-mainstream-publishing/ Tech’s Favorite Cartoonist Enters Mainstream Publishing]
| Noam Cohen
| March 14, 2014
|-
! SCIENCE
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/science/randall-munroe-the-creator-of-xkcd-explains-complexity-through-absurdity.html He’s Glad You Asked]
| Kenneth Chang
| Nov. 3, 2014
|-
! BOOKS
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/24/books/randall-munroe-explains-it-all-for-us.html Randall Munroe Explains It All for Us]
| Alexandra Alter
| Nov. 23, 2015
|-
! SCIENCE
| [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/22/science/randall-munroe-xkcd-science-textbook.html Randall Munroe, XKCD Creator, Goes Back to High School]
| Kenneth Chang
| March 21, 2016
|-
! SCIENCE
| [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/18/science/document-Munroepages.html Randall Munroe of ‘XKCD’ Explains the Human Body, Elevators and the Saturn 5]
| (Actual pages from '''{{w|Thing_Explainer|Thing Explainer}}''')
| March 21, 2016
|}
------

: Looks goods to me, you should probably make that an article of its own, maybe [[New York Times: Good Question]]? --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)

: {{notice|I went and added the page, here: [[New York Times: Good Question]] --[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 02:42, 11 July 2020 (UTC)}}

== Bring back the {{rw}} template! please ==

Can someone restore the <nowiki>{{rw}}</nowiki> template? I insist on its existence. I further assure that it will be of much use. It was deleted by an admin. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 06:10, 29 September 2020 (UTC)
:nm, did it myself. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 04:15, 1 October 2020 (UTC)

== Link to high-resolution images? ==

The wiki includes the "standard" resolution images, but would it be worth adding a link to the higher-resolution image on each page? It appears that this could be automated in at least a strong majority of cases: if the standard image is ''xyzzy.png'', the hi-res one is ''xyzzy'''_2x'''.png'' . [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 22:10, 1 October 2020 (UTC)
:Please stop adding this to the explanations. This is not needed. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:56, 6 October 2020 (UTC)
::The high-resolution image was quite useful in parsing the "Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies" comic. I'm not convinced that the hi-res images are commonly known. I've been reading xkcd for about 7 years and hadn't heard about them until I stumbled across a mention of them in one of the Discussions here. What is the harm in having a one-line ''link'' here? -- not, I emphasize, the actual image, which would take up a great deal of space. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 17:00, 7 October 2020 (UTC)
:::I didn't know about the high-resolution images either. While it might be a bit repetitive to add a full sentence to every comic's explanation, I agree that having ''some'' easy way to link to the hi-res image on xkcd.com could be handy. For example, maybe a "hi-res" or "2x" button before the "Next >" button above the comic in [[Template:comic]]? That's a bit extreme, but I added an example template, derived from the existing [[Template:comic]], to demonstrate how that could work:
:::* Template: [[User:Yfmcpxpj/Template:comic 2x test]]
:::* Demo: [[User:Yfmcpxpj/Sandbox#2x comic template test]]
:::With those changes to the template, for all comics as of [[1084]] the "2x" button would automatically appear. (No need to go back and change all comics.) This assumes the images hosted on explainxkcd generally have the same filename as on xkcd.com, but there are optional parameters to override the filename or omit the "2x" button altogether for specific exceptions. I'm not suggesting we actually go ahead and implement this; but if there was enough interest, an admin would be needed anyway, to make the changes within [[Template:comic]], which is currently protected. – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 23:25, 11 October 2020 (UTC)
::::FWIW, I like this. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 20:25, 12 October 2020 (UTC)
:::::My proposal is that a bot should add it automatically to the description of each comic image when available so that it does not take up space anywhere and is easily accessible. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 13:49, 8 February 2021 (UTC)

== Proposal to replace the top section with this... ==

I have come up with a new design for the top section of all community portals...
It’s located here... https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=explain_xkcd:Sandbox&oldid=199882 — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 14:15, 15 October 2020 (UTC)
<hr/>
{|-
|valign="top" width="80%"|[[File:Crystal Clear app ktip.png|left|120px]] <big><big>Proposals</big></big>

Ideas to improve the wiki's design and organization can be added here. {{AddNewSection|Page=Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals|Text=(+post)}}

|valign="top" xalign="right" width="100%"|[[File:Crystal Clear app package settings blue.png|50px|link=https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Technical]][[File:Crystal Clear teamwork.png|50px|link=https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Coordination]][[File:Mop.svg|50px|link=https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests]][[File:Internet-group-chat.svg|50px|link=https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Miscellaneous]]
|}

== I made a template for welcoming new users. ==

{{Welcome}}
<hr/>
Any ideas? Suggestions? Objections? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 16:35, 13 December 2020 (UTC)
: this is now in at the top of the Main Page --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:38, 5 February 2021 (UTC)
::Why? This looks like a template intended for (newly created) UserPages. And it replaces interesting data from the frontpage with something not useful for casual visitors (or even non-casual lurkers). I'd undo this change in an instant if I had authority to do so. ((The template looks good, to clarify, just obviously not intended to be in that location.)) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.154|141.101.76.154]] 01:36, 6 February 2021 (UTC)
:::[[User: Jeff|Jeff]] is the owner of explainxkcd you dingus. [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 13:46, 18 June 2021 (UTC)

== comic groups ==

i think we should have a tech problems list of comics ( as there are quite a few)
:We already have a category for it. [[:Category:Cueball_Computer_Problems]]. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 13:44, 8 February 2021 (UTC)

== Archiving interactive comics? ==

Has the possibility of archiving interactive comics been discussed? Of course, users can view them on the original website, but it’d be nice to have a working backup of sorts, especially considering some of the interactive comics haven’t aged too well in terms of compatibility or support (e.g. Umwelt displays a blank page for me.)

It probably wouldn’t be possible to do so directly from mediawiki, but I’d be happy to experiment with cloning a few of them on another server, or as simple PHP pages that could be embedded, if it would help. Most of the interactive comics appear to be implemented mostly in client side JS anyways, so replicating them shouldn’t be too bad.

[[User:Tague|Tague]] ([[User talk:Tague|talk]]) 13:12, 29 April 2021 (UTC)

== Replace head shots of characters in the wiki with these new and high quality head shots! ==

https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/n2u28r/i_took_head_shots_of_the_reccuring_characters_and/

These are not only upscaled, but are all squares and have all the features of the characters. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:33, 2 May 2021 (UTC)
:I think you should do it (because higher quality = better) :] [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 13:42, 18 June 2021 (UTC)
::There seemed to be no objections, so I went ahead and did it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 12:40, 21 November 2021 (UTC)

== Cleaning up [[Special:WantedTemplates|Special: Wanted Templates]] ==

I decided to take a look at the list of wanted templates. Imagine my surprise when I see that a lot of the templates wanted were mis-capitalizations or misspellings of existing templates. I hereby request permission to create redirect pages for some of the most popular errors.
I intend to do five, wait a week, and do another five as to not spam the wiki. I will not begin for a week, at which point I will only proceed if nobody has said no OR a moderator has said yes. May I proceed? [[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|{)|(}]][[User:Quillathe_Siannodel|Quill]][[Special:Contributions/Quillathe_Siannodel|{)|(}]] 11:34, 15 May 2021 (UTC)

== Knit Cap ==
Sometimes Knit cap has long hair, sometimes short. Is Knit Cap meant to be a male character that sometimes has long hair, or is Knit Cap sometimes female? I want to clear this up before I finish editing [[1350: Lorenz]]. [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 13:40, 18 June 2021 (UTC)
:Hm, in the 'Enemy Pikachu used theft' scene in [[1350: Lorenz]], Knit Cap's hair looks merely slightly unkempt. From this, I will assume that Knit Cap just sometimes has long hair and is always male. [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 13:10, 21 June 2021 (UTC)
::Ok, the official transcripts say that Knit Cap is 'A guy in a knit cap'. I will take that to mean that Knit Cap is definitely male.

== We still need to complete some explanations like this one: ==

I think should change the banner shown at the top of every page to show a comic that is still incomplete, like Hoverboard or something. [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 21:32, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

== Update MediaWiki ==
explainxkcd is running MediaWiki 1.30.0, which reached end-of-life in June 2019. There are likely security issues because of this, so please update MediaWiki to the latest version (or LTS) using the instructions here https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Upgrading [[User:Cam1170|Cam1170]] ([[User talk:Cam1170|talk]]) 19:41, 26 September 2021 (UTC)
:It seems like the mysql is too outdated for the upgrade [[User:Starstar|Starstar]] ([[User talk:Starstar|talk]]) 17:37, 26 November 2021 (UTC)
::Upgrade MySQL then[[User:Aaron Liu|Aaron Liu]] ([[User talk:Aaron Liu|talk]]) 03:16, 20 July 2022 (UTC)
Does anybody know how to contact an admin for this? I have no clue. [[User:Cam1170|Cam1170]] ([[User talk:Cam1170|talk]]) 03:25, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

== Allow Users to Edit their own talk page if not auto confimed ==

I can edit this page, but I can't create my own talk page! [[User:Starstar|Starstar]] ([[User talk:Starstar|talk]]) 17:34, 26 November 2021 (UTC)

== Upgrade Icons ==

The icons look quite old fashion (the ones on the sidebar and the ones above the editing text area), could they be replaced? [[User:Starstar|Starstar]] ([[User talk:Starstar|talk]]) 23:07, 26 November 2021 (UTC)
:They probably could be, but changing icons the moment they're not absolutely cutting-edge just means using new icons that are as easily edged-out (as tastes change yet again), meanwhile annoying those who prefered the first set and rather wouldn't see a revolving door of ever-evolving aesthetics.
:If I had a vote, I'd say keep the simple glyphs we're used to. If any are not totally obvious (perhaps some would not be, without the text captions) consider revising, but I think you'll get less agreement on what new images to use than that which would advocate the retention of the current ones.
:Alternately, it would definitely be on-theme to find Randall-drawn illustrations to replace them all. But the constraints of adapting (say) any particular stick-figure-world depiction of randonmess to ''meaningfully'' replace the current Random Page icon (at the same scale!) might be less than optimal.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.57|172.70.162.57]] 01:08, 27 November 2021 (UTC)

== Make searchbar not case-sensitive ==

The way the search bar is currently set, it only suggests comic links when what is being typed is capitalized ("Assigning Numbers" rather than "assigning numbers" for instance). Would be nice if we could make it not case-sensitive :D [[User:Char Latte49|Wielder of the Staple Gun]] ([[User talk:Char Latte49|talk]]) 02:48, 27 April 2022 (UTC)
:Good idea. [[User:Marethyu|⟨Winter is coming⟩ Marethyu]] ([[User talk:Marethyu|talk]]) 17:46, 5 May 2022 (UTC)

== Do not allow ordinary users to edit redirects that are just numbers ==

This overrides the default page you're sent to when you check a comic; e.g. recently a vandal edited the page entitled "2614" so it overrode the actual page, [[2614: 2]] on the main page.
:The problem would be when creating a new page and the overrides are needed... [[User:Marethyu|⟨Winter is coming⟩ Marethyu]] ([[User talk:Marethyu|talk]]) 17:48, 5 May 2022 (UTC)

== ExplainXKCD discord (or other platform)? ==

I'm just saying if we had instant messages, pings etc. there would be a lot faster reaction to vandals.
The community portal is hard to get attention from and comments are all very well and good but conversations on Discord could get very quick response, and people could request edits, organise page re-writing etc.
Idk if we can get "official" backing by anyone high up but we could make one anyways?
:The problem with platforms like Discord or others is that we can't guarantee that everyone has access to them; on the wiki, anyone can edit, while some people may not have access to discord or such. A possible solution would be having a sort of service built into the wiki, but not sure how that might be done. Besides, this is a wiki, not an xkcd chat site. This is a good idea, though. [[User:Marethyu|⟨Winter is coming⟩ Marethyu]] ([[User talk:Marethyu|talk]]) 17:43, 5 May 2022 (UTC)
::Anyone can create a discord account like anyone can create an account on this wiki. You don't even need a dedicated client/app as it can run in browser. Just like the wiki. Just my two cents. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 11:28, 20 May 2022 (UTC)
:::Some user may not wish anyone to be able to contact them outside this wiki. You do not need an acount to edit this wiki... [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:14, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

== So, I got a question about transcripts. ==

A lot of comics show links (e.g.: all the ones with a drawing of wikipedia on it), and the transcripts don't really have a standard. In the transcript, should it be an actual link or just blue text or what? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.52|162.158.79.52]] 15:03, 2 June 2022 (UTC)Bumpf
:I'd say that if the linked thing (presuming it's a real linkable target!) is linked in the Explanation, it doesn't need to be (re)linked in the ostensibly flat-and-descriptive Transcript.
:And I know that some Transcripts are hypertext formatted to emulate the thing they are transcribed from (whether bolded, enbiggened, sub-/superscripted and and/or given the hue) but maybe ''primarily'' the "<code>[:Text that describes the text]</code>" should be explaining the details, in case the screen-reader (or text-searching algorithm grepping the Transcript text for "green text" or "superscript" instances can't quite work it out from the various style-tags that can be applied to that effect in so many an various ways.
:But this is IMO, I don't know if there's a specific policy about it, but it is how I've seen it vaguely applied... Not everywhere quite so consistently, though. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.128|172.70.91.128]] 20:28, 2 June 2022 (UTC)
::We try to keep links and explanations out of the transcript. The link and the explanation goes in the explanation section above. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:12, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

== Use 2X Images ==

Apparently xkcd.com provides double-sized versions of almost every comic if you add '''_2x''' to the end of the image name. For instance,

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/watches.png

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/watches_2x.png

Since we are in 2022 and computers can load high-resolution images just fine, and they are easier to read, I propose that this website should use the provided double-sized images. Really, I think Randall ought to be doing this himself as well. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.18.107|172.68.18.107]] 12:22, 17 August 2022 (UTC)

:While I agree with using the higher quality images which are default on xkcd.com for many people, there has been [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Link_to_high-resolution_images.3F discussion] about this issue already. At the moment, the consensus seems to be to continue using the 'standard' size to 'use less space,' and instead link to the higher quality image on the image page. —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 14:35, 17 August 2022 (UTC)

::I think I may have mentioned it on that link (or similar), but often when the 2x image is used (or even an unwise too wide image/unbreakable-line-of-content) the explainxkcd site cannot sensibly handle it and it forces the default 'page width' of stuff into a zoomed out narrower column to the left (including the margin-line normally inset a dozen or so pixels in from the right) so that browser-window can display the whole of this wide element.
::While "saving space" does apply to server resources and viewer download bandwidth/quotas (e.g.[https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/unreliable_connection.png 53kb] vs [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/unreliable_connection_2x.png 109kb]) may seem insignificant, screen-space can be badly hit by this.
::The motherlode xkcd site has code behind it to (usually?) serve the right image for the right displays, but explainxkcd isn't currently equipped to do the same choose-and-provide (which would need ''both'' images uploaded to it and a revised {{template|comic}} implementation, once we work out the method it could use). And I've never seen any case where the 'low quality' comic is conversely too small and narrow to appreciate (though occasionally the larger one reveals minor drawing details that have been obscured by the downscaling), just when the _2x one makes everything ''else'' too small.
::...this may not apply to everyone's browser implementation, but it definitely happens, and consistently, on my usual Chrome and/or Firefox on Windows and/or Android platforms (according to which system I happen to be on at the time). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.147|172.70.162.147]] 21:20, 17 August 2022 (UTC)
:::ExplainXKCD actually does have the capability to do this. For example, see [[1079:_United_Shapes]]. It generates multiple images, automatically choosing one based on screen size (similar to how xkcd.com does it). The bot could use the `imagesize` parameter to keep the image within the page's width by using the 'standard' image size. This does add a button labeled "click to enlarge," but if that is annoying, the comic template can be modified to hide that button if specified.
:::Here is what it might look like:
:::{{cot}}
{{User:Theusaf/Template:comic_2x
| number = 2647
| date = July 18, 2022
| title = Capri Suns
| image = capri_suns_2x.png
| titletext = [As security is dragging me away] "Come on, at least I didn't make the mistake in the other direction!"
| imagesize = 315x317px
| noexpand = true
}}
{{cob}}
:::which is clearer than the original comic page and the same size. —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 05:20, 18 August 2022 (UTC)
::::As specificaly implemented above, I certainly see no immediate problem (need to check across machines/devices), but I suspect that part of the mechanism here is the "imagesize = 315x317px", which seems like it would need (albeit by the page-create bot, algorithm8cally) to be tailored to the 'input' image, not always in this ratio). I'm not technically conversant with the nature of your back-end scripting and doubtless it's all possible (scripts can do almost anything... once you know that they (may) need to do them and rewritten them to catch all the contingencies ;) ), but I don't know know if that's something you've accounted for (e.g. test with a three/four-panel wide comic, or the Earth Temperature Timeline or whatever, and see if it can facilitate them all nicely). Not to mention that if theusafBOT goes offline, the manual-add instructions (as used prior to your replacing the prior functioning bot, for which I thank you) also need this extra step of user involvement to be done, whereas usually the fallback manual method needed little thought in this direction (or indeed however much carbon or silicon there is in the 'brain' involved) except for exceptional circumstances or those rare prior slip-ups by Randall.
::::I'm just going through the first obvious issue (to me), didn't mean to concentrate so many words on just this before even checking everything else! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.80|172.70.91.80]] 09:15, 18 August 2022 (UTC)
:::::Basically, on the backend, the bot will fetch both the small and the large images, and measure the size of the small image, which is what it will use for the <code>imagesize</code>. I have actually used this system in the past for this bot, but was told to revert it due to the "click comic to enlarge" text. As for if the bot goes offline, there is no problem with falling back to the small image, and if editors want to, I can also provide instructions for using the large image. I'm mostly just waiting to see what others think about this. Are there any other problems to consider? —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 14:44, 18 August 2022 (UTC)

== I'm making an App that collects web comics ==

My original idea was to use the rss feed present on xkcd, and other webcomic websites, but now im starting to wonder if there was a way to make a better service, that allowed users to maybe look at older comics, and explanations and such as well, and thats how i happened to come across explainxkcd.com. The RSS Feed for this website, would be pretty helpful, if it were like reddit's but apparently, the rss feed is only maintained for the home page. I was wondering if you guys provided that data through an API or something? Also are there wikis for other famous comics like this one? Any other suggestions and ideas for the app are welcome 🙌🙌.

== Comics edited after their publication ==

many more comics have been changed than are in Category:Comics edited after their publication ! please add them (i already have done two i remember off the top of my head) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.134.223|172.70.134.223]] 12:56, 7 October 2022 (UTC)Bumpf

== What if 2 book page creation ==
What if 2 has come out, but I don't know which page is to be created. There is already a comic under the same name. [[User:ClassicalGames|ClassicalGames]] ([[User talk:ClassicalGames|talk]]) 08:54, 3 May 2023 (UTC)

== Default to 3 Section Headings for Each Explanation: Non-Obvious Info, Recap, and Background Trivia ==

This is a proposal that all new comic explanations should, by default, have 3 Sections:

'''I. Explanation of the Non-Obvious''' (an actual explanation of the non-obvious elements of the comic for the average reader who might not understand the references/joke/relevant science)

'''II. Full Recap'''

'''III. Background Trivia'''

Most of us can agree that Category I is where the value of this website shines.

But today, all 3 of these categories of explanation are typically merged together, making it hard to find the Category I nuggets of goodness.

If we make these 3 section headings the default on every comic explanation, then this default will helpfully nudge editors to put the juiciest stuff up top, and not to clutter that section up with fluff or trivia.

——

As an example, take the recent comic #2878 about Astronomer Happiness and Supernova distance.

The main thing a lay reader would want to know — the Category I information — is…

..That the shape of the graph is probably a clever reference to a Light Curve, a type of supernova graph

..why astronomers like it when a supernova is close, and what happens when it gets too close

Everything else in the (currently) very wordy explanation gets in the way of the lay reader finding out these two things. It’s a bunch of Category II and Category III info that makes it hard to tease out the Category I info. It’s not BAD information, but it’s sandpaper. It’s friction slowing down the average reader.

Obviously I could go in and edit this particular comic, and I often do this kind of edit, but I think this issue pops up for most explanations, so I think changing the standard default interface will help everyone put their contribution into the right section.

In sum, my proposal would elevate Category I info to the top of each explanation, so instead of full recaps, we get right into the explanation that is going to be most efficiently illuminating for the average, non-expert reader, answering the most common questions.

[[User:Laser813|Laser813]] ([[User talk:Laser813|talk]]) 10:50, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
:In general (if I get dibs on the edit, or think I can legitimately re-edit/rearrange), I do try to go for "hook, line, sinker" format (i.e. establish the basics, relate that to what the comic shows, move on to any relevent speculations/extrapolations), very like your setup. Though it is often ''much'' too complicated (multi-layered, cross-disciplinary, etc, so that maybe it has to be interwoven 'mini explanations' per tabulated item) so I'm not sure how easy it would be to enforce a strict structure. I think there's merit to the principle, though. Assuming we can all agree what each comic needs focus on (apply that problem to the following proposal too!), as I've occasionally inserted a sort of "first you need to know <subject>" into an established cold-start explanation ("you see <foo>" only for a later editor to consider it more an afterthought and shuffle it to later ("you see <foo>" ... "<foo> is part of <subject>"), or variations on such layouts. Especially as different people have different ideas as to what's obvious/can be keyword-wikilinked and what needs more waffle to properly enlighten readers.
:Also, prosaic variation is a good thing. Too formulaic and it could be (whilst accurate) considered too robotic, so some leaway should really always be allowed as we collectively bash together a community interpretation and elaboration. Within communal guidelines, clearly. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.203|172.69.194.203]] 15:53, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

== FAQ Style Editing should be the norm ==

Simply, we should experiment with more FAQ-style explanations.

We think of the top questions that the average reader might have about a comic, and we use those as bolded headers to explain the most curious/confusing/subtle/sciency parts of the comic.

The structure would be this (using a recent comic as an example)…

'''Q: Why did Randall use this shape of graph?'''
A: It’s likely a clever reference to a Light Curve, a similarly shaped graph in the study of supernovae that…

'''Q: Why do astronomers prefer it when supernovae are closer?'''
A: It makes it easier to glean information because…

[[User:Laser813|Laser813]] ([[User talk:Laser813|talk]]) 10:50, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

== sidebar revamp ==
I think that the sidebar looks plain and it should have a new design. It could be voted on by users [[User:Moderator|Moderator]] ([[User talk:Moderator|talk]]) 02:16, 5 February 2024 (UTC)
:In leiu of you telling us what you think would be better, my starting vote is that I'm perfectly happy with that 'plain'. If it has the links I might need, why does it need a reskin? Or, worse, a functional revamp which probably removes the easy to use bits I was using already.
:...could you do a mock-up screenshot (or render equivalents directly in markup) of before/after side by side, at least? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.120|172.69.194.120]] 03:11, 5 February 2024 (UTC)

My biggest problem is it doesn’t scroll down with you which can be a big pain [[User:Moderator|Moderator]] ([[User talk:Moderator|talk]]) 01:43, 6 February 2024 (UTC)
:Don't know about anyone else, but (when not on a desktop) I read this on a tablet, in landscape, with the effective window quite short (ratio of 1:2 with width, approaching 1:3.5 with already narrowed onscreen keyboard popped up) and if I'm scrolled to the top I see nothing beyond Browse Comics.
:If we assume separate scroll-control on the sidebar, setting Main Page at the top of browser pane gives What Links Here at the bottom. Now, I rarely use the next three links (or at least reach those pages using them), and separate scrolling wouldn't stop me even seeing the even lower Ad bit (but it ''would'' defeat the entire purpose of the Ad, in that position, whether or not I bother to notice it these days).
:So whatever missing about you propose, I'm betting it would impact me. Perhaps not negatively, but I've seen enough awful assumptions about my screen-area in the name of scroll-free design. Including the "give us permission (or not) to give you cookies" popovers where it appears the actual buttons to confirm (or deny, or go somewhere to review and customise, if they have that option) are beyond the bottom of my screen. I can temporarily rotate the screen, of course, but often I just back out and don't bother in those cases. I wouldn't be reticent to rotate this site, on occasion, but ''I'd really rather not have to'', if I can be so selfish and stick-in-the-mud, because websites just are not good to use (even temporarily) in narrow-portait mode. (What's worse is the websites that detect I'm on a mobile platform and redesign styles/placements on-the-fly to 'fit portrait view', assuming a vertical smartphone, ''regardless'' of my actual viewport orientation, etc.)
:So, please, a hard no from me. Notwithstanding that just as solidly "always browse in portrait" people might be overjoyed at changes that would give ''them'' a better site design. But that's a tricky circle to square (or letterbox!), and not what you were suggesting anyway (now we know what it is). I just want to plea that any changes be made with a very good idea of all the knock-on effects of 'improving' certain edge-cases, especially when it comes to yet other edge-cases. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.23|172.70.85.23]] 10:29, 6 February 2024 (UTC)
==New Logo and Banner Proposals==
:I have new logo and banner proposals for this site.
:They're made on Scratch, an all-ages block-based programming language, and are in the style of Right Click.
:Here they are!
:Logo proposal: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Logo_proposal_for_explain_xkcd.png
:Banner proposal: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banner_proposal_for_explain_xkcd.png {{unsigned ip|172.69.71.37|01:54, 19 February 2024}}
::I can't see the xkcdicity of the logo, really. The banner is certainly flavourful in the right way (does it scale down well? ...is that what your use of Scratch is for, as opposed to standard static Photoshop/GIMP image editing?), but not sure it'll work better for the current top-left-of-page xkcd (with three xkcd figurses idling away, sat on the letters).
::Decent concept art for something else related, certainly. I could believe it was a Randall's-own interactive comic front-end of some kind (which would make sense of the "play button" that is the "►"-bit). Given that it's now in a programming system already, have you tried making a drag'n'click game of the idea of linking/looping the blue-trail, and animating the hanging-on characters? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.29|172.70.90.29]] 13:34, 19 February 2024 (UTC)
:::It's an arrow, not a play button. Get it right. {{unsigned ip|172.69.71.72|01:05, 20 February 2024}}
::::Hold your horses... I was just trying to find a good reason for the whatever-it-is triangle to be there (gave the example of a 'play' button in my speculated usefulness of it). And it isn't really obviously any more of an arrow (c.f. "→"), either. I like your(?) banner's use of xkcd-figures, just not sure where the logo exhibits any form of being xkcd-related, except by the literal reading of it.
::::Perhaps if it were "xkcd font" (i.e. artfully composited from actual samples of Randall's ALLCAPS comic-writing) then it wouldn't matter so much, but I just wouldn't say it was any more on-brand than the current logo/etc. This being intended as constructive criticism, I hope you understand. And there's more opinions than mine, so maybe I've indeed just missed some point that ''everyone else'' (especially named-users) have already realised. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.5|172.70.86.5]] 02:33, 20 February 2024 (UTC)

== Regarding precision in the Unexplained popup ==

Would it be possible to add an extra decimal point for the sake of precision? Currently, it shows that 0% of comics are unexplained, which is (as of 13:21 UTC on March 27, 2024) incorrect. It's a small thing, but it's rather annoying. {{unsigned ip|162.158.158.233|13:23, 27 March 2024}}
:With the current 2911 comics (give or take #404), 0.1% would be slightly under 3 comics. You'd need at least three before 0.1% appeared instead of the equally unuseful 0.0%.
:I'm of the "at least give everyone a week before you unilaterally declare it 'done'..." camp, so right now ''just'' the latest M/W/F comic incomplete would hover at a token 0.1%.
:(Actually, from two (0.06...% rounded up) to 4 (0.13...% rounded down. The good news is that it'll be almost seven years until two-rounded-up is insufficient, but also up to six-rounded-down is now "0.1%", if I've not goofed the carries/etc.)
:If going to the trouble of editing it to 1DP, make it 2DP with ''exactly'' the same editing effort..?
<blockquote>
<center>
''Welcome to the '''explain [[xkcd]]''' wiki!'' 
We have an explanation for all [[:Category:All comics|'''{{#expr:{{PAGESINCAT:All comics|R}}-1}}''' xkcd comics]],

and only {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}}
({{#expr: {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} / {{LATESTCOMIC}} * 100 round 2}}%) [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|are incomplete]]. Help us finish them!
</center>
</blockquote>
:(As of time of posting, the above says "only 2 (0.07%)". From 0.0687049...% rounded up to 2DP.)
:Though given that we're only going to go into the future,{{Citation needed}} I suggest we can state the flat-out number. It's not now really going to be as scarily huge as it might have been, as the actual percentage becomes generally less significant.
:And, for niceness, give it a grammatically/factually agreeable form:
<blockquote>
;General form:
:<code><nowiki>... and {{#ifeq:  | 0 | no |  }} comic{{#ifeq:  | 1 | | s }} [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|{{#ifeq:  | 1 | is | are }} incomplete]]. ...</nowiki></code>
;Zero cases (hardcoded):
:... and {{#ifeq: 0 | 0 | no |  }} comic{{#ifeq: 0 | 1 | | s }} [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|{{#ifeq: 0 | 1 | is | are }} incomplete]]. ...
;One case (hardcoded):
:... and {{#ifeq: 1 | 0 | no | 1 }} comic{{#ifeq: 1 | 1 | | s }} [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|{{#ifeq: 1 | 1 | is | are }} incomplete]]. ...
;Multiple cases (hardcoded):
:... and {{#ifeq: 42 | 0 | no | 42 }} comic{{#ifeq: 42 | 1 | | s }} [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|{{#ifeq: 42 | 1 | is | are }} incomplete]]. ...
;Current cases (dynamic):
:... and {{#ifeq: {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} | 0 | none | {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} }} comic{{#ifeq: {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} | 1 | | s }} [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|{{#ifeq: {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} | 1 | is | are }} incomplete]]. ...
</blockquote>
:...easy to replicate to get "Help us finish them!" to change (upon a zero-test truth) to "But they all might be improvable!". Or change the :Cat:Link to not even be a link when zero, with alternate phrasing dodged over to in order to avoid "no comics are incomplete" in other ways.
:I wrote the above for minimal nesting of overlapping conditions. You might prefer just to go with <code><nowiki>{{#ifeq: <count> | 0 | <whole "zero cases" version> | {{#ifeq: <count> | 1 | <whole "single case" version> | <whole "plurality of cases" version> }} }}</nowiki></code> - both approaches involve repetitions, but maybe this other one can be given a ''degree'' of wikimarkup-readability within each case, to take pity on future editors. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.166|172.70.160.166]] 16:02, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

== Hear me out: What If? discussion page. ==

That's it. That's my idea. Go crazy, everyone. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 14:05, 4 April 2024 (UTC)
:Yup, I've been thinking the same thing. I would like a page on each What If entry. [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 07:42, 8 April 2024 (UTC)
::I've thought about this, over the years. Having 'a page' (rather than the summary table, in the [[what if? (blog)|overview page]], etc) does sound more completist than what we currently have but I then tend to hit the main ontological problem...
::In the What-Ifs, Randall takes a 'simple' question and then ''explains'' the consequences. At length. A 'comic page' structure (starting with how we'd deal with the multiple midpoint images, so we would stray far from using the {{template|comic}} introduction) that followed the header(image,etc)/explanation/transcript/(trivia)/included-comments format would be silly and have many parts inappropriate. Remove the Transcript, for starters. ''Or'' need a mini-Transcript for each 'illustrative' image. (e.g. ":[Black Hat:] What if we tried more power?", several times.)
::Is there an actual need to ''explain Randall's explanation..''? Because that's the only thing 'we' can do. Which is rather silly, and seems like it would take a small (entertainingly rambling) essay and expand it into a large (pedantically rambling) one.
::Or else we just straight-copy the What-If over here as a 'backup'-blag? Allowable, but not exactly a USP, there'll be Internet Archive and personal copies, should things go bad at Randall's end. Not really a noble-cause.
::My suggestion, as to how to cover the remaining "explanation gap" and provide a useful 'service' that's worthwhile maintaining, is ''maybe'' two What If? (Blag) sub-pages:
::#A place to collate all inter-text images (and hover-/title-texts), and Transcript them, for easy searching.
::#*e.g. when you know you want to refer to the "bomb to the eyeball" one (internally or for something external) but think you might not realise where you need to go to (the supernova neutrinos one!) just by scrolling a bare comic list.
::#*Or you'd like to see, at a glance, how many different places the Black Hat Try More Power running joke occurs.
::#*Even if you don't want to open the page itself (160+ 'comics' with say 5 images each, is an 800ish-image page, less rationalising 'repeats' to a single entry), it should at least give you a search result for "dry waterfall" that points you in the direction of the "Niagra Straw" one (and maybe others?).
::#*I could see these being brief Image/Titletext/Transcript/(optional explanatory context), but not enough material to make them separate comic-style-pages in their own right, right?
::#Something of the same 'collation page mechanism' for all those superscript-popup-'footnote' bits. Though I admit I'm not entirely sure for what purpose except that it just ''seems'' like a good "collection page" to maintain. Perhaps to offer updated onward-links if any of the originals suffer link-rot? (But then, that fate can occur to all non-popupped links, so maybe I've chosen the wrong thing to highlight.)
::...the question is, what do you want from it. Bear in mind that if you can creae pages here then you can set up what ''you'' think you'd like to see (e.g. for What-If#1, for starters) then get the community to assess it. Do it as a sub-page to your Userspace, maybe, as proof-of-concept.
::Just because it's not been seen as necessary so far, doesn't mean it's not necessary. I've thought about it a lot (not thst I'm in a position to inplement anything), but I've only decided that I don't see a need for a straight copy (others' views may differ on that) and not enough reason to pester for ''my'' 'ideas' to be fulfilled. But I aint 'in charge' here, and happily so. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.100|172.69.194.100]] 11:29, 8 April 2024 (UTC)
:::You make a fair point. He did already explain in great detail what would happen if [x] scenario happened. It just seems like it would be nice to have a page exclusively for discussing all the ''What If'' articles. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 20:49, 15 May 2024 (UTC)
::::People just need to make a draft or two and see what happens. Be sure to link a draft here if one is created, I would like to help on it. "I want to learn more and explore this scenario further" is a valid feeling to have. [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 07:34, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

== Randall-ify the Captcha ==

Let's have some fun: Is it feasible to replace the Captcha with something "xkcd-ish" like "click on Randall's work" with a mix of XKCD stuff and generic pictures. If not, how about a replacing it with a quiz like "which of the following IS [or IS NOT] xkcd character" with one obvious correct answer. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.26.75|172.68.26.75]] 16:11, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
:are YOU able to create a CAPTCHA from scratch? [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 15:59, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
::Choose any images that contain user-made CAPTCHAs from the following selection. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 21:22, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

== Incomplete Tag Vote ==

I think each comic's discussion page should have a section to vote on whether the explanation is complete or not. How long do you think the voting period should be?[[User:PDesbeginner|PDesbeginner]] ([[User talk:PDesbeginner|talk]]) 03:42, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
:Rather than a voting period, I think it would be ideal if people could "vote" on the completeness of an article at any time. As I go through all the old pages, I come across lots of pages that feel a little bit incomplete. It would be nice if we had a measurement of completion that wasn't binary. [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 10:16, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
::Feel free to add the incomplete tag again. But don't forget to mention WHY (either in the tag or the discussion or both) you think it's incomplete. :) The tag is mainly there so you can have a list of "incomplete" comics. A comic is either on that list or it isn't. This is pretty much binary. As for voting: If I think an explanation is complete and it bothers me that it's flagged as not I generally juts make a comment in the discussion asking if someone has still something to add or actually knows WHY it's still incomplete. If there's no response after a few days I delete the tag. There's no need to make a voting out of this. And if somone strongly disagrees to you there's always the "Undo"-link ;) [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 11:09, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
:::Sometimes I just feel "this could use more detail," without specifically knowing what the detail would look like. This can be a problem when it's about explaining complicated science: the "completion" of a description of quantum mechanics that is readable by a novice, is very subjective. I am realizing the problem with the persistent voting idea tho: many people will vote something as "incomplete" but wouldn't come back to check on it later. [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 12:08, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
::::I'm more in the "less is more" camp. Most of my recent contributions to this wiki were deleting parts of bloated explanations: You don't need to explain quantum mechanics unless it's absolutely crucial for understanding the respective comic. Of course, if you are an expert in any given field, [[2501|it's hard to tell]] whether or not the current explanation is sufficient for a layperson and most contributors tend to write "too much". Which is totally fine. People like me take care of the "too much". ;) So, if you are an expert in quantum mechanics ignore "completed" comics about quantum mechanics. Surely you could contribute a lot to it but chances are high that most of it is unnecessary for the comic. Instead ask yourself if you need more information to understand that comic about biology. And if you do, add an incomplete and ask for that information ;) [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 12:31, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
:I've been here a long time, effectively back to when there were ''missing'' explanations (other than the "too new to have the barebones put in" ones, these days only seen when the current BOT is tardy or offline for some reason), and I've seen the Incomplete template change from the useful 'infill marker' to become a regular joke-tag of a similar nature to the Citation Needed. Yes, I agree that both of these (and the Because You're Dumb" tag) are perhaps a bit confusing for new users (like the one who badly edited out a link, just now, apparently thinking it was spam, because of the way it mentioned viagra), but I have grown to see them as community in-jokes (of various degrees of subtlety) that many people seem to appreciate under their current incarnations.
:We've recently removed the Main Page's more literal "there are # incomplete articles" announcement, which leaves the purpose of ''more accurately'' using the Incomplete tag a little less important. Apart from letting us dive into the (purported) list of Incomplete Explanations, one of the main ''serious'' purposes of the Incomplete tag is removed, leaving the now consistently employed purpose of doing a "Created by a THING OTHER THAN THE BOT" joke much more prominent.
:Really, all articles are potentially incomplete, still. Some more than others. Something big, like Hoverboard or Gravity, might truly have easter-eggs or subtle details as yet not properly commented upon, but there have been edits to ''double-digit'' comics recently which might be considered improvements. As such, there are really only two 'sensible' direct courses of action:
:#Completely remove the Incomplete tag, from use, as all pages are only ever as complete as the eye of any particular beholder, and the more recent pages are ''obviously'' incomplete by their being barely 15 minutes (or a day, or ''maybe'' a week) old. Or being so huge (or Time-like!) that they clearly still haven't been 'completely' documented. Maybe the BOT can add a Created By The Bot tag that gets wiped out by the first serious attempt at human editing, but if we wish to lose this part of our site culture so readily then why ever have it at all? A wikivote system is not really that accurate under these circumstances, for a number of reasons that I needn't explain, so go straight to assuming that any such 'vote' would pass, right from the off...
:#Embrace it for its THING OTHER THAN A BOT usage, alone. Don't be so eager to remove them just because you have no personal changes you'd wish to see. (Votes or not, there could always be another editor along in a minute who has, unlike the rest of you, picked up on an obscure visual pun rendered in what turns out to be hieroglyphs, or similar.) If we have to cull them (not a given!), then let it be an unstated rule (or a stated one?) that if there are more than (e.g.) half a dozen then the 'least amusing' may be removed by the first editor who wishes to express a critical opinion. Just the one at a time. No reinstating, no resurrection, no adding to old articles that never ever had a 'joke Incomplete' before, no entirely new joke (but you can refine what's there, to a degree), just a rolling (and not necessarily consecutive!) set of the "finest natjve explainxkcd wit". Or at least the least objectionable surviving examples of same.
:As a practical guide, the "reason why you think it is Incomplete element" could be entirely served by in-line tags (the "What?" and "Why?" and "Date?" things you might see elsewhere). Perhaps we could even do ''both'' things by instead having a "Complete" tag ''explicitly'' for BOT-REPLACEMENT-type tomfoolery (and tongue-in-cheekness about Completion, as we might currently be about Incometeness) from the off. That might confuse the newbods, of course. At least until it doesn't, and then they're not newbods anymore...
:The companion tag, for Incomplete Transcript, is presumably going to serve as it currently does (as a still serious hint as to actual Incompleteness), albeit that I've noticed a trend for the first editor of a brand new published comic to (possibly ''after'' doing the BOT-replacement joke, or after the editor who did ''only'' that) go straight in and enTranscript it (to varying degrees of accuracy and completion), whether or not they also then remove that specific tag-template at the same time. It seems that some people are more comfortable at providing a ''Transcript''ion-service than they are at establishing even the seed of an Explanation. (Or they only have enough time to do the latter, to the level of detail they wish to achieve in the moment open to them.)
:This is, of course, a cultural issue. All the above (from me) is just my own perception of practical aspects, notwithstanding those opinions already expressed before that (and elsewhere). I don't speak for everyone. And, as a perpetual IP, technically I should say that I don't speak for ''anyone'', either... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.140|172.70.160.140]] 14:21, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

::I like the idea of removing the Incomplete tag. What do you think? [[User:PDesbeginner|PDesbeginner]] ([[User talk:PDesbeginner|talk]]) 14:57, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
::I greatly approve of a {{what}} tag, as a Wikipedian that's actually really funny. I would want to keep the Incomplete tag, as I think it has purpose, even if it no longer represents a goal to achieve. I think this website will never reach 100.00% completeness and that is good, actually. [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 14:05, 26 June 2024 (UTC)
::Okay. If someone wants to they can just ignore the incomplete tags. [[User:PDesbeginner|PDesbeginner]] ([[User talk:PDesbeginner|talk]]) 14:37, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

== "As of <now>"... ==

What would be rather useful is an <code><nowiki>{{As of now}}</nowiki></code> template (or similar wording, and perhaps an "as of now"-cased alternative for use mid-sentence). There are many articles that will have words along the lines of "this has not yet happened, as of August 2024" or "this situation is continuing, as of August 2024". Every now and then, someone will come across one of these with an older date (perhaps only just out of date, perhaps years old) and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1858:_4th_of_July&curid=20285&diff=348082&oldid=315524 edit it accordingly]. You could also seek them all out, deliberately, with a bit of effort in the search-bar.

(Note that "as of" does not ''always'' need updating, there are non-dated examples such as in [[1074: Moon Landing#Trivia]], static transcript versions, like [[1071: Exoplanets#Transcript]] and other instances where the text "as of", with or without a date, really does not need to be changed... but sometimes is anyway by a well-meaning passer-by.)

Sometimes, this can be done along with another useful edit/update/revision that is spotted, or is just one of the revisions that some other need for change conveniently allows. But it seems a bit vague to rely upon occasional attention. Instead the template will implement something like "<code><nowiki>As of {{Monthyear}}</nowiki></code>" (here having to use <code><nowiki>{{#time:F Y}}</nowiki></code>, ..."As of {{#time:F Y}}"...), though there's the possibility that a parameter-mediated switch can let it alternatively become a to-the-day-level format option (at which point you could even implement/calcuate something like {{template|Yesterday}} would be) or just to the year-level. (Or add {{template|As of this year}}, {{template|As of this month}} and {{template|As of this day}} separately.)

This would negate the need to ''just'' poke and prod any article that happened to 'need' updating every month (or year, or possible day). And to deal with the possibility that some of these cases might actually need to be edited because "as of" does ''not'' now apply, include within it a {{:Category:As of}} membership, letting anyone who is interested keep an eye on these aggregated 'As of's, ready to jump in there and change it to some straight up "Up until <fixed date>" equivalent should any one of them actually no longer apply.

...obviously, I can't even begin to create the template page required, but I'd be happy to work on the exact wikimedia code required if anyone thinks it needs anything but the most basic transcluded formatting and doesn't know how. Open to discussion, and I'll tag on more if I happen to see that discussion developing. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.186|172.70.162.186]] 18:04, 4 August 2024 (UTC)
:As an addendum/change to my above suggestion, considering a simpler {{template|as of}} (and {{template|As of}}) which does ''no'' automagical continuous updating (just gives the "as of" literal on its own), but still guarantees "Category:As of" membership, so that it doesn't actively give wrong (new) date+circumstance relationships in the likes of [[1047: Approximations]]. In that, the several mentions of populations can safely stay as old years until someone rewrites the proposed value and assessment as well, but it still could be a task to pursue every new year after checking the Cat for likely comics needing a quick check'n'edit.

== “Grammar Bot” ==
I’m working on a python based bot written with the Pywiki library that aims to use the replace.py scripts to fix simple grammatical mistakes, e.g. correcting Citation needed placements, cleaning up extra spaces, etc. I will be posting the code in a few weeks after I finish it (I’m a bit busy at the moment with school and orchestra) so the entire community can view it. Any thoughts on the idea? Thanks. [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 21:05, 5 September 2024 (UTC)
:First thoughts are that there are going to be so many exceptions. I definitely agree with the idea of {{template|Citation needed}}s being made consistent (if only it weren't sometimes complicated{{Citation needed}}), as well as that of mysterious extra spaces. But that's not really grammatical. Punctuation, in the first case. I fear a full (or even fragmentary) grammar-checker is going to be complicated and give many false positives.
:At least at first, perhaps have it ''report'' what it thinks it has found. You may discover definite times that it isn't necessary and it would indeed create new errors.
:At the very least, run it with two checklists: One to do an automatic replace.py and one to just report. Start with the first list empty. Introduce potential ones to the latter, review all the reports carefully, ''then'' move any sensible-looking ones to former.
:And have it not fighting other bots (particularly theusafBOT), perhaps selected users (e.g. the likes of Kynde, and of course yourself) or indeed itself (if it makes a change that might inadvertently trigger another 'check') by excluding such changes for a recheck/rechange. Keep a record of what it changed, so that if anybody reverts/recorrects something that seems to have gone wrong it doesn't force it 'wrong' again. At the simplest, give a whole page a decent time-out and/or number of subsequent limits before it ''considers'' a new change. Implement from the start the option of a 'whitelist' (of pages it can ignore) or 'blacklist' (of rules it shouldn't apply, or at least actively apply, to a given page), so you can quickly manually add a throttle-down by simple config-file rather than have to add in a code-kludge when something obviously (in hindsight!) needs correcting about the way it works. And also maybe throttle it to have no more than one bot-edit per hour (while starting from scratch) to not swamp the system and give the rest of us time to assess any errors it has made (and its successes!) - you can unstick that throttle later, when you consider it tested with all its backlog of microcorrections.
:...there are a few other guidelines I would suggest, but the cautiousness already present in the above approaches might mean that they are left as not so important. Just consider what ''could'' go wrong before unleashing it on our world.
:And all power to your elbow, it is of course something we all might have considered (I know I have... not that I have the login for it, but what really stopped me was knowing how badly I could mess it up by getting just one detail wrong if I tried it).
:Among changes/alerts I would have it make would be cases of {{template|cn}}, {{template|citation needed}}, etc, instead of the 'main' template. Plus []-links to either wikipedia pages (most of them should be {{template|w}}-templated) or explainxkcd.com pages (most of them should be [[]]ed), although there are even then some exceptions. It'd also be nice if it can identify all Talk (and Community Portal) contributions that were not signed (more complex, as some may be after the fact, or have been after several years and further editings). I know how I'd do all this, or think I do (only upon starting to do it can I be sure I've actually theorised it correctly!), but I mention this mostly to point out how ''you'' might want to cautiously implement ''your'' ideas. HTH. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.15|172.70.86.15]] 00:07, 6 September 2024 (UTC)
::you have made plenty of wonderful points that I clearly have not thought about-quite the critical oversight on my part. Is anyone interested in collaborating? I don’t think that my skills are good enough to satisfy all of those points. [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 01:06, 6 September 2024 (UTC)
:::hello? Anybody? Please help… [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 17:38, 9 September 2024 (UTC)
::::I believe this would be a great idea and also an incredibly complicated feat. Randall is no stranger to using weird punctuation in comics or misspelled words. I think it would be neat if it weren't automated and just reported errors it found so we could manually fix them, which would make its development much easier, but at that point it's very similar to a series of search queries for misspelled words, which we can already do. I have no coding skills so I'm not going to be of help. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:33, 7 November 2024 (UTC)
;Update
I have found a solution to fix most grammatical mistakes, I just need to make sure that it doesn’t correct character names like “Cueball”, not edit war with other bots, come up with a system to log the edits it makes so that it doesn’t revert again, and fix Citation needed templates. I already know how to make sure that it asks me before editing, so I want to create an account to test it out. Does anybody have ideas on what to name the bot? I don’t want to call it 42.book.addictBOT, since the username would be a bit clunky. ToriBOT could work, but I’m also open to any other names. Feel free to reply to this or reply to me on my talk page! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 20:30, 29 November 2024 (UTC)

== "dark mode" ==
add dark mode [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 09:54, 18 November 2024 (UTC)
:See [[User:Certified nqh/common.css]] or copy/paste my old [[User:42.book.addict/common.css|common.css]] page history into your common.css page: -42.book.addict [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.208|172.69.134.208]] 16:10, 18 November 2024 (UTC)
::ha, thx tori, nqh's common.css works like a charm :) [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 08:51, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

== reddit ==
Add reddit- Anonymous {{unsigned ip|172.71.214.80|08:31, 21 November 2024}}
:You probably need to explain what you mean by that. Add reddit discussions to here? Add this site to reddit? Add some simple link to one from the other? Something else? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.163|172.70.162.163]] 13:02, 21 November 2024 (UTC)
::>Add some simple link to one from the other?
::I have no idea what they meant either, but I hadn't thought of this! I could see the addition of a simple link to the comic template, like "https://reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/{{PAGETITLE}" or "https://reddit.com/r/xkcd/search/?q={{PAGETITLE}"
::I don't partecipate much in the r/xkcd subreddit, so i'm not sure if they have structured post titles or even if they posted all the comics, or if it's automated, but I think this could be cool! Some people will likely come from Reddit, so it would be a straightforward way for them to go back. Thoughts? {{unsigned|FaviFake|16:55, 11 January 2025}}

== viewer ==
i propose to add random page to comic viewer {{unsigned ip|172.71.150.14|00:17, 25 February 2025}}
:There's already a "Random Page" link.
:If you mean (it's ambiguous!) a "Random Comic Page" link, then I'm not sure it's needed. There are so many "Comic pages" that it's a fairly good chance that you'll land on one of them for any given click, much more chance within two clicks. The likelihood of not getting a comic within ''three'' clicks will be tiny. Another way to do it is to just use the xkcd.com "Random" button, then (whichever comic you land on, which will be any but [[404]]), change the "xkcd.com" bit of the URL to "expxkcd.com" and... you end up here.
:If none of that really does what you want (especially if you mean something completely different from what I read it as), some more explanation would probably be appreciated. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.79.164|172.69.79.164]] 01:02, 25 February 2025 (UTC)
:If you want to make sure to land on all comics, you can go to "Special pages" on the sidebar, scroll down to "Random page in category", and enter "All comics". As far as I'm aware, there isn't really a way to automate this, so you have to keep inputting it manually. [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you desire conversing]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 06:38, 25 February 2025 (UTC)
::I think they meant a button on the {{tl|comic}} template. Would it be technically possible to make it such that it works exacly like the one on the official site? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:47, 25 February 2025 (UTC)
:::It ''should'' be a matter of using [[Special:RandomInCategory/All Comics]], I think, but doesn't seem to work when I try that exact attempt. Perhaps mediawiki or the mediawiki extension is not updated enough, or else I'm getting my wikisyntax slightly wrong.
:::Functionally, though, where the website has its Random button, we have our "go to the xkcd.com original", so more thought is needed before we just "add a button". If we do, we want it where the 'mothership' website does, but we still ought to have our details-and-link-to-original given, and I like it as a (faux) button.
::: Perhaps the {{template|comic}}, where it currently has header 'buttons':
[|<<] [Prev] [#9876 (Grune 32, 2525)] [Next] [>>|]
::: Needs to be changed to maybe:
[ #9876 (Grune 32, 2525) ]
[|<<] [Prev] [Random] [Next] [>>|]
:::...or equivalent. Haven't checked, but if it's a one-line table, can be easily made into a two-line one with colspan=3 (or 5?) in the right bit. If it's just centred, then it should come out Ok, in a simple way. But I'm not too keen on that change, really, and you'd need to actually have the Random->Comic link working first, ''anyway''. So I'm giving you my opinions and (slightly lacking) knowledge, in case that can at least make for the better outcome than either nothing (though not sure that's bad!) or some half-hearted ideas from elsewhere. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.116|172.70.86.116]] 21:52, 25 February 2025 (UTC)
:::: Unless someone can figure out the requests made by the random in category, a workaround could be to use a (pseudo)random number generator (mediawiki has a [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Template:Random_number template] on their website) to get a random number in the range of 1 - {{template|LATESTCOMIC}} and put in a link to that comic number using <nowiki>[[number]]</nowiki>.
:::: Note: There already is a "Random" template, but it was just using random page and was blanked by the person who made it [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you desire conversing]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 03:50, 26 February 2025 (UTC)

:::::{{Done|Done!!!}}  I tried that wikimedia templaete but couldn't figure out how to make it work. I did it using Special:Random, hoping there aren't too many non-comic pages. Check [[{{LATESTCOMIC}}]] for an example of how it looks and works. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:02, 23 April 2025 (UTC)

::::::thanks! (i hav an account now) [[User:Bb777|me, hi]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 22:30, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

:::::::No problem! There's also a special custom-designed navbar for the original comics: try clicking the "|<" button! (It's not complete yet, but i'm slowly finishing it!) --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:36, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

== Contentious Topics Template ==

I propose that we create a unified template to slap on contentious and possibly controversial comics, with a warning similar to the one I (and a couple other people added on) wrote in [[3073: Tariffs]]. Now, since I don’t know how to create a template and don’t understand how they work, this is my request for help. If you are available to help write it or have any tips for me, please contact me either in this thread or on my [[User talk:42.book.addict|talk page]]. Thanks! '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 18:01, 16 April 2025 (UTC)
:Hey, I just wanted to ask why you think a new template is needed. {{tl|notice2}} and {{tl|notice}} seem pretty solid. How would a new template differ from them? Btw, I switched the template in [[Talk:3073: Tariffs]] from {{tl|notice}} to {{tl|notice2}} so it's more like a warning, feel free to revert it if you prefer {{tl|notice}}. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:56, 17 April 2025 (UTC)
::I read the idea (which I'm not too enamoured with, but wouldn't argue against either) as being to create a <code><nowiki>{{contentious}}</nowiki></code>-like template in its own right that (perhaps by using {{template|notice2}} within it) had a standard "This comic, and its explanation, covers a particularly contentious subject. Take even more care than usual when adding to or editing this Explanation/Talk Page" (or similar) text with it.
::It would probably also have the ability to add further (or alternate) info, by standard template parameters, in case you want to personalise it to the ''exact''nature of the contention.
::But, my reasons why I didn't volunteer my ideas immediately are:
::*It paints targets. Anybody who wants to can look at all "pages using the Contentious template" and then troll-bomb them ''specifically''
::*Looking at the Tariffs-comic warning, that's ''huge'', and catering for that with a "standard text + additional notes" would be awkward... if you really believe it should be so huge in the first place,
::*Just by being so obviously available, there'd be creep. "Hey, this comic talks disparagingly about Newton's belief in alchemy... Surely that needs a warning too!", or start off with "Well, nobody's warning about our attitude to the US Senate in this comic, so I can be disparaging" which then practically forces another contentious-tagging (''possibly'' useful, but maybe in making a bolt for the barn door only ''after'' the horse has already made its own bolt through it) as it gets toned-down/-back again.
::And, though I also imagined the Tariff comic ''would'' get some push-back (there was some minor bits, but we seem to have kept it mature enough, IMO), it seems to be quiet. Can't say for sure it would have been without the warning it now has, but it survived ok before that was added. Hence why I'm ''meh'' about the very proposal. Hard cases make hard laws, and hard situations may prompt hard solutions. But I'm dubious about the actual case for the need. (As you say, we have 'freeform' notice+notice2, and I haven't seen proof even that was necessary as it was used.)
::But it would be trivial to implement, give or take some fine-tuning. I'll say that as a positive for the idea. Even if we never really use it as much as we could. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.216.83|162.158.216.83]] 20:35, 17 April 2025 (UTC)
:::Agreed. Maybe it's a good thing that we have to craft one for each comic we want to tag; this makes sure only actually contentious comics get tagged. An upside to having a specific template is that we wouldn't need to type <nowiki><noinclude></nowiki> every time, to avoid it displaying on the transcluded talk page.--[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 21:00, 17 April 2025 (UTC)
::::mm. all of these are good points. now that i think about it, copy-pasting old warnings and tweaking them as needed is probably better than creating a new template. '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 16:45, 18 April 2025 (UTC)

==Proposal for template page==
I was thinking that making a template page with instructions about what should and should not be included in which sections would make it easier for new editors to help. I have no idea how I would do this, though.[[User:BobcatInABox|BobcatInABox]] ([[User talk:BobcatInABox|talk]]) 11:49, 4 May 2025 (UTC)
:Which particular template? Many templates ''do'' contain instructions (from basic to rather thorough), and some common ones are also gone into in the FAQ page. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.245|172.70.91.245]] 20:25, 4 May 2025 (UTC)

== The newest stuff goes at top ==

I’ve been thinking the newest comments should go at top and replies are under the chose comment with a colon or more. Because every time someone makes a comment but not replying to you, you still get a message. So you only get notifications when someone replies to you. And the always get notifications not related to you is kind of annoying. [[User:Aprilfoolsupdate!|Aprilfoolsupdate!]] ([[User talk:Aprilfoolsupdate!|talk]]) 04:30, 15 May 2025 (UTC)
:(Ah, so you found it, before I even wrote my directions down on how to get here.)
:Not sure this helps.
:Firstly: Top-posting is <s>the work of the Devil... burn it! Burn it all!</s> very hard to read.
::A: Because it's in totally the wrong order.
::Q: Why is Top Posting bad?
:(Yes, I know you want top-posting ''threads'' but retain bottom-posting ''thread replies'', but can you even imagine the chaos involved with people not properly realising what's top- and what's bottom-posted. Or inter-posted into an existing hierarchy? Not with this 'flatfile' structure, anyway.)
:Secondly: Does this count for headers (like <code>== The newest stuff goes at top ==</code>)? For 'no-colon' starter comments under a Discussion header? For both?
:Thirdly: what are we doing with all the past ''pages and pages'' of things that are (more or less..) consistently chronological and bottom-posted? To make new additions work, someone (and probably ''before'' the first commentator who wants to add a brand new one-line witicism to the top of any multi-year-idle page) has to go into every Discussion page (and more?) to reshuffle it all by whatever Top(ish)-Post Criteria are adopted.
:Fourthly: It wouldn't even change how frequently you get notifications. (Actually, it might make it worse, as inveterate bottom-posters have to be 'corrected' by the followers of the 'new rule', as well as for any actually idle pages that get redone as part of the "thirdly" point.) But I don't think Notifications are clever enough to imagine that a new section ''above'' what you previously wrote doesn't possibly interest your registered "watch and notify" intent upon any given page.
:I have a Fifthly and Sixthly, too, but I assume I've made my general opinion quite clear. (And I noted that this is not the only Community Portal edit you made, just before arriving here. Will check the other in a moment.) [[Special:Contributions/172.68.229.142|172.68.229.142]] 06:19, 15 May 2025 (UTC)
::Never mind. I don’t even need to read the whole thing to know it is complicated. To many words {{unsigned|Aprilfoolsupdate|07:54, 15 May 2025}}

:::Short version: It's complicated, confusing and troublesome to change to. And won't even solve your problem. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.160.197|172.70.160.197]] 12:22, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

:::Agree with this message but disagree with the proposal. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 09:28, 18 May 2025 (UTC)

== By the Numbers ==

Greetings all,

So we all know that Randall numbers each XKCD comic with an ordinal number in a simple ascending sequence. I have become exceedingly intrigued by the particular properties of numbers now, especially their factors and primes. The most recent prime-numbered comic is [[3109]] and we'll soon see another one with [[3119]]. Does Randall ascribe any meaning or humor to the numbers that happen to appear as the posts play out? He certainly celebrates special dates! As a math-humor-based comic, there certainly must be jokes or surprises hidden therein. I'm not sure I've noticed any yet, though. [[386]] is certainly notorious, though doesn't seem to have a direct sort of Intel connection. [[42]] is unremarkable.

I once read a novel with an autistic protagonist, and each chapter was assigned a prime number. I will henceforth be on the lookout for interesting numerical happenstance as Randall continues to post! Anyone else? [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 08:56, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

== Misc pages ==
I would like to propose the creation of an additional category for "miscellaneous pages" that aren't really comics, and which generally have a URL slug that's an English word or phrase instead of a number. This includes xkcd.com/YES and xkcd.com/NO, both of which currently have articles. It also includes these ones:

::''[Note by User:FaviFake: I organised this section and moved the links below]''

...and others as they are found or recovered. If only we could access the forum thread mentioned on the YES and NO pages! I was able to find a link to the thread here, but it's inaccessible. A
It's the one labeled "Hidden pages on xkcd": [https://web.archive.org/web/20170927200737/http://forums.xkcd.com/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=973b8a1dcd0a727a9177aa757108d4f6&start=250]. I was able to find the pages above via Reddit: [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/gixd96/what_are_all_the_hidden_pages_on_xkcd_that_you/] [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/35whzf/what/] --[[User:Rumbling7145|Rumbling7145]] ([[User talk:Rumbling7145|talk]]) 00:16, 11 March 2025 (UTC)

Update: I got into the forum page! [https://web.archive.org/web/20151206001238/http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=110093] We can now add these pages to the list:
[[User:Rumbling7145|Rumbling7145]] ([[User talk:Rumbling7145|talk]]) 23:37, 11 March 2025 (UTC)

===Pages===
* http://xkcd.com/YES {{Done|Created: [[YES]]}}
** http://xkcd.com/NO {{Done|Created: [[NO]]}}

* http://xkcd.com/nakedpictures {{Done|Created: [[nakedpictures]]}}

* http://xkcd.com/spiral
**Likely a reference to [[1488: Flowcharts]] and [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]], spirals above images of people and things

* http://xkcd.com/burlap {{Done|Created: [[Burlap]]}}

* http://xkcd.com/simplewriter {{Done|Created: [[Simple Writer]]}}
**Tool to Write Like [[Up Goer Five]] and [[Thing Explainer]]

* http://xkcd.com/tree_prank
**This is so funny

* http://xkcd.com/blue_eyes {{Done|Existing: [[Blue Eyes]]}}
** http://xkcd.com/solution, the solution to the problem

* http://xkcd.com/morphs ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175333/http://xkcd.com:80/morphs/ archive only] — [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219184352/http://www.xkcd.com:80/morphs/ earlier version with more text])
**"Using several pieces of imaging software, including Photoshop and an image morphing program, I make composite photos of people."

* http://xkcd.com/chesscoaster
**"People playing chess on roller coasters, inspired by this comic:" image

* http://xkcd.com/kite
**"These are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years"

*https://xkcd.com/kite/kite_trick.jpg

* http://xkcd.com/dot {{Done|Created: [[dot]]}}

* http://xkcd.com/election ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141014075718/http://xkcd.com/election/ archive only])
**Used by randall for tracking elections, "it's the fastest analysis of the state of the race minute-by-minute".

* http://xkcd.com/event {{Done|Created: [[event]]}} (I still don't quite get it)
**There's an image on this site that a web browser fails to load, but when downloaded, Windows Photo Viewer can view the image.

* http://xkcd.com/now (redirect to [[1335: Now]])

* http://xkcd.com/plus {{Done|Created: [[plus]]}}

* http://xkcd.com/sub ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130111054027/http://xkcd.com/sub/ archive only]) — "The Sub Project", a long explanation of how Randall and others build submarines?

* http://xkcd.com/temp ([https://web.archive.org/web/20061219193846/http://www.xkcd.com/temp/ archive only])
**This is super interesting! It lists other sub-directories. [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.xkcd.com/temp/* These are the ones that survived in the archive]:
**http://xkcd.com/temp/email.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20100305065807/http://xkcd.com/temp/email.txt archive only]) — Seems to be an email exchange between Randall and someone else?
**http://xkcd.com:80/temp/euphoria.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160401222138/http://xkcd.com:80/temp/euphoria.txt archive only]) — This says "Ok, that last Randall who said 'to clarify' was actually Randall, but pretty much none of the others were. Also no Sphere after this gets linked in chat a second time is actually Randall either. Randall is probably not there."
**https://xkcd.com/temp/evidenceofidentity.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201118232320/https://xkcd.com/temp/evidenceofidentity.txt archive only]) — "[Randall] Hello to everyone who waited in line to say hi to me on my How To book tour and specifically mentioned this chat! [Sierra] Hello mr. probably not the real Randall :D [...]"
***The rest are all images:
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/baby_mop.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070127045748/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/baby_mop.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/darthswingset.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070127045624/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/darthswingset.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/deb6d13b50a581304bac385c463b09c1.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070225103228/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/deb6d13b50a581304bac385c463b09c1.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/Hacker%20Grave.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070213182708/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/Hacker%20Grave.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/hotornot.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20061219194445/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/hotornot.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/how_rumors_start_office.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070111000437/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/how_rumors_start_office.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/owned.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070228031547/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/owned.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/shark.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20061214082834/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/shark.jpg archive only])
**http://www.xkcd.com/temp/humor/you_cannot_pass.jpg ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070323001005/http://www.xkcd.com:80/temp/humor/you_cannot_pass.jpg archive only])

* http://xkcd.com/test ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170510061033/https://xkcd.com/test/ archive only])
**This appears identical to the regular xkcd.com homepage, it returns a 404 as of today

* http://xkcd.com/time (redirect to comic [[1190: Time]])

* http://xkcd.com/twitter (redirect to https://x.com/xkcd)

* http://xkcd.com/cyborg.txt
**Interesting script. According to [https://blog.xkcd.com/2008/05/20/gps-cyborg-implant/ an old blag article], it is "a short Python script that uses a USB GPS device under Linux to help with navigation. It doesn’t have maps or anything — it just gives distances and, while you’re moving, the direction to the destination (as in 'two o’clock'). It prints this info on the terminal and speaks it using speech synthesis."

* http://xkcd.com/channel.html ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141011002528/https://xkcd.com/channel.html archive only])
**I have no idea what this it. It's full of gibberish and Chinese text.

* http://xkcd.com/channel.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141014083026/http://xkcd.com/channel.txt archive only])
** Same as above, but it downloads the file to the PC.

* http://xkcd.com/me.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141014101900/http://xkcd.com:80/me.txt archive only])
**Only says "I am not in 1110.n01se.net anymore". [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/5tqrew/xkcd_secret_page/ Learn more in this Reddit thread], in this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvLxOVYeo5w YouTube video of how it used to work], and in the [https://github.com/n01se/1110 GitHub for 1110.n01se.net]. I'm assuming Randall wanted to say that anyone who tries to impersonate him in the future isn't him?

* http://xkcd.com/why.txt ([https://web.archive.org/web/20180729163548/https://xkcd.com/why.txt archive only])
**Contains 33 THOUSAND "why" questions. May be related to [[1256: Questions]]? Very interesting!

* http://xkcd.com/bitcoin {{Done|Existing: [[Bitcoin address]]}}
**There's also this one, which we have dissected on the page [[Bitcoin address]] (very interesting read!)

* http://holistic.xkcd.com ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031258/http://holistic.xkcd.com/ archive only])
**"The XKCD Holistic Browser. Because we are all one. Type a web address and you'll be taken to one typed by someone else."

* https://aram.xkcd.com ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110816163403/http://aram.xkcd.com/ archive only])
**"This page is regenerated every day and may be NSFW. It shows a random result from a Google image search for IMG_????.jpg plus a random caption:" Seems it stopped working completely after a few years and got stuck one image&caption. Aram inspired [[Black Hat]], see his page for more.

* https://xkcd.com/verizon/ {{Done|Created: [[verizon]]}}

* http://mail.xkcd.com ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120321204721/http://mail.xkcd.com/ archive only])
**Seems Randall set it up but never used it.

* https://xkcd.com/personal
**There was a /personal folder on xkcd, but it's been entirely wiped https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://xkcd.com/personal/*

*https://xkcd.com/ngram-charts/
**Still online, but the images are missing even in [https://web.archive.org/web/20120225171410/http://xkcd.com:80/ngram-charts the archive]. "Some of the interesting charts I've come across while using Google Books ngrams (which analyzes the frequency of word use in their scanned books corpus over time)"

* https://xkcd.com/color/rgb/
** https://xkcd.com/color/rgb.txt

* http://68.57.186.221:8080/ ([https://web.archive.org/web/20041024201125/http://68.57.186.221:8080/ archive only])
** xkcd.com redirected to this at some points during 2004, this capture is from October 24th of 2004 specifically.

* https://throw.xkcd.com (only available [https://web.archive.org/web/20200919232527/throw.xkcd.com/ in the archive])
**This was likely hacked, see [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/iw9jsg/throwxkcdcom/ this Reddit thread]: ''"I emailed the xkcd.com webmaster, it was a testing URL he forgot to shut down. It's fixed now."''

* https://c.xkcd.com
**This is mostly all for comics with dynamic content. There are many subpages, see [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/j54lx3/does_anyone_know_what_cxkcdcom_is/ this reddit thread].
**https://c.xkcd.com/xb/feed
**http://c.xkcd.com/random/comic (redirects to random comic)
**https://c.xkcd.com/graph/1
**[https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/j54lx3/does_anyone_know_what_cxkcdcom_is/ There are others].

* https://static.xkcd.com/ (404, not in archive. [http://web.archive.org/web/*/https://static.xkcd.com/* archived subpages])
** http://static.xkcd.com/bl.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213845/http://static.xkcd.com/bl.png archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/br.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213841/http://static.xkcd.com/br.png archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/favicon.ico ([http://web.archive.org/web/20071208203917/http://static.xkcd.com/favicon.ico archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/general.css ([http://web.archive.org/web/20071208203917/http://static.xkcd.com/general.css archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/ieonly.css ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070911163429/http://static.xkcd.com/ieonly.css archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/ml.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213838/http://static.xkcd.com/ml.png archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/mr.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213832/http://static.xkcd.com/mr.png archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/tl.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213828/http://static.xkcd.com/tl.png archive only])
** http://static.xkcd.com/tr.png ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070912213835/http://static.xkcd.com/tr.png archive only])
** http://www.static.xkcd.com/robots.txt ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070501000000*/http://www.static.xkcd.com/robots.txt archive only])
** https://almamater.xkcd.com/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20130402215109/https://almamater.xkcd.com/ archive only])
:: https://almamater.xkcd.com/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20150209005631/https://almamater.xkcd.com/ archive only])
:: and errors out: https://almamater.xkcd.com/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20160528035956/https://almamater.xkcd.com/ archive only, errors out])
*** http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv ([http://web.archive.org/web/20130511122543/http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv archive only])
***See comic [[1193: Externalities]]
{{misc page}}
You can monitor the pages that are using this template (so the brand new webpage explanations) by going to [[Special:WhatLinksHere/Template:misc_page]]

===How should we treat them?===
This is great! I think we should first create an article for each of them, and after we have a few articles then we can start to figure out a good name for the category and answer some questions, like:

*Should we add a new parameter to the template for these non-comics? To do that, we would have to ask an admin to edit the {{tl|comic}} template to allow us to do that. We can ask Kynde, no big deal.

*Some pages, like [[Blue Eyes]] and [[Bitcoin address]] are already in other categories, like [[:Category:Extra comics]] and [[:Category:Design of xkcd.com]]. Should we use the existing categories, or add a new one? How do we distinguish between, for example, [[Blue Eyes]], [[Bitcoin address]], and [[YES]], which are all in theory "misc pages".

*Where should the new category be categorised?

*What title should we give for explanations of pages that don't have a name, like xkcd.com/dot? That one is just titled "xkcd.com/dot", unlike pages like Blue Eyes and [[YES]]. Would it become "dot", "Dot", something else? Should we keep it coherent or base ourselves solely on the rendered title on the official site?

I love the idea! I currently don't have time, but I will create these pages eventually. If anyone else wants to chime in, please do! --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:11, 11 March 2025 (UTC)

:"Unnumbered publications", or similar, could cover ''anything'' that wasn't xkcd.com/<digits>. Wouldn't cover replacements ([[2642: No One Was Hurt]] was originally 2642, for example), but that's a different class from deliberately off-series items. Also, given that often they are entirely non-image (the Yes and No), or straight text and multi-image (as per Blue Eyes, or other articles with a WhatIf-ish feel to them), I think calling them "comic"s is stretching the term.
:Though "miscellaneous pages" sort of covers this, I've a feeling that there's at least one... 'entity'... that is built upon multiple actual 'pages', but the list of candidates above doesn't contain any that look like they're what I'm vaguely thinking of. (Neither was it anything like the xkcd survey, or other interactive (numbered) comics, but maybe I'll bring it back to mind sooner rather than later.)
:As to the use of {{template|comic}}, I think we could spring to a (modified, 'inspired-by') template specifically for all these no-number/off-sequence explanation headers. Either explicit "prev=" and "next=" (per comic, ''could'' get quite mixed up if not kept uncontradictory) or a "position=" which could help maintain a list (and, from that, an auto-generated first/prev/next/last 'page ring') without having to subvert expectations of fitting in with the normal [[Template:LATESTCOMIC]] system.
:With the Comic template already equipped to deal with "no-number 'comics'", there wouldn't (in the first instance) be much work needed to "decomic" the new copy, with the exact method of resequencing (if desired) as a parallel series being the biggest question. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.49|172.70.85.49]] 17:20, 11 March 2025 (UTC)

::I'm not sure what the last sentenc means, but I like the idea of a new template! However, I don't think we should call the category "Unnumbered publications". Isn't that just [[:Category:Extra comics]] but without comics [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] and [[No One Was Hurt]]? We should establish a criterion to add pages to this category and then figure out a name i think. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:42, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

On this subject, is there any reason why it's [[YES]] and [[NO]] (currently the valid links) rather than [[Yes]] and [[No]] / [[yes]] and [[no]] (currently invalid links)? And I don't mean "why aren't there redirects?", which I don't even think is the right way of resolving this, but what was the thinking? (Which then didn't result in [[DOT]], etc, so there's ''definitely'' some inconsistency, one way or another.) [[Special:Contributions/172.68.205.92|172.68.205.92]] 21:54, 17 March 2025 (UTC)

:I don't see inconsistencies. The name of the browser tab for the yes page is "YES" by Randall, same for NO. Instead, the page for [[dot]] is called "xkcd.com/dot/". We could use that, but that's likely not what Randall intended and might have been a coding oversight. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:01, 18 March 2025 (UTC)

I've created the {{tl|misc page}} template for these pages and removed the incomplete template until we reach consensus on what to do with them. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 14:40, 11 May 2025 (UTC)

==Visual Editor?==
I, being a nerd in high school, edit on more than just this wiki. For example, I edit on Wikipedia. On Wikipedia, the default editing mode is a visual editor, which automatically converts your wikitext into the final product in real time. It's useful on many levels, and would save all of us a lot of time (I've spent at least 2 hours total fixing broken wikitext). I feel that using this tool would increase overall productivity in the wiki, and probably lessen the amount of people who are intimidated when attempting to edit, allowing more people to join and contribute to the community. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 22:43, 7 August 2025 (UTC)

:Good luck telling that to jeff! --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 12:22, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

::Ugh. Well, he's gotta come back eventually, right? He's paying for the domain, after all. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 16:43, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

:::Or maybe he just forgot and we actually don't want him to come back. Who knows! --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:45, 11 August 2025 (UTC)

::::Name one person who wants Jeff to just not come back. Either way, I want him back, and I suggested this just in case. This would also be really cool for me, as I joined after jeff's last known user page edit in 2018. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa'al|'''''My life choices''''']] 23:31, 14 August 2025 (UTC)

:::::Jeez that was a joke. Ofc I want him back lol. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 20:09, 15 August 2025 (UTC)

event

2025-08-16T21:42:05Z

CalibansCreations:

{{comic
| title = Event
| image = xkcdevent.jpg
| lappend = event
| extra = yes
}}

==Explanation==
{{misc page}}
{{incomplete|This page was created by me, [[User:CalibansCreations|Caliban]] (again). Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
The purpose of this page is unclear. Though the image doesn't render on web browsers, it is visible when viewed locally.

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:event

2025-08-16T21:41:27Z

CalibansCreations: Created page with "What does this mean? ~~~~"

What does this mean? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 21:41, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

event

2025-08-16T21:41:05Z

CalibansCreations: Created page with "{{comic | title = Event | image = xkcdevent.jpg | lappend = event | extra = yes }} ==Explanation== {{misc page}} {{incomplete|This page was created by me, Use..."

File:xkcdevent.jpg

2025-08-16T21:37:49Z

CalibansCreations: Doesn't load in a web browser, works when viewed locally

Doesn't load in a web browser, works when viewed locally

dot

2025-08-16T21:36:24Z

CalibansCreations: Undo revision 384335 by CalibansCreations (talk)

{{comic
| title = Dot
| image = xkcd dot.gif
| lappend = dot
| extra = yes
}}

==Explanation==
{{misc page}}
This page shows a black dot blinking in the center of the screen at a tempo of 150 BPM. The GIF is composed of only two frames, one with the dot and one without. This means it's likely not a {{w|Morse code}}, as it would be interpreted as a repeated ''T''-dash, or possibly a set of ''E''s.

The Morse code convention is the following:
The duration of a dah is three times the duration of a dit (although some telegraphers deliberately exaggerate the length of a dah for clearer signalling). Each dit or dah within an encoded character is followed by a period of signal absence, called a space, equal to the dit duration. The letters of a word are separated by a space of duration equal to three dits, and words are separated by a space equal to seven dits.
If equal dot and no-dot, that seems to fit a "word" of "dah dah dah dah ..." ("TTTT[...]"). Either that or a "character" of "dit-dit-dit-dit-..." (whatever is at the infinite end of the sequence starting "E", "I", "S", "H", "5", ...).

==Transcript==
:[A flashing black dot in the center of the image, which is all white.]

{{comic discussion}}

dot

2025-08-16T21:31:23Z

CalibansCreations:

{{comic
| title = Dot
| image = xkcd dot.gif
| lappend = dot
| extra = yes
| imagesize = 600px
}}

==Explanation==
{{misc page}}
This page shows a black dot blinking in the center of the screen at a tempo of 150 BPM. The GIF is composed of only two frames, one with the dot and one without. This means it's likely not a {{w|Morse code}}, as it would be interpreted as a repeated ''T''-dash, or possibly a set of ''E''s.

The Morse code convention is the following:
The duration of a dah is three times the duration of a dit (although some telegraphers deliberately exaggerate the length of a dah for clearer signalling). Each dit or dah within an encoded character is followed by a period of signal absence, called a space, equal to the dit duration. The letters of a word are separated by a space of duration equal to three dits, and words are separated by a space equal to seven dits.
If equal dot and no-dot, that seems to fit a "word" of "dah dah dah dah ..." ("TTTT[...]"). Either that or a "character" of "dit-dit-dit-dit-..." (whatever is at the infinite end of the sequence starting "E", "I", "S", "H", "5", ...).

==Transcript==
:[A flashing black dot in the center of the image, which is all white.]

{{comic discussion}}

User:CalibansCreations

2025-08-16T21:28:33Z

CalibansCreations:

{{infobox
| bodyclass = vcard

| abovestyle = background-color:{{{bgcolour|#BCD4E6}}};
| aboveclass = fn
| above = {{{name|Caliban}}}

| labelstyle = line-height: 1.3em
| datastyle = line-height: 1.3em

| image = {{#if:{{{image|}}}|[[File:{{{image}}}|{{{imagesize}}}|alt={{{alt|}}}]]}}
| caption = ''{{{caption|}}}''

| label1 = Home
| data1 = {{w|Earth}}

| label2 = Contribution score
| data2 = {{#cscore:CalibansCreations|score}}
}}

check my [[User:CalibansCreations/Userboxes|userboxes]], since I tried adding them to the main page and it was wonky

this is still a wip

watch the xronology

==Gallery==
[[File:Hatguyhasreproduced.jpg|thumb|300px|He has a heir to the throne...]]

Talk:3129: Archaeology Research

2025-08-15T14:44:56Z

CalibansCreations:

? [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 14:44, 15 August 2025 (UTC)