explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2839: Language Acquisition

2023-10-09T23:45:37Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ add my solution

{{comic
| number = 2839
| date = October 9, 2023
| title = Language Acquisition
| image = language_acquisition_2x.png
| imagesize = 193x239px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = My first words were 'These were my first words; what were yours?'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THESE WERE MY FIRST WORDS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|Language acquisition}} is the process by which humans, generally infants, learn a language.

There are many theories as to how this process works, but Randall takes this phrase literally, saying that infants learn languages one new word at a time. This may be true when learning a second language, but is typically not true for infants learning their native language (mother tongue). It is a common milestone to celebrate a child's "[https://www.parents.com/baby/development/talking/baby-talk-a-month-by-month-timeline1/ first word]", but typically these would be simple words, such as "mama" or "dada".

The child's sentence is twelve words, all unique. This implies these are the only words known so far.

===What sentences could have been formed on the preceding eleven days?===
'''Rules'''
:1. Each sentence must contain the same number of words as the number of the day
:2. Words can only be added - each previously learned word must occur in subsequent days
:3. The sentence must make sense - this is clearly a highly articulate child
:4. On Day 12 the words must be "Vocabulary update: I learned another word today, bringing my total to twelve"

:Day 1: "Another" (possibly in reference to something that child wants to happen again)
:Day 2: "I learned", "Another word", or "Vocabulary Word"

A possible solution, if it is allowed for the child to not use all words previously learned:
:1: '''Word'''?
:2: '''Another''' word.
:3: '''Learned''' another word!
:4: '''I''' learned another word.
:5: I learned another word '''today'''.
:6: I learned another '''vocabulary''' word today.
:7: Vocabulary '''update''': I learned another word today.
:8: '''Bringing''' another vocabulary update: I learned a word today.
:9: Bringing '''my''' vocabulary update: I learned another word today.
:10: Update '''to''' my vocabulary: I learned another word today.
:11: Update to my '''total''' vocabulary: I learned another word today.
:12: Vocabulary update: I learned another word today, bringing my total to '''twelve'''.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A child, drawn as a smaller Hairy, stands next to some blocks. Megan and Cueball stand to the right of him.]
:Child: Vocabulary update: I learned another word today, bringing my total to twelve.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with babies]]

1860: Communicating

2022-05-04T01:59:59Z

DPS2004: de-crap

{{comic
| number = 1860
| date = July 7, 2017
| title = Communicating
| image = communicating.png
| titletext = You're saying that the responsibility for avoiding miscommunication lies entirely with the listener, not the speaker, which explains why you haven't been able to convince anyone to help you down from that wall.
}}

==Explanation==
''There's glory for you.''

In Lewis Carroll's "{{w|Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There}}", {{w|Alice_(Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland)|Alice}} meets {{w|Humpty Dumpty}} (the egg-shaped character from the children's verse). Humpty Dumpty is a Looking Glass creature, and the Looking Glass creatures all feature some form of inversion. For Humpty Dumpty the inversion is in meanings. When they first meet, Humpty Dumpty berates Alice for having a name that doesn't mean anything (contrasted with his name which means his shape).

But later, Humpty declares to Alice "There's glory for you". Alice doesn't understand what Humpty means by "glory". Humpty explains that he can make words mean whatever he chooses to mean. By "glory" he meant "a nice knock-down argument". And he adds: "When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean. Neither more nor less." ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Through_the_Looking-Glass,_and_What_Alice_Found_There/Chapter_VI#124])

In the comic Humpty is explaining to "Alice" (portrayed by [[Science Girl]]) that he can choose meanings for his words. Alice points out the obvious problem by pretending to wonder what meaning should be given to that utterance, and decides it means "Please take all my belongings". Humpty realizes he has been caught in a trap, but now Alice is choosing meanings, and even his protests are taken to mean "take my car along with my belongings".

While it seems that Alice chooses these specific meanings of words to educate Humpty Dumpty about the mistake in his way of thinking, she could as well inform him about planned theft with random, meaningless words or not at all. After all, she got "permission". Also, even though Humpty Dumpty decides about the meanings of words by himself, he "accidentally" chooses the normal meanings of all of Alice's words, because otherwise he wouldn't be informed about the planned theft and wouldn't be able to react to this with "What!? No!".

Humpty Dumpty is known from the nursery rhyme or riddle:
:''Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
:''Humpy Dumpty had a great fall.
:''All the King's horses and all the King's men,
:''Couldn't put Humpty together again.''

Carroll's Humpty Dumpty is a parody of people who use technical language without defining their terms, and expect others to understand. The title text continues this. By Humpty insisting that he is not responsible for others understanding him he is unable to get help getting down from the wall, which will lead to his inevitable demise. This two-sided nature of communication is also shown in the title text of [[1028: Communication]], as well as in later comics like [[1984: Misinterpretation]] (with a list of other comics about communication).

==Transcript==
:[Egg-shaped character Humpty Dumpty, drawn with an angry face, is sitting on a brick wall and facing Alice, depicted as Science Girl.]
:Humpty Dumpty: When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean. Neither more nor less.
:Alice: I wonder what all those words you just said meant. Maybe you're telling me I can have all your stuff!
:Humpty Dumpty: What!? No!
:Alice: Your car, too? Gosh, thanks!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Science Girl]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

2146: Waiting for the But

2022-05-04T01:58:29Z

DPS2004: de-crap

{{comic
| number = 2146
| date = May 6, 2019
| title = Waiting for the But
| image = waiting_for_the_but.png
| titletext = Listen, I'm not a fan of the Spanish Inquisition OR predatory multi-level marketing schemes...
}}

==Explanation==
Often arguments are made in the form of "I think X, but Y", where Y is almost but not quite contradictory to X. More specifically, the argument would go "I am not [something generally considered distasteful], but [a more specific statement most people consider part of that general statement]". The first part of such a statement can sometimes be viewed as an apology or an excuse because the person talking knows that the second part might upset people. A common example would be "I'm not a racist, but I don't think we should let refugees from Africa into Europe." The idea of denying help to people from Africa will be seen as racist by many people, so the speaker tries to preempt that opinion of themself.

In this comic, [[Cueball]] is having a conversation with [[Ponytail]], who lists several seemingly unrelated but agreeable positions, such as reducing {{w|car accidents}}, treating {{w|arson}} as a serious crime, and approving of {{w|American Humane|"No Animals were Harmed" disclaimers}} in modern media, with Cueball wondering when the "but.." of the statement will come, and conjuring increasingly outrageous images of what Ponytail could have in mind that involves violating all of them, for example some sort of reckless fiery car stunt involving animals.

The title text gives another example of a sentence that will probably be followed by a "but". {{w|Multi-level marketing|Multi-level marketing schemes}} and the {{w|Spanish Inquisition}} are both considered bad in very different ways, so the implication that if the speaker has to apologize in advance for sounding like defending both of them, they must have a remarkably troubling idea in mind, involving somehow using a version of the Spanish Inquisition as an MLM scheme.

Another possible explanation would be that when people hear a sentence that starts with "Listen, I'm" they tend to wait for the "but", and the longer it takes the more tension it may cause them, while the speaker may never intend to say "but". Similar ideas were used for [[365: Slides]] and [[559: No Pun Intended]].

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail is talking to Cueball, while holding her hands up with both palms up. Cueball is thinking as shown with a thought bubble.]
:Ponytail: Listen, I'm all in favor of reducing car accidents, I think arson is a serious crime, and I'm a big fan of those "No Animals Were Harmed" disclaimers at the end of movies...
:Cueball (thinking): Uh-oh.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:The longer you have to wait for the "but", the worse whatever comes after it is going to be.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

2498: Forest Walk

2022-05-04T01:57:56Z

DPS2004: de-crap

{{comic
| number = 2498
| date = August 4, 2021
| title = Forest Walk
| image = forest_walk.png
| titletext = The only other person to walk by was a linguist back in the 80s, but she just spent a while dissecting the phrase 'help me down' before getting distracted by a squirrel and wandering off.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Megan]] is walking through a wide landscape with [[Beret Guy]] who owns a big part of it. Megan is surprised that he owns such a big property, however, Beret Guy is known for his inexplicable businesses such as in [[1493: Meeting]] and from [[1032: Networking]]; we know he probably has enough resources to be able to buy it. Alternatively, he might have simply inherited it from his mom (see [[502: Dark Flow]]), or may not understand the concept of owning it. Nevertheless, he walks here every day, and from the context of the comic, it seems pretty much no one else comes here.

They meet a rather disheveled-looking bearded man hanging from a parachute caught in a tree. The man shakes a stick at them and demands to be helped down to the ground. Beret Guy simply addresses him as "Mister Cooper" and asks if he promises to return the money he took. The man angrily refuses, and Beret Guy casually says he'll see him again tomorrow, suggesting that this conversation has become a daily routine.

Megan asks if the man was D. B. Cooper, which Beret Guy immediately confirms. He then comments on an owl nest as another bit of "neat stuff" found on his land, suggesting that he finds Cooper's presence to be just another mildly interesting part of this land.

{{w|D. B. Cooper}} is the identity given to a man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in 1971. He collected a $200,000 ransom (equivalent to $1,250,000 in 2020) and famously donned a parachute and jumped from the plane over the state of Washington. He was never seen or heard from again. Despite lengthy FBI investigations and nationwide publicity, the hijacker was never identified. A few thousand dollars of the ransom money was found in a river, nearly 10 years after the hijacking, but the remainder has never been recovered. The only things known about him are a police composite drawing and the name "Dan Cooper", under which he had purchased his airline ticket (he was called "D.B." as a result of a miscommunication with the media, and the name stuck).

The high-profile case followed by the never-solved mystery has led to a massive amount of speculation as to his identity, background, and what became of him. Many consider the most likely scenario to be that he didn't survive the parachute jump, and simply crashed somewhere that his body was never found. Others imagine that he escaped with the money and simply managed to evade capture.

The comic is insinuating that, after leaping from the plane, he got entangled in a tree in Beret Guy's land, and has been there ever since.

Uncanny situations are nothing new to Beret Guy since he possesses [[:Category:Strange_powers_of_Beret_Guy|many strange powers]]. Hence, the concept of a famous criminal hanging from a tree for nearly 50 years doesn't seem any more interesting to him than an owl's nest. In keeping with the typical bizarre-ness of Beret Guy's life, it isn't explained how a man could survive for half a century hanging from a tree, why he'd choose to remain trapped there for his entire life rather than return money that he's in no position to spend, or why Beret Guy wouldn't simply report his whereabouts to the police. All of these are simply accepted as unremarkable realities of life, for him.

D. B. Cooper was already referenced by Randall in [[1400: D.B. Cooper]], [[1501: Mysteries]] and [[2452: Aviation Firsts]].

The title text may refer to the linguist from [[2390: Linguists]] who is more interested in the linguistic nuances that people use than in actually responding to their call for assistance. It is not known how many others have walked through Beret Guy's land, in the interim, or whether it is their nature or the general aura from Beret Guy, but the linguist did not much more than ponder the phrase "help me down". Megan also seems in no particular hurry to intervene.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Beret Guy are walking through a landscape with spread-out trees and grass and puddles on the ground.]
:Megan: Wow, this is all yours?
:Beret Guy: Yeah! All the way back to the river!
:Beret Guy: I walk here every day.

:[Megan still walks towards Beret Guy who has now stopped and is looking up while speaking to a man hanging in a tree in front of them. The man has long wild hair and a large beard. He hangs from his parachute which has been folded around a large branch sticking out from beneath the top of the tree. He is holding a long stick of some sort, seemingly attempting to threaten Beret Guy, as the stick and his legs are vibrating as indicated with small lines.]
:Beret Guy: Morning, Mister Cooper!
:Cooper: You help me down '''''this instant!'''''

:[Pan down to show only Beret Guy and nothing else. Cooper replies from off-panel from the top corner.]
:Beret Guy: Do you promise to give back all the money you took?
:Cooper [off-panel]: '''''Never!'''''
:Beret Guy: Okay! See you tomorrow!

:[Megan and Beret Guy continue walking through the landscape with three small trees behind them, as well as grass, rocks, and a small puddle. Megan looks back over her shoulder towards where Cooper is hanging.]
:Megan: Was that D.B. Cooper?
:Beret Guy: Yeah, and up ahead there's an owl nest!
:Beret Guy: There's so much neat stuff here.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring D. B. Cooper]]
[[Category:Animals]] 
[[Category:Squirrels]] 
[[Category:Language]] 
[[Category:Strange_powers_of_Beret_Guy]]

820: Five-Minute Comics: Part 2

2022-05-04T01:56:44Z

DPS2004: de-crap

{{comic
| number = 820
| date = November 17, 2010
| title = Five-Minute Comics: Part 2
| image = five_minute_comics_part_2.png
| titletext = Dear Wiccan readers: I understand modern Wiccans are not usually all about the curses and hexes. But Darth Vader was recently converted from Episcopalianism and he's still figuring it all out.
}}

==Explanation==
This is the second of three "five-minute comics" Randall posted during a week in November 2010. The introduction to the comic explains everything you need to know about the circumstances behind it.

Randall obviously made more than three of these five minutes comics, and one of them was published later, for a short period of time by a mistake, but an android xkcd browser picked it up while it was on-line and saved it. Since then it has been added to explain xkcd. So here is a complete list of all four comics in the entire [[:Category:Five-minute comics|Five-minute comics]] series:
*[[819: Five-Minute Comics: Part 1]]
*[[820: Five-Minute Comics: Part 2]]
*[[821: Five-Minute Comics: Part 3]]
*[[Five-Minute Comics: Part 4]]

Here is a list with explanations for each of the small comics:
*1. The first comic pokes fun at improbable conspiracy theories. {{w|Dealey Plaza#Grassy knoll|The grassy knoll}} is a location famous among conspiracy theorists who believe it to be the location of an unknown accomplice in the {{w|assassination of John F. Kennedy}}.
:It turns out that, somehow, this will all lead up to a theory that perfectly explains the {{w|September 11 attacks}}.

*2. When a woman described as having a "glow" about them, it's usually just a vague sentiment of attractiveness, specifically during pregnancy, which here very suddenly reaches its conclusion as a baby is unceremoniously plopped into the world.

*3. "{{w|Cogito ergo sum}}" is philosophical statement in Latin, formulated by {{w|René Descartes}}, translated as "I think, therefore I am". Descartes wanted to build a philosophy from scratch, starting with something he could be absolutely certain of. "Cogito ergo cogito", is Latin for "I think, therefore I think." This can even beat "cogito ergo sum" in uncontroversiality; it is a {{w|tautology}}, which is why the off-screen character describes it as "playing it safe."

*4. The comic on the far right is a reference to {{w|trick or treating}}, a major part of the modern {{w|Halloween}} holiday. Children go from door to door saying, "Trick or treat?". The ''trick'' is a non-serious threat to play a trick on the person if no treat is provided (but see also {{w|Mischief Night}}). Normally, the person at the home then gives them candy (a ''treat'') as a response. Here, a Megan-like character, possible [[Danish]], visits nightmares upon small children by gifting them blood.

*5. To bail out of a plane means to escape the plane, usually via the {{w|Ejection seat|cockpit's eject mechanism}}. To bail out a boat means to manually drain water coming onto the ship with buckets. The pilots here have confused the two, although if a plane was somehow taking on a large amount of water, bailing out that water would be a reasonable course of action.{{citation needed}}

*6. Sometimes, TV shows will tell true stories while playing up the drama angle for ratings purposes. In these cases, they will often air a notice similar to "The following program is a dramatization of real events" before the show, to indicate that the story they're about to tell is true, albeit not as a literally accurate retelling of events. Here, the disclaimer is technically true, although the events are normally devoid of any drama whatsoever. To add some, Cueball is screaming.

*7. {{w|Black light}}s are a kind of lamp that filters out sub-purple light. This means that the only light it gives off is a small amount of purple light, plus plenty of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but it is noticeable in a few ways; it hurts the eyes, which is why it's hard to focus on things under a black light; it causes sunburns, although the amount given off by a black light is far too insignificant to do this in a realistic time; and it causes a fluorescence reaction in semen, some food stains, and dust making them appear to glow, which is why the robes look dirty. As such, a "{{w|Lightsaber|blacklightsaber}}" would, indeed, be a bad idea.
**It also causes a fluorescent reaction in clothes washed with common washing detergents (which contain brightening agents [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/optical-brightener Optical Brighteners]) - most notably white cotton, which is why it has been used in discothèques, because of the way people in white T-shirts will light up.
** Interestingly, there is a "Black Lightsaber" in Star Wars canon; a unique, one-of-a-kind weapon known as the [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darksaber Darksaber].

*8. Most judicial systems have a {{w|jury}}, a panel of impartial laymen that, primarily, determines the guilt or innocence of a suspected criminal. "Ladies and gentlemen" is a formal way of addressing a crowd, and so Cueball addresses the jury as "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury."
:However, it turns out the jury consists only of women, so the "gentlemen" part is not needed. This poses a problem to Cueball's defense, which apparently relied on somewhat sexist tactics. This, sadly, is not too uncommon in real life.

*9. The commander's first line is a line from ''{{w|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope}}''. In the original film, the commander was cut off by {{w|Darth Vader}} using {{w|Force_(Star_Wars)|the Force}} to strangle him, delivering the rebuttal "I find your lack of faith disturbing."
:Instead of belief in the Force as in the movie, the "ancient religion" referred to here is actually {{w|Wicca}}, a modern pagan religion with two deities that is most notable for practicing magic, and is related to {{w|voodoo}}. So, naturally, Darth Vader puts a hex on the commander's family. (Although, to modify a quote from the Internet, Wiccans hexing you as punishment is like a hippie threatening to punch you in your aura.)
:The title text notes that modern Wiccans don't really practice the whole "putting hexes on people" thing, which is true. Episcopalianism probably refers to the {{w|Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church of the United States}}, which was founded during the American Revolution to replace the Church of England in the colonies.

==Transcript==
:Because of a family illness, instead of regular comics, this week I'll be sharing some strips that I drew as part of a game I played with friends. Each comic had to be written and drawn in five minutes.

:--Randall

:;Comic #1
:[A ninja is hiding under a diving board as a man runs along it.]

:[The man jumps on the end of the board and hits the ninja in the head, knocking him into the pool.]

:[The ninja floats in the water. A bullet passes through the man's head.]
:''thwipp''

:[The man is lying bleeding on the diving board, the ninja is still unconscious on the pool.]

:[A sniper is at the top of a hill. The sign in front of the hill says "Grassy Knoll".]

:[Someone is pointing at the diagram of the previous panel.]
:Off-panel voice: Wait, so ''what'' does this have to do with 9/11, again?
:Cueball: I ''said'' I'm getting there!

:;Comic #2
:[Cueball is studying Megan.]
:Cueball: You look different.

:Cueball: You have this... glow about you.

:[They stare in silence.]

:[A baby falls out of Megan.]
:''plop''

:;Comic #3
:Megan: Cogito ergo cogito.
:Off-panel voice: Playing it safe, huh?

:;Comic #4
:[Two children dressed up as ghosts are standing in front of Megan at a door, each carrying a bag.]
:Children: Trick or treat!

:[Megan doesn't move.]

:Child: Um hi. Why are you just standing there?
:Other Child: Candy?

:[Another silent panel as the children stare up at Megan.]

:[The second child looks in their bag.]
:Other Child: Oh God, my bag of candy.

:Other Child: It's filling with blood.
:Child: We should go.

:;Comic #5
:[A jet is flying across the panel.]
:Pilot: Bail out! Bail out! Bail out!

:[The pilot and copilot have buckets, and are bailing water out of the cockpit.]

:;Comic #6
:The following is a dramatization of real events.

:[Cueball is at a counter, with several jars.]
:Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAAA I'm making a sandwich! AAAAAAAAAA!

:;Comic #7
:[Two people are carrying lightsabers and wearing robes.]
:Cueball: Oh God, my eyes won't focus right! And your robe looks... really dirty!
:My blacklightsaber was not a success.

:;Comic #8
:[Cueball is standing.]
:Cueball: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...
:Off-screen voice: It seems we happen to be all ladies, actually.
:Cueball: ...in that case, this defense is going to appear extremely ill-advised.

:;Comic #9
:[Darth Vader is sitting between two people, at a table.]
:Cueball: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion hasn't helped you conjur up the stolen data tapes, or given you—
:Darth Vader: ''HEY.'' Wicca is a legitimate belief system!

:[Darth Vader is drawing a pentagram on the table.]
:Cueball: What are you—
:Darth Vader: Putting a hex on your family.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Five-minute comics| 02]]
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Five-minute comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring babies]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:Comics with blood]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

2201: Foucault Pendulum

2022-05-04T01:56:18Z

DPS2004: de-crap

{{comic
| number = 2201
| date = September 11, 2019
| title = Foucault Pendulum
| image = foucault_pendulum.png
| titletext = Trust me, you don't want to get on the wrong side of the paramilitary enforcement arm of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service.
}}

==Explanation==

[[Black Hat]] is attending what appears to be a guided tour of a museum with a {{w|Foucault pendulum}}. [[Megan]] is explaining to him, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] about the device which demonstrates the rotation of the Earth.

Black Hat, being himself, immediately sees an opportunity to cause chaos and seizes it with both hands, quite literally — he grabs the pendulum, which causes the others to shout after him to stop. At first this would seemingly be for fear of ruining the delicate demonstration. However, in the final panel, the [[:Category:News anchor|news anchor]] [[Blondie]] reveals to us that by arresting the motion of the pendulum, Black Hat has somehow stopped the rotation of the Earth. However, it was only briefly, since the local {{w|geophysicists}} managed to wrestle him down, and it must be assumed that they then quickly restarted the pendulum and thus the Earth's rotation.

This of course is blatantly impossible, since the Foucault pendulum's motion is tied to the Earth's rotation, not the other way around (at least in any significant way, see below). A Foucault pendulum is a regular {{w|pendulum}} that swings from a bearing that allows rotation in any direction, like your shoulder joint instead of your elbow, as a demonstration that the Earth is rotating beneath it. If the Earth were stationary, the pendulum's plane of oscillation would not change relative to its immediate surroundings, but the Earth is not stationary, so the pendulum's plane of oscillation will appear to rotate over the course of a day, although in reality it is the Earth that rotates. The low-friction bearing doesn't allow the rotation of the Earth to affect the motion of the pendulum, so it tends to stay aligned with its original inertial reference frame rather than with its surroundings, which rotate with the Earth. A Foucault pendulum located at one of the poles will take a full day to "move" one full round. At the equator there is no movement, and in between it will take longer than 24 hours (24 hours divided by the sine of the latitude).

The fact that the Earth's rotation does not influence the motion of the pendulum does NOT mean that other forces can't affect it - for example, someone running up and manually repositioning the pendulum. Of course, the apparent rotation of the pendulum's plane relative to the Earth is an effect of the planet's motion, rather than the cause of it. Thus, stopping a Foucault pendulum manually does not entail pausing the rotation of the Earth.[[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]]

If it were somehow possible for a Foucault pendulum to control Earth's rotation (see above), Black Hat would probably not want to alter the momentum of the pendulum if he were not at one of the Earth's poles. That is assuming he was told that it was related to Earth's rotation and assuming that he would prefer to preserve his own life over creating chaos (unless he has some means to prevent his being slammed into a nearby wall at the speed of sound). This is because, if the rotation of the Earth were to be stopped for even very short amounts of time (a few seconds), it would cause everything on Earth that wasn't bolted/fastened to the ground to move eastward compared to the now stationary ground. Objects near the Equator would suddenly be moving at a speed of 300-360 meters per second, likely causing the death of most lifeforms on Earth beneath a certain latitude almost instantaneously. Those close enough to the poles may survive, though. Also this will cause massive windstorms, tsunamis, volcanic and tectonic events on a scale not previously observed on Earth. This would likely cause a mass extinction event and wipe out most of humanity in the initial events (which would eventually lead to our total extinction). It is possible that Black Hat's grabbing the pendulum would cause a gradual slowing prior to stopping, minimizing the issue (though this doesn't seem to be the case), but the results would still be catastrophic, as the aforementioned events are still likely to occur (specifically the tsunamis and volcanic events). However, as mentioned above, if this pendulum were located at the South Pole, then Black Hat and other people around him would not be affected immediately, and he could both do it, survive and be stopped again. The question is whether there would be any more news stories to cover this, given what would happen to the rest of the world! If there was no one to readjust the pendulum's rotation, then certain events would happen after the initial damage (see this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_T7L8rt1Ec]). [[Randall]] previously covered this scenario in detail in his [[what if?]] book, see [https://io9.gizmodo.com/xkcds-creator-explains-what-would-happen-if-earth-stopp-1625068208 XKCD's Creator Explains What Would Happen If Earth Stopped Spinning].

To be completely correct, the angular momentum of the Earth+pendulum system is constant, so that when Black Hat "stops" the pendulum's rotation with respect to the Earth, he actually transfers to the pendulum some of Earth's angular momentum, thereby ''slightly'' slowing Earth's rotation. But the order of magnitude of that effect is (at most) in proportion to the pendulum-to-Earth mass ratio. Earth's mass being ~6 x 1024kg, the effect for any practical pendulum would be beyond the 20th decimal place and would therefore go totally unnoticed.

The title text mentions the {{w|International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service}}, an organization providing standards for global time and reference frames; this organization would have a very rough day after the fiasco with Black Hat. The title text refers to a (probably) fictional paramilitary enforcement arm of this organization and the foolishness of tangling with such a force. If Foucault pendulums were somehow able to influence the rotation of the Earth in any measurable way, the IERS enforcers would probably strictly control their installation and monitor their use (and misuse). Black Hat is likely in for a rough day as well. It seems likely that some on this team are geophysicists, since they were the ones who took Black Hat down.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is addressing Cueball, Black Hat and Ponytail as they are looking a pendulum, which consists of a large swinging sphere with a spike beneath it hanging on a string coming down from above with seven small markers under it. Megan is pointing at it while it is swinging towards them, as indicated with lines behind the sphere and the string.]
:Megan: This Foucault pendulum demonstrates Earth's rotation. It stays in a fixed plane while the Earth rotates under it.

:[Close-up on Black Hat holding a hand to his chin.]
:Black Hat: Hmm, really.
:Black Hat: So that means...

:[Zoom out to Black Hat running to the pendulum grabbing it with both hands. He knocks over two of the seven markers that can now be seen to be small pegs standing up on he floor beneath the pendulum. A line goes from his hand on the pendulum up to a sound bubble. Two people off-panel yell at him.]
:Character off-panel 1: Hey!
:Character off-panel 2: Stop him!
:Sound: ''Grab!''

:[Blondie as a news anchor uses her held out hand to indicate Black Hat who is shown on a screen next to her. There is a caption in two lines above it. The first line in normal text, the second line in white in a black rectangle. There are further unreadable text below the picture.]
:Blondie: The Earth's rotation was briefly halted today until geophysicists wrestled the intruder to the ground...
:Breaking
:''news''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:News anchor]]
[[Category:Physics]]

738: Incision

2022-05-04T01:55:15Z

DPS2004: de-crap

<div style="display: none">crap crap </div>
{{comic
| number = 738
| date = May 10, 2010
| title = Incision
| image = incision.png
| titletext = At one point, by force of childhood habit, the doctor accidentally removed three or four organs.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Operation (game)|Operation}}'' is a board game wherein one attempts to remove the organs of a patient, named Cavity Sam, with a pair of tweezers. A flat board has a cartoon image of a "patient", and dotted around various areas are holes inside of which contain plastic pieces representing the organs.

Additionally, each hole is lined with a metal connector, and the tweezers are made of metal, connecting via wire to the board. When the tweezers make contact with a metal connector, a buzzer sounds and a lamp on the patient's nose lights up to signal an error.

The game is notoriously difficult as the organs are quite small, and the buzzer is considered by players to be annoying, if not actually startling, particularly considering how much focus and steady hand is required to avoid the tweezers making contact with a metal connector.

In the comic, a child swallows a buzzer from such a board game, and the joke lies in the similarity between the game and actual surgery when the buzzer is brought into the mix. The title text brings this further by describing an incident where the doctor ended up removing several organs (the object of the game, but obviously not a good idea in real life).{{Citation needed}}

The surgery would probably have been hard, as surgery requires concentration,{{Citation needed}} with the game Operation being hard as well.
==Transcript==
:[Two doctors wearing surgical masks are standing over a prone patient. One of them is touching the patient's chest with a scalpel.]
:Doctor: I'm making the incision above the left—
:'''''BZZZZT!'''''
:Doctor: Augh!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:October 8th, 2004:
:A child swallows an "Operation" buzzer, leading to the single most difficult surgery ever performed.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Board games]]
[[Category:Medicine]]

2607: Geiger Counter

2022-04-15T18:20:22Z

DPS2004: Undo revision 230488 by 172.69.79.203 (talk)

{{comic
| number = 2607
| date = April 15, 2022
| title = Geiger Counter
| image = geiger_counter.png
| titletext = At first I didn't get why they were warning me about all those birds sitting on the wire, but then I understood.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|Geiger counter}}s emit a clicking noise when they detect radiation. Cueball was asked to bring a Geiger counter with apparently no further explanation. Rather than try to inquire further, he simply complied, and soon heard it start clicking. "It clicked" is also slang for a sudden understanding, such as when one "gets" a joke.

In the title text, Cueball was similarly confused when warned about the large number of birds on a wire. Birds are well-known to rest on power lines (colloquially called "wires") particularly in cold weather[https://birdwatchingbuzz.com/why-do-birds-sit-on-power-lines]. "Understood" here is taken in its etymological meaning: to stand under it. Cueball presumably had bird poop fall on him, and then he understood the warning.

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

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Characters with Hats]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Puns]]

1704: Gnome Ann

2021-05-02T01:22:29Z

DPS2004: added Category:Language using HotCat

{{comic
| number = 1704
| date = July 8, 2016
| title = Gnome Ann
| image = gnome_ann.png
| titletext = President Andrew Johnson once said, "If I am to be shot at, I want Gnome Ann to be in the way of the bullet.".
}}

==Explanation==
This comic presents a series of images depicting a female {{w|gnome}} who is known as "Gnome Ann". The humor derives from the fact that the name "Gnome Ann" is a {{w|Mondegreen|mondegreen}} of the phrase "no man". (For clarification, "gnome" is pronounced as in the fantastical creature and not as in the Linux-based {{w|GNOME|Gnome desktop system}}.)

[[Randall]] presents the reader with six images (and a title text) captioned with quotations from a wide range of sources, each featuring an instance of the compound noun "no man" being replaced by "Gnome Ann" (and featuring a drawing that reflects this change). There is one proverb, two Biblical quotations, one literary quotation from {{w|Miguel de Cervantes|Cervantes}}' ''{{w|Don Quixote}}'', one cinematic reference from the {{w|Lord of the Rings (film series)}} (the line {{w|Éowyn}} said to the {{w|Witch-king of Angmar}} before killing him), one quotation from the opening of a television show (''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}''), and a quotation from a piece of historical rhetoric in the title text.

===Table of quotes===
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Modified quote'''
| '''Original quote'''
| '''Origin'''
| '''Explanation'''
|-
| "Time and tide wait for Gnome Ann."
| "Time and tide wait for no man."
| Proverb
| [[89: Gravitational Mass|Normally]] it is not possible for anyone to influence time or tides. However in this case it would appear that Gnome Ann is able to stop time, and tides. For the tide, it may be possible that "(Gnome Ann) Is an Island."[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Man_Is_an_Island]
|-
| "The wicked flee when Gnome Ann pursueth."
| "The wicked flee when no man pursueth."
| Bible: [http://biblehub.com/proverbs/28-1.htm Proverbs 28:1]
| This biblical reference normally implies the wicked are a cowardly and/or paranoid lot, jumping at shadows and eager to flee at simply the pretense of danger or pursuit. However in this case it would imply that wicked people run away from Gnome Ann specifically.
|-
| "What therefore God hath joined together, let Gnome Ann put asunder."
| "What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder."
| Bible: [http://biblehub.com/mark/10-9.htm Mark 10:9]
| In the Bible, Jesus is asked about whether people should be allowed to divorce, and Jesus responds with this quote. It is known to appear in wedding vows, hence the fact that the man and woman in the panel are dressed for a wedding. However, in the comic, the quote becomes a command to Gnome Ann to break apart what God has joined.
|-
| "Time ripens all things; Gnome Ann is born wise
| "Time ripens all things; no man is born wise."
| The novel {{w|Don Quixote}} by {{w|Miguel De Cervantes}}
| This states that nobody is wise to begin with, and it takes time to become wise. However it now states that Gnome Ann is wise to begin with, suggesting she is not part of the order of things within time.
|-
| "Our Mission: To boldly go where Gnome Ann has gone before."
| "Our Mission: To boldly go where no man has gone before."
| Intro at {{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}
| Originally this was meant to emphasize that they would be going to completely unexplored territory, which would be a potentially risky venture. However in this case, it means that they will be following Gnome Ann, which is not exploration. Though depending on where Gnome Ann has gone, these may still be risky ventures: "(Gnome Ann) goes to battle to be killed." [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar_and_Cleopatra_%28play%29]
|-
| Witch-king of Angmar: "Fool! No man can kill me." Gnome Ann: "I am Gnome Ann!"
| Witch-king of Angmar: "Fool! No man can kill me." Éowyn: "I am no man!"
| {{w|The Lord of the Rings (film series)}}
| The Witch-king of Angmar was given a prophecy that he would never be bested in combat by the hand of man, and he boasted "no man" could kill him. Both in ''Lord of the Rings'' and this comic, he is defeated by a woman. Gnome Ann is simply that good. Note that in the Tolkien legendarium, a "Gnome" is an archaic name for the Noldor tribe of elves (e.g. Galadriel).
|-
| President Andrew Johnson once said, "If I am to be shot at, I want Gnome Ann to be in the way of the bullet."
| President Andrew Johnson once said, "If I am to be shot at, I want no man to be in the way of the bullet."
| {{w|Andrew Johnson}}, 17th President of the United States
| '''Title text''': The intent of this statement originally was that Andrew Johnson would rather be killed, than have somebody else be killed trying to save his life. However in this case it would appear that Andrew Johnson would really prefer Gnome Ann to be shot instead of himself, perhaps because he knows that "(Gnome Ann) lives forever." [https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Algernon_Charles_Swinburne]
|}

==Transcript==
:The <big>Legend</big> of <big>Gnome Ann</big>

:[At the beach, between a clock hanging in the air, showing 10 past 10 and the shoreline, Gnome Ann, a woman with curly hair and a black triangular hat, stands with her arms outstretched towards the clock and the sea. For each of the first five panels a text is written within a frame above the drawings.]
:Time and tide wait for Gnome Ann.

:[Gnome Ann running in from the left frame with her arms out chases three Cueball like men running from her towards right. The one closest to her looks over his shoulder at her, the next runs forward "normally" and the last in front throws up his arms in the air.]
:The wicked flee when Gnome Ann pursueth.
:-Proverbs 28:1

:[Gnome Ann takes the groom's place in a wedding, shoving him to the side. The groom, Hairy with a bow tie, falls while throwing his arms out. The bride stands to the left, in full wedding dress, showing no reaction.]
:What therefore God hath joined together, let Gnome Ann put asunder.
:-Mark 10:9

:[Gnome Ann sits in a yoga position meditating on a big rock in a desolate area with small rocks on the ground around the big rock.]
:Time ripens all things; Gnome Ann is born wise.
:-Miguel De Cervantes

:[The starship Enterprise from Star Trek is seen from behind as it flies to the right, chasing a smaller craft. In this panel the frame with text is shown to emanate from Enterprise with a zig zag arrow pointing to the starship.]
:Enterprise: Our Mission: To boldly go where Gnome Ann has gone before.

:[The Witch-king of Angmar, Lord of the Nazgûl, from the Lord of the Rings sits on his knees (below the frame) to the left of Gnome Ann, who is preparing to stab him with a sword pointing at his head. She is also holding her other arm out towards him. The Witch-king has a black cloak covering his head and body with a kind of crown with six small spikes shown around his head and one large spike in front. It also goes down on each side of his head showing a gaping hole instead of a face. In this panel the text is spoken by the two characters.]
:Witch-king: Fool! No man can kill me.
:Gnome Ann: '''''I Am Gnome Ann!'''''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Time]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Star Trek]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Wedding]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]
[[Category:Language]]

2230: Versus Bracket

2021-04-06T16:42:31Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ scott pilgrim is not a teenager

{{comic
| number = 2230
| date = November 18, 2019
| title = Versus Bracket
| image = versus_bracket.png
| titletext = Some works didn't make the cut; in "Ecks vs. Sever" vs. the passage of time, the latter seems to have won pretty decisively.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic shows a {{w|tournament bracket}} in which the initial matches represent works of fiction or non-fiction with "versus" (represented as ''versus'', ''vs.'', ''v'', etc) in their names (e.g. Batman is initially matched against Superman in reference to ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice''). The list includes 13 movies, 2 video games, and one television episode. The works referenced are:

---> *WARNING* Spoiler Alerts Below *WARNING* <---

* ''{{w|Kramer vs. Kramer}}'', a 1979 legal drama about a couple (the Kramers) divorcing. '''Winner: Kramer''' (Joanna Kramer wins custody of her son in court, but chooses not to take custody of him as he has mostly been raised by his father).
* ''{{w|Ford v Ferrari}}'', a 2019 film (released Nov 15, the weekend before this comic strip was released) about the two auto builders competing to win the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race. '''Winner: Ford'''
* ''{{w|The People vs. Larry Flynt}}'', a 1996 documentary film about the life of Larry Flynt, creator of adult magazine ''Hustler''. Depicted in the film is the Supreme Court case ''Hustler Magazine v. Falwell'', which ''Hustler'' magazine (and Flynt) won. '''Winner: Larry Flynt'''
* ''{{w|Joe Versus the Volcano}}'', a 1990 romantic comedy about a man, Joe, who offers to throw himself into a volcano on behalf of superstitious natives. Joe does not succeed in pacifying the volcano, as it erupts as soon as he jumps in, although he survives and lands safely in the ocean. '''Winner: Volcano'''
* ''{{w|King Kong vs. Godzilla}}'', a 1962 film pitting the two titular monsters against each other. There is a persistent myth that the Japanese and American cuts of the film have different winners but it is false. At the end of the film, only Kong swims away from an underwater battle. '''Winner: King Kong'''
* ''{{w|Freddy vs. Jason}}'', a 2003 slasher film combining the universes of ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' and the ''Friday the 13th'' series. '''Winner: Jason''', although Freddy's severed head winks and laughs at the end of the movie.
* ''{{w|Dracula vs. Frankenstein}}'', a 1971 horror film. '''Winner: none''' (both monsters kill each other)
* ''{{w|Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator}}'', a 2004 film in the shared universe of ''Alien'' and ''Predator'' series. The tagline for the film was "Whoever wins...we lose." '''Winner: Predator''', although an Alien chestburster does emerge from the Predator's chest at the end of the film.
* ''{{w|Marvel vs. Capcom}}'', a video game {{w|fighting game}} series combining the {{w|Marvel Universe}} and characters from {{w|Capcom}}. '''Winner: none''' (players can choose and achieve victory with characters from either franchise)
* ''{{w|Marge vs. the Monorail}}'', a 1993 episode of ''The Simpsons'', where Marge leads a campaign against a monorail project in Springfield. This is often considered one of the best ''Simpsons'' episodes of all time. '''Winner: Marge'''
* ''{{w|Justice League vs. Teen Titans}}'', a 2016 direct-to-video animated superhero film. The Justice League and Teen Titans are both superhero teams and usually are on the same side, but in this film, the Justice League are possessed by demons and forced to fight the Titans. The Teen Titans defeat Superman to free him from possession and turn the tide against the rest of the League and defeat the demons. '''Winner: Teen Titans'''
* ''{{w|Asterix Versus Caesar}}'', a 1985 animated film and a film adaptation of the {{w|Asterix}} comic book series. '''Winner: Asterix'''
* ''{{w|Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice}}'', a 2016 superhero film in which Lex Luthor manipulates Batman and Superman into fighting each other. Batman is on the verge of killing Superman when he realizes Lex Luthor's manipulation. They decide to end their hostilities toward each other. Lex Luthor releases {{w|Doomsday (DC Comics)|Doomsday}}, and Superman sacrifices himself to defeat him. '''Winner: Batman'''.
* ''{{w|Scott Pilgrim vs. the World}}'', a 2010 film based on the ''Scott Pilgrim'' graphic novel. Scott Pilgrim does not fight against the entire world; rather, he fights Ramona Flowers's Seven Evil Exes so that he can be her boyfriend. '''Winner: Scott Pilgrim'''
* ''{{w|Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus}}'', a 2009 monster film. '''Winner: none''' (both monsters kill each other)
* ''{{w|Plants vs. Zombies}}'', a 2009 tower defense and strategy video game. The player commands an army of plants who defend their home against the zombie apocalypse. '''Winner: Plants''', assuming the player wins.

Assuming the tournament bracket reflects the results of each original work, the second round would result as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
| • '''Kramer''' vs. '''Ford''' - a newly-single mother against an automotive company.
| • '''Marge''' vs. '''___''' - an American housewife against any possible representative from a superhero comics continuity or a company known for its action games.
|-
| • '''Larry Flynt''' vs. '''Volcano''' - the creator of a magazine against a natural rock formation spewing lava.
| • '''Teen Titans''' vs. '''Asterix''' - a young superhero team against a Gaul warrior with a magic potion of super strength.
|-
| • '''King Kong ''' vs. '''Jason''' - a giant gorilla against an ambiguously-human serial killer.
| • '''Batman''' vs. '''Scott Pilgrim''' - a billionaire-turned-vigilante against an ambiguously superpowered Canadian.
|-
| • '''Predator''' vs. '''(bye)''' - the Predator has no opponent, advances to the next round unopposed.
| • '''Plants''' vs. '''(bye)''' - the plants have no opponent, advance to the next round unopposed.
|}

The title text refers to the 2002 action film ''{{w|Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever}}'', which is qualified to be in this tournament by virtue of having the word "vs." in its title, but as the film is regarded as one of the {{w|List of films considered the worst|worst movies ever made}}, it has been defeated in a pre-entry match vs. "the passage of time" - it is thus not considered worthy of entry in the tournament.

Tournament brackets is a [[:Category:Tournament bracket|recurring subject]] on xkcd, most recently used in [[2131: Emojidome]] and [[2037: Supreme Court Bracket]]. The latter is especially similar to this comic, considering that it also extends normal "versus" situations to a second round. The first bracket comic, [[1529: Bracket]], prompted people to create a series of polls to determine the end results, much like [[Randall]] later did himself with Emojidome. Randall even made [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-06-06_-_Other_news|a reference]] to one of those polls in the [[xkcd Header text]].

==Transcript==
:[A tournament bracket tree is shown with 16 participants each on the left and right side. From both sides toward the middle the brackets reduce to eight, then four, two, and one line where the latter join to a rectangle in the middle.]

:[Left side:]
:Kramer - Kramer
:Ford - Ferrari
:The People - Larry Flint
:Joe - The Volcano
:King Kong - Godzilla
:Freddy - Jason
:Dracula - Frankenstein
:Alien - Predator

:[Right side:]
:Marvel - Capcom
:Marge - The Monorail
:Justice League - Teen Titans
:Asterix - Caesar
:Batman - Superman
:Scott Pilgrim - The World
:Mega Shark - Giant Octopus
:Plants - Zombies

== Trivia ==
* The same Twitter account that covered a [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1529:_Bracket previous XKCD bracket] over three years ago, [https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket], was back to determine the winner of this one by public vote. The Volcano defeated Asterix in the final.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tournament bracket]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Volcanoes]]

2189: Old Game Worlds

2021-04-05T22:54:04Z

DPS2004: added Category:Katamari Damacy using HotCat

{{comic
| number = 2189
| date = August 14, 2019
| title = Old Game Worlds
| image = old_game_worlds.png
| titletext = Ok, how many coins for a cinnamon roll?
}}

==Explanation==
[[Randall]] sits at his computer looking at a menu of games which have been ordered into three sections, New, Old and Very old games (see [[#List of games|List of games]] below). At the bottom of this list, 2nd to last, he chooses to click on ''{{w|Super Mario Bros.}}'' which then opens as shown in the next four panels.

This comic explores the difference between the real world, where artificial structures require constant upkeep and communities change with time, and the digital worlds of video games, where everything is static until the plot demands otherwise. Although ''online'' games do require server maintenance by the owners and sometimes receive major changes to their content, offline games are - and always have been - perpetual existences, unchanging so long as the data is intact. (This is later revisited in [[2221: Emulation]])

As the narration explores this incongruity, and theorizes about the idea of it not being so, the comic displays the alternative with the ubiquitous video game - ''Super Mario Bros.'' (1985) - as an example. {{w|Mario}} arrives in World 1-1 to find a {{w|Goomba}} expressing surprise that the plumber has deigned to return to the place where his '''first''' journey began. As he advances, he finds both signs of progress - a {{w|Cell site|cellphone tower}}, an {{w|Motorized scooter|e-scooter}}, a {{w|Quadcopter|drone}} - and signs of disrepair - damaged {{w|Warp (video gaming)|Warp Pipes}}, loose blocks. At World 1-4, he finds {{w|Toad (Nintendo)|Toad}}; in the game, Toad would warn him that {{w|Princess Peach|the Princess}} is being held {{tvtropes|YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle|in another castle}}, but now, he's informing Mario that the castle has been remodeled into a {{w|Panera Bread|Panera}} bakery.

This reflects common experiences of a person returning to a place they once knew well, but haven't seen in a long time. The atmosphere of the place may be changed by modern elements that hadn't existed before. Buildings and other infrastructure may have decayed or fallen into disrepair. And areas that have not been neglected will often be redeveloped, meaning that landmarks you remember may be repurposed or demolished to make room for something new. This tends to stir up feelings of nostalgia and loss in real life, when the settings of your memory no longer exist in the form that you remember.

The title-text abruptly switches to Mario's acceptance of the changes to World 1, and deciding to make the most of it by purchasing a {{w|cinnamon roll}}. "Coins" are the omnipresent currency of the {{w|Mushroom Kingdom}} and most other locations Mario visits in the ''Mario'' series, taking the form of large nondescript golden circles, usually with a rectangular indent in the middle.

The concept of an old, dilapidated version of the world of the original Super Mario Bros. was explored by Nintendo themselves in the [https://www.ssbwiki.com/Mushroomy_Kingdom Mushroomy Kingdom] stage featured in multiple Super Smash Bros. games.

===List of games===
The first panel shows a list of games in approximately reverse chronological order of their release:
#New games:
##{{w|Subnautica}} (2014)
##[https://spookysquid.com/rsd Russian Subway Dogs] (2018)
##{{w|Kerbal Space Program}} (2015). (Has been mentioned several times in xkcd).
#Old games:
##{{w|Worms Armageddon}} (1999)
##{{w|Elasto Mania}} (2000)
##{{w|Katamari Damacy}} (2004) (A [[:Category:Katamari_Damacy|recurring]] theme)
##{{w|Mario Kart}} (It is not stated which Mario Kart is being referred to, see below. A [[:Category:Mario Kart|recurring]] theme)
#Very old games:
##{{w|Link's Awakening}} (1993) (aka The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening)
##{{w|Escape Velocity (video game)|Escape Velocity}} (1996)
##{{w|SimCity}} (1989)
##{{w|Prince of Persia}} (1989). (This game was [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/e/e2/1608_Comparing_Prince_of_Persia_maze_with_real_level_1.png featured] in [[1608: Hoverboard]]).
##{{w|Super Mario Bros.}} (1985)
##{{w|History_of_Microsoft_Flight_Simulator#Flight_Simulator_3.0|MS Flight Simulator 3}} (1988)

The first game in the {{w|Mario Kart}} series was {{w|Super Mario Kart}} from 1992. As can be seen that Mario Kart game would be older than Link's Awakening. So it seems likely Randall was referring to {{w|Mario Kart 64}} from 1997, the first in the series to begin with Mario Kart leaving out the Super. With this in mind all the games in the two bottom sections are older than all those in the previous section. But they are not listed chronologically within the three sections.

Russian Subway Dogs is the newest game from 2018 (and at the time of this comic's release in August 2019, is the only one of the 13 games mentioned in this comic that does not currently have a Wikipedia entry).

Super Mario Bros., the game most prominently featured in the comic, is the oldest of the 13. The first version of {{w|Microsoft Flight Simulator}}, {{w|History_of_Microsoft_Flight_Simulator#Flight_Simulator_1.0|MS flight simulator 1.0}}, was from 1982, but the list this comic specifies the third version, released in 1988.

Although the games in this comic appear to be grouped by date of their release, the time span covered by these groupings is not uniform. The first three games mentioned are from 2014-2018. The next four date from between 1997-2004, and the last six from between 1985-1996. With the earliest games grouped as 1985-1996, uniform grouping could split the later games between a group released in 1997-2008 and a group of games released in 2009 or later. If grouped by decades, 1985-1995 would potentially place the Escape Velocity game in the Old Games section instead of the Very Old Games section. Although some of these games did have releases intended to run on a {{w|Personal_computer|'Personal Computer'}}, the list in this comic seems to focus on games released for {{w|Video_game_console|gaming consoles}}, with no mention of games released for {{w|First_generation_of_video_game_consoles|first}} or {{w|Second_generation_of_video_game_consoles|second}} generation {{w|List_of_home_video_game_consoles|consoles which pre-dated}} the {{w|Nintendo_Entertainment_System|Nintendo Entertainment System}} (such as {{w|Pong#Home_version|Pong}} published by Atari; {{w|Magnavox_Odyssey#cite_ref-VGHttl_2-18|Brain Wave, Haunted House, Interplanetary Voyage, & Wipeout}} for the {{w|Magnavox_Odyssey|Magnavox Odyssey}}; & {{w|Adventure_(Atari_2600)|Adventure}} for the {{w|Atari_2600|Atari 2600}}).

==Transcript==
:[A light gray drop down menu is shown with three sections split up with three grays lines split up with section titles in the same gray font. Beneath each section title is 3, 4 and 6 lines of black text. An white arrow cursor hovers over the second last option, which is thus highlighted with a dark gray background and white text.]
:New Games
:Subnautica
:Russian Subway Dogs
:Kerbal Space Program
:Old Games
:Worms Armageddon
:Elasto Mania
:Katamari Damacy
:Mario Kart
:Very Old Games
:Link's Awakening
:Escape Velocity
:SimCity
:Prince of Persia
:Super Mario Bros
:MS Flight Simulator 3

:[A colorful scene is shown from the Super Mario Bros. side-scrolling game, the first level World 1-1. Mario with red hat and trousers is standing on the brown blocks beneath the blue sky. Another character in the game, Goomba, is standing in front of some green bushes. Above them is narration text:]
:Narrator: It feels weird that you can go into old games and the whole world is still there.
:Goomba: Mario?
:Mario: It'sa me!
:Goomba: What are ''you'' doing here?

:[Mario stands between an e-scooter, a dismounted and broken Question Mark Box lying on its side and a cellphone tower. Narration continues above:]
:Narrator: Part of me expects to find that everything's changed.

:[Mario looks at a damaged green but rusty Warp Pipe and there is a quadcopter drone flying by over his head. Weeds are growing both from the pipe and from the blocks he is walking on. Narration continues above:]
:Narrator: That pipes have rusted, walls have crumbled, bad guys have moved on.

:[Mario has moved on to World 1-4, the castle has been replaced with a bakery. The blocks beneath his feet are now smaller and gray and above them is black background. The character Toad with the white hat with red circles is standing in front of a bakery disc with shelves of bread and cake behind it. There is a green sign on the front of the brown disk. Toad talks to Mario with white text in the black background. Above the black part of the image is more narration in a frame-less white section:]
:Narrator: That even our game worlds can't escape the passage of time.
:Toad: Thank you, Mario!
:Toad: But this is a Panera now!
:Sign: Panera

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Mario Kart]]
[[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]
[[Category:Drones]]
[[Category:Katamari Damacy]]

2131: Emojidome

2021-03-30T18:18:36Z

DPS2004: ??????????????????????

{{comic
| number = 2131
| date = April 1, 2019
| title = Emojidome
| image = emojidome.png
| titletext = Thank you to the xkcd April 1st volunteers/commentators, including @Chromakode, Kevin, @Aiiane, Patrick, Kat, Reuven, @cotrone, @bstaffin, @zigdon, schwal, Stereo, and everyone who voted!
}}

==Explanation==
This was the ninth [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] released by [[Randall]]. The previous fools comic was [[1975: Right Click]] from Sunday April 1, 2018. The next became [[2288: Collector's Edition]], which was delayed two days and released on Friday April 3, 2020.

The interactive comic began at noon ET (16:00 UTC) on April 1, 2019, and ended a day later. In it, users were shown two emojis and voted for their favorite before the time ran out. 512 different emojis were paired against each other in a cup or {{w|Bracket (tournament)|bracket}} system, with only one winner. See more below under [[#How it worked|How it worked]].

Brackets - like the one in this comic, for finding the best emoji - are a recurring theme in xkcd. It is also relevant for this time of year, and two years ago in 2017, the first comic in April, [[1819: Sweet 16]] from April 3rd was a bracket, referencing {{w|March Madness}}. The {{w|2019 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|2019 version}} of the {{w|National Collegiate Athletic Association}} {{w|College basketball}} national championship tournament began March 19th and ends April 8th 2019. So this comic could also be said to reference this, although it is not so explicit here. Earlier Randall made another large and "silly" bracket in [[1529: Bracket]] (which someone then actually made into an online voting system, just like in this comic).

The title is a reference to the movie ''{{w|Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome}},'' which had the tagline: "Two men enter. One man leaves." The "Thunderdome" in the film is a gladiatorial arena where conflicts are resolved by a duel to the death.

In the final round, the Milky Way emoji (🌌) won against the Hedgehog emoji (🦔). The comic was updated to show the result.

Clicking the comic links to a bracket of 128 emojis showing the winners: https://xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket_round_of_128.png

==How it worked==

[[File:2131 Emojidome example.png|thumb|400px|Comic as it appeared during the competition]]

In the first round, the voting period for each bout lasted 37.5 seconds. The voting period for each bout doubled for the second, third, and fourth rounds. The voting period for each bout for the fifth round through the end was 26 minutes. The entire bracket took 24 hours 6 minutes.

Remaining time of a given bout was shown on a timer beneath the voting buttons. If the time remaining was one minute or greater, the time was shown rounded to the nearest minute (e.g., "Remaining Time: 26 minutes"); thus the minute would change on the half minute (e.g., "2 minutes" changed to "1 minute" at 1 minute 30 seconds). If the time remaining was less than a minute, the time was shown in seconds (e.g., "59 seconds"). When there were two (sometimes three) seconds remaining, the timer would display "Time's Up!" through the end of the bout and for a [[1070: Words for Small Sets|couple]] of seconds after the end of the bout while the images for the next bout were loading. Then the next bout would appear and the results of the previous bout would be added to the list of past bouts, with the most recent bout at the top.

Commentary was displayed above the images for each bout, and changed occasionally through the bout. In the first round, the commentary was made up of some stock phrases with a few custom phrases mixed in. Later commentary was tailored to suit each match-up and provided live updates on how each bout was progressing. A final comment was included in the list of past bouts.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Round !! Start (ET) !! Start (UTC) !! Bouts !! Bout length !! Round length
|-
| 1 || 12:00 || 16:00 || 256 || 37.5 s || 2 h 40 m
|-
| 2 || 14:40 || 18:40 || 128 || 1 m 15 s || 2 h 40 m
|-
| 3 || 17:20 || 21:20 || 64 || 2 m 30 s || 2 h 40 m
|-
| 4 || 20:00 || 0:00 || 32 || 5 m || 2 h 40 m
|-
| 5 || 22:40 || 2:40 || 16 || 26 m || 6 h 56 m
|-
| 6 || 5:36 || 9:36 || 8 || 26 m || 3 h 28 m
|-
| 7 || 9:04 || 13:04 || 4 || 26 m || 1 h 44 m
|-
| 8 || 10:48 || 14:48 || 2 || 26 m || 52 m
|-
| 9 || 11:40 || 15:40 || 1 || 26 m || 26 m
|}

The competing candidates were periodically overlaid with colored hearts that floated up from the vote button oscillating in a triangle wave pattern before disappearing above the candidate. Below the current competition, the results of past bouts were shown with the "loser" displayed in greyscale, the winner in color, and the final robot-commentator comment on that match.

The commentary appeared to suggest that there was some real-time feedback from the results of the competition. For instance, "It seems like our friends over Australia is joining the fun" appeared in the commentary. So did "We are getting a lot of questions on this today. This is live commentary, folks." https://i.imgur.com/8kPwjou.png, directly declaring that the commentary is live.

Note that the schedule might show different emoji pictures than the main voting screen, presumably because of fonts. The image is pre-rendered.

The competing candidates are chosen in order of Unicode value at first, resulting in similar emojis being compared. Examples include:

😜 squaring off against 😛 - two emojis playfully sticking their tongues out

🤩 squaring off against 😍 - two smiling emojis with symbols for eyes

😂 squaring off with 🤣 - two emojis that are crying in laughter/joy.

The original title text "🤼🤼🤼🤼🤼🤼🤼🤼" consisted of eight wrestler emojis. This likely represented the round of 8, where the eight winners then can turn to the winner next to them and continue the quarterfinals, etc. The title text was updated after the final round.

Notably, it appears the eggplant emoji (🍆) and the peach emoji (🍑) were left out of the bracket, alongside the middle finger emoji (🖕). The eggplant and peach are frequently used to represent a penis and vulva, respectively. There has been no statement from Randall on why they were left out.

A robot face announcer-emoji (🤖) and a link to the full bracket was added at 38 minutes in.
https://www.xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket.png shows 512 emojis in a single-elimination tournament.
https://www.xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket_256.png was added later and shows the 256 emojis that competed on the second round.
https://www.xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket_round_3.png was added for the third round. https://www.xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket_round_4.png was added for the fourth round. The round 3 bracket was later updated with results during the Volcano vs Owl fight. There was an error where the flying saucer had beaten the stars, which was not the case.
A new bracket image was created for the Round of 32 which seems to be updated with new results as they come in. https://www.xkcd.com/2131/emojidome_bracket_round_of_32.png

It is not clear how the winner is decided when both emojis tied for first. This has happened twice: in Cupcake vs. Birthday Cake (🧁 vs. 🎂) with 3658 points each, where the Birthday Cake (🎂) was declared winner, and in the very first match of Grinning Face vs. Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes (😀 vs. 😁), in which no votes were cast, but the Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes (😁) was declared winner. Both of these tied bouts occurred in round 1, and both declared winners lost their subsequent match in round 2.

==Alternative viewers==

Real data with results (clicks) can be seen as JSON-websocket at '''https://emojidome.xkcd.com/2131/socket''', transposed into a more human-readable format at '''https://leet.nu/tmp/xkcd-2131.html'''.

'''https://phiresky.github.io/emojidome/''', [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/b89zz1/emojidome_live_bracket_viewer/ made by a redditor], shows the brackets along with the final scores and comment.

==Transcript==
:[This was an interactive and dynamic comic during April 1st from its release until its completion. But the final and current image, will be the official image to transcribe. But the dynamic part of the comic as well as the "error image" displayed to services that could not render the dynamic comic is also transcribed here below.]

:[The final picture shows the winner of the gold medal in the Emojidome bracket tournament, as well as the runner up with the silver medal. There is no text. The winner is the "Space", "Stars" or "Milky Way" emoji, which is shown with a blue band on top of a dark blue band on top of an almost black background, indicating the light band of the Milky Way in the night sky. Stars (in both five point star shape and as dots) in light blue are spread out in all three bands of color. The large gold medal with its red neck string, is floating close to the middle of the picture, lacking any kind of neck in space to tie it around. To the left of the gold medal is the runner up, the brown Hedgehog, with light-brown face. It clutches the smaller silver medal, also with red neck string, which floats out there in space. The hedgehog with medal is depicted small enough to fit inside the neck string on the gold medal.]

===Dynamic comic transcript===
:[This is an example of how the comic appeared during the competition. The example includes one of the final winner, Space's, matches. The dynamic part of the comic is transcribed below:]
:[[File:2131 Emojidome example.png|400px]]
:[At the top center of the comic, the two emojis battling it out are shown next to each other. The emojis displayed in the comic used the [https://github.com/twitter/twemoji twemoji] icon set. A different emoji set was shown in links to image of the tournament brackets. These matches are called bouts in the comic. The emoji from the top (or left) of the bracket is shown to the left. In this case it was space, night sky, milky way or stars vs Maglev train. Between them is the following text:]
:VS

:[There are two buttons one below each of the two emoji. If pressed the buttons became red. They could be pressed multiple times each match. The buttons have text on them:]
:Vote Vote

:[From the buttons colored hearts are released, often in bundles, and then they wave up across the emoji who's button they emanated from.]

:[Below the buttons there is and indicator showing how long the current battle is open for further votes. In the example the text is:]
:Remaining time: 24 minutes

:[The time began at "26 minutes" during the final rounds. It changed to "1 minute", with 1 minutes and 30 seconds left, and then 30 seconds later to "60 seconds" counting down to a few seconds. Then, before reaching 2 or 3 seconds it changed (a bit too early) to "Time's up!" Shortly there after a new bout would begin.]

:[Above the two emoji at the very top is a comment. The commentator is shown as a robot emoji. The comment often changed during the long final rounds. In the current example the text is:]
:"~future~"

:[But there would have been several others during the match. Given that Space won the entire Emojidome, the train lost this match. Often a final comment was posted just as the result was in. These final messages was then put at the top of the list of past bouts (matches). These bouts was displayed at the bottom of the comic below the remaining time. To the left was the following text:]
:Past bouts:

:[Below this text was a list of all previous matches, showing the two emojis, with the loser grayed out, with their final comment next to them. As soon as there where more than three a scroll bar appeared to the right, making it possible to scroll down through all these previous matches. As it was 512 emojis to begin with, there were 256 bouts in the first round, and then 255 the rest of the way to the final for a total of 511 bouts at the end. Here are the the text of the three matches that can be seen in the example (the grayed out loser was Sushi, Bee and Wizard):]
:🌋 vs 🍣 "Sushi has received a technical disqualification for being very very cooked"
:🐝 vs 🦉 "Owls well that ends well"
:🦔 vs 🧙 "The Wizard didn't do it"

:[All the final bouts remarks, as well as the match ups, the score of votes, and all the other comments coming at the top during each bout can be found below in the round 1 to round 9 sections. They are thus not only a transcript.]

:[Finally at the bottom of the comic below the scroll-able version of the past bouts, there was a link to images of the brackets, beginning with the full long one of all 512 emojis, and the zooming in and out, plus updating with results along the way. The link was a text that explained what the link was for. In the current example the link text, which is link blue, was:]
:Full bracket for today's comic (round 3).

==== Round 1====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 😀 (0) vs 😁 (0)
* Grinning face
* Grinning face with smiling eyes
'''(Tie - unclear how winner was chosen)'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 😀. Coming up next!
|-
| 😆 (207) vs '''😅 (251)'''
* Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes
* '''Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat'''
|
* Next up, 😅 and 😆.
* I'm really looking forward to everything we're going to see today.
|-
| 😂 (772) vs '''🤣 (824)'''
* Face with tears of joy
* '''Rolling On the Floor Laughing'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 🙂 (939) vs '''🙃 (1494)'''
* Slightly smiling face
* '''Upside-down face'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🙂. Coming up next!
* You think this is something, folks, well... we're just getting started.
|-
| 😊 (857) vs '''😉 (1774)'''
* Smiling face with smiling eyes
* '''Winking face'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😉 vs. 😊.
|-
| '''😇 (1417)''' vs 🥰 (1392)
* '''Smiling face with halo'''
* Smiling face with smiling eyes and three hearts
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 😇 and 🥰 to go head to head.
|-
| '''😍 (2159)''' vs 🤩 (1447)
* '''Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes'''
* Grinning face with star eyes
|
* We will be right back with 😍 vs. 🤩!
|-
| 😗 (1045) vs '''😘 (2595)'''
* Kissing face
* '''Face throwing a kiss'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😗 vs. 😘.
* This is a day that 😗 has been anticipating for a long time.
|-
| 😚 (1619) vs '''😙 (1770)'''
* Kissing face with closed eyes
* '''Kissing face with smiling eyes'''
|
* Have at it, 😙 and 😚!
* If you are just joining us, fear not! You haven't missed much.
|-
| 😋 (1549) vs '''😛 (2644)'''
* Face savouring delicious food
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 😋 or 😛?
* 😋 stole that win.
|-
| '''😜 (2302)''' vs 🤪 (2085)
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue and winking eye'''
* Grinning face with one large and one small eye
|
* Next up, 😜 and 🤪.
*😜 didn't do their homework.
|-
| '''😝 (2568)''' vs 🤑 (1372)
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue and tightly-closed eyes'''
* Money-mouth face
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 😝 and 🤑 warming up.
|-
| 🤗 (1598) vs '''🤭 (2316)'''
* Hugging face
* '''Smiling face with smiling eyes and hand covering mouth'''
|
* Next up, 🤗 and 🤭.
* Sometimes miracles happen.
|-
| 🤫 (734) vs '''🤔 (4374)'''
* Face with finger covering closed lips
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 🤐 (1119) vs '''🤨 (2928)'''
* Zipper-mouth face
* '''Face with one eyebrow raised'''
|
* We will be right back with 🤐 vs. 🤨!
* Not sure which way this one goes.
|-
| 😐 (1506) vs '''😑 (1665)'''
* Neutral face
* '''Expressionless face'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😐 vs. 😑.
* One for the history books.
|-
| 😶 (2437) vs '''😏 (2659)'''
* Face without mouth
* '''Smirking face'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 😏 or 😶?
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 😒 (1562) vs '''🙄 (2692)'''
* Unamused face
* '''Face with rolling eyes'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 😒 or 🙄.
|-
| '''😬 (3345)''' vs 🤥 (1137)
* '''Grimacing face'''
* Lying face
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*No surprises here. 🤥 skates to an easy win.
*I hope everyone has printed their brackets and are ready, because time waits for very few people!
*No surprises here. 😬 skates to an easy win.
|-
| 😌 (1980) vs '''😔 (2238)'''
* Relieved face
* '''Pensive face'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 😌 and 😔? We are about to find out.
* 😔 comes out on top.
|-
| '''😴 (2770)''' vs 🤤 (1957)
* '''Sleeping face'''
* Drooling face
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*A dominant performance by 😴.
|-
| 😷 (1760) vs '''🤒 (2629)'''
* Face with medical mask
* '''Face with thermometer'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 😷 and 🤒 to go head to head.
* In the end, there was nothing 😷 could do to stop the power of 🤒.
|-
| 🤢 (2270) vs '''🤕 (2648)'''
* Nauseated face
* '''Face with head-bandage'''
|
* Next up, 🤕 and 🤢.
* 🤕 stole that win.
|-
| 🤧 (2325) vs '''🤮 (3260)'''
* Sneezing face
* '''Face with open mouth vomiting'''
|
* Will it be 🤧 or 🤮? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* 🤮 opened strong and 🤧 never caught up.
|-
| 🥵 (1884) vs '''🥶 (3983)'''
* Overheated face
* '''Freezing face'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🥵. Coming up next!
* I have never seen 🥶 crush an opponent that mercilessly before.
|-
| 😵 (2920) vs '''🥴 (3762)'''
* Dizzy face
* '''Face with uneven eyes and wavy mouth'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* That was 😵's to give away and they did.
|-
| 🤯 (3055) vs '''🤠 (3110)'''
* Shocked face with exploding head
* '''Face with cowboy hat'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🤠 vs. 🤯.
* However this ends up, someone got blown away.
|-
| '''😎 (4316)''' vs 🥳 (2201)
* '''Smiling face with sunglasses'''
* Face with party horn and party hat
|
* On deck, we have 😎 and 🥳.
*I guess it was that kind of a party.
|-
| 😟 (2184) vs '''😕 (3663)'''
* Worried face
* '''Confused face'''
|
* Uh oh. 😟 has had words with 😕 before. The next match will be good.
* 😕 one, 😟 zero.
|-
| ☹ (1638) vs '''😮 (5498)'''
* White frowning face
* '''Face with open mouth'''
|
* Next up, ☹ and 😮.
* I hope everyone has printed their brackets and are ready, because time waits for very few people!
|-
| 😲 (2383) vs '''😯 (3904)'''
* Astonished face
* '''Hushed face'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 😯 and 😲 warming up.
* And 😲 falls to 😯. A suprising turn of events.
|-
| 😧 (3063) vs '''😳 (3754)'''
* Anguished face
* '''Flushed face'''
|
* We will be right back with 😧 vs. 😳!
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 😨 (2082) vs '''😰 (4050)'''
* Fearful face
* '''Face with open mouth and cold sweat'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Well, this doesn't look good.
|-
| 😢 (2095) vs '''😭 (5108)'''
* Crying face
* '''Loudly crying face'''
|
* Have at it, 😢 and 😭!
* This one's a real tear-jerker.
|-
| 😖 (2039) vs '''😱 (4758)'''
* Confounded face
* '''Face screaming in fear'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 😖 or 😱.
* 😱 stole that win.
|-
| 😞 (2879) vs '''😣 (3528)'''
* Disappointed face
* '''Persevering face'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 😞 vs. 😣!
* This one's painful.
|-
| 😩 (2785) vs '''😓 (3231)'''
* Weary face
* '''Face with cold sweat'''
|
* On deck, we have 😓 and 😩.
* It's early yet, folks. The coffee hasn't kicked in.
|-
| 😫 (1827) vs '''😤 (4871)'''
* Tired face
* '''Face with look of triumph'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 😤 vs. 😫!
* I didn't remember 😫 qualifying. I think they snuck in.
|-
| 😠 (1866) vs '''😡 (5192)'''
* Angry face
* '''Pouting face'''
|
* Will it be 😠 or 😡? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* It is astounding how much competition we have in store for today.
|-
| '''😈 (4225)''' vs 🤬 (3072)
* '''Smiling face with horns'''
* Serious face with symbols covering mouth
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 😈 vs. 🤬!
*Speak of the devil...
|-
| 👿 (2341) vs '''💀 (4739)'''
* Imp
* '''Skull'''
|
* We will be right back with 👿 vs. 💀!
* It has been a long road for 💀 to get to competing on the world stage.
|-
| '''💩 (4829)''' vs 🤡 (2514)
* '''Pile of poo'''
* Clown face
|
* Have at it, 💩 and 🤡!
*I think we all know how this is going to go.
|-
| 👻 (3680) vs '''👽 (3983)'''
* Ghost
* '''Extraterrestrial alien'''
|
* Have at it, 👻 and 👽!
|-
| 🏰 (2715) vs '''👾 (4412)'''
* European castle
* '''Alien monster'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🏰 vs. 👾.
* 👾 opened strong and 🏰 never caught up.
|-
| 😸 (3334) vs '''😺 (3542)'''
* Grinning cat face with smiling eyes
* '''Smiling cat face with open mouth'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😸 vs. 😺.
* This one is serious, folks.
|-
| 😹 (2778) vs '''😻 (3702)'''
* Cat face with tears of joy
* '''Smiling cat face with heart-shaped eyes'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 😹 and 😻 to go head to head.
* The hearts are my favorite part. It all comes down to love. And that really says something.
|-
| 😽 (1815) vs '''😼 (3991)'''
* Kissing cat face with closed eyes
* '''Cat face with wry smile'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Sometimes miracles happen.
|-
| 😿 (1189) vs '''🙀 (4682)'''
* Crying cat face
* '''Weary cat face'''
|
* On deck, we have 😿 and 🙀.
|-
| 💋 (2122) vs '''😾 (3837)'''
* Kiss mark
* '''Pouting cat face'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 💌 (1659) vs '''💖 (3386)'''
* Love letter
* '''Sparkling heart'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 💌 and 💖? We are about to find out.
* 💌 is an fan favorite to go far today.
|-
| '''❤ (3904)''' vs 💔 (1920)
* '''Heavy black heart'''
* Broken heart
|
* Uh oh. 💔 has had words with ❤ before. The next match will be good.
|-
| 🖤 (2940) vs '''💯 (3866)'''
* Black heart
* '''Hundred points symbol'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 💯 and 🖤! Facing off against each other again!
* A dominant performance by 💯.
|-
| 💥 (3055) vs '''💦 (3843)'''
* Collision symbol
* '''Splashing sweat symbol'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 💥 and 💦 to go head to head.
* Like fire and water.
|-
| 🕳 (2476) vs '''💣 (4063)'''
* Hole
* '''Bomb'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 💣 and 🕳 warming up.
* This one was a mess.
|-
| 🤞 (2246) vs '''🤘 (4845)'''
* Hand with index and middle fingers crossed
* '''Sign of the horns'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🤘. Coming up next!
* It feels like these early matches are over almost before they begin.
|-
| 👎 (2231) vs '''👍 (5077)'''
* Thumbs down sign
* '''Thumbs up sign'''
|
* Will it be 👍 or 👎? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* Nice to see the support for positivity.
|-
| 🙏 (3114) vs '''👊 (4861)'''
* Person with folded hands
* '''Fisted hand sign'''
|
* Have at it, 👊 and 🙏!
* I don't think 🙏 expected to see 👊 opposite them today.
|-
| 💅 (2366) vs '''🦵 (4060)'''
* Nail polish
* '''Leg'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 💅 or 🦵?
* If 🦵 wins this match, it will be interesting to see how far they can go.
|-
| 🦷 (1409) vs '''🧠 (5821)'''
* Tooth
* '''Brain'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
|-
| '''👀 (4052)''' vs 🦴 (2198)
* '''Eyes'''
* Bone
|
* Uh oh. 🦴 has had words with 👀 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| 👄 (1712) vs '''👅 (4648)'''
* Mouth
* '''Tongue'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 👄 and 👅 warming up.
|-
| 👶 (1414) vs '''🤦 (5666)'''
* Baby
* '''Face palm'''
|
* Uh oh. 🤦 has had words with 👶 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| '''👩‍🔬 (6374)''' vs 🤷 (2385)
* '''Woman + microscope'''
* Shrug
|
* Have at it, 👩‍🔬 and 🤷!
|-
| '''👩‍🚀 (5502)''' vs 🦸 (2302)
* '''Woman + rocket'''
* Superhero
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 👩‍🚀 or 🦸?
|-
| 🧚 (1909) vs '''🧙 (6294)'''
* Fairy
* '''Mage'''
|
* Uh oh. 🧚 has had words with 🧙 before. The next match will be good.
* There are some titanic match-ups that could happen today.
* Yes, this is live commentary.
* We have only just started, folks. Stay tuned for more amazing contests!
|-
| 🧜 (3835) vs '''🧛 (3840)'''
* Merperson
* '''Vampire'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🧛. Coming up next!
* Not sure which way this one goes.
|-
| 💆 (2815) vs '''🧟 (3747)'''
* Face massage
* '''Zombie'''
|
* Next up, 💆 and 🧟.
* That's just a typical Monday for you.
|-
| 💇 (3029) vs '''🚶 (3055)'''
* Haircut
* '''Pedestrian'''
|
* We will be right back with 💇 vs. 🚶!
* It's going to be a busy day, folks. Remember to pace yourself.
|-
| 🏃 (2239) vs '''💃 (5833)'''
* Runner
* '''Dancer'''
|
* On deck, we have 🏃 and 💃.
* Make some noise! Show 🏃 and 💃 some love!
* That was 🏃's to give away and they did.
|-
| 🕺 (1990) vs '''🕴 (5035)'''
* Man dancing
* '''Man in business suit levitating'''
|
* We will be right back with 🕴 vs. 🕺!
* I spoke with 🕴 before we started today. They were hoping to dodge 🕺. Too bad for them.
|-
| 🏇 (2563) vs '''🤺 (5157)'''
* Horse racing
* '''Fencer'''
|
* Have at it, 🏇 and 🤺!
* Never bring a sword to a horse fight.
|-
| '''⛷ (4510)''' vs 🏂 (3762)
* '''Skier'''
* Snowboarder
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's ⛷ vs. 🏂!
*We have a lot of excited fans in the audience.
|-
| 🏌 (2557) vs '''🏄 (6285)'''
* Golfer
* '''Surfer'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🏄 or 🏌?
* Ok! Let's see those hearts!
* I have never seen 🏄 crush an opponent that mercilessly before.
|-
| ⛹ (2793) vs '''🏊 (5994)'''
* Person with ball
* '''Swimmer'''
|
* Have at it, ⛹ and 🏊!
|-
| 🏋 (2300) vs '''🚴 (8063)'''
* Weight lifter
* '''Bicyclist'''
|
* Will it be 🏋 or 🚴? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* Right now the crowd is chanting 🏋! 🏋! An early sign of a favorite?
|-
| '''🚵 (5650)''' vs 🤾 (4698)
* '''Mountain bicyclist'''
* Handball
|
* We will be right back with 🚵 vs. 🤾!
*It's neck and neck!
|-
| 👤 (2195) vs '''🛀 (5529)'''
* Bust in silhouette
* '''Bath'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 👤 and 🛀 warming up.
|-
| '''🐒 (4644)''' vs 🦍 (3336)
* '''Monkey'''
* Gorilla
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 🐕 (3458) vs '''🐶 (4004)'''
* Dog
* '''Dog face'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🐕. Coming up next!
* Mostly a matter of perspective.
|-
| 🐺 (2774) vs '''🦊 (6024)'''
* Wolf face
* '''Fox face'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Again, small variations make all the difference.
|-
| '''🐱 (4931)''' vs 🦝 (4017)
* '''Cat face'''
* Raccoon
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🐱 vs. 🦝.
*🦝 is an fan favorite to go far today.
*🐱 stole that win.
|-
| '''🐈 (5046)''' vs 🦁 (3957)
* '''Cat'''
* Lion face
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🐈 and 🦁 warming up.
*Again, we are getting a lot of questions on this today. This is live commentary, folks.
*We have a lot of excited fans in the audience.
|-
| 🐆 (2186) vs '''🐅 (6280)'''
* Leopard
* '''Tiger'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🐅 or 🐆?
* Stripes or Spots, Stripes or Spots
|-
| 🐴 (3722) vs '''🐎 (4120)'''
* Horse face
* '''Horse'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🐎 and 🐴? We are about to find out.
* I've got your horse right here.
|-
| 🦓 (3486) vs '''🦄 (6830)'''
* Zebra face
* '''Unicorn face'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🦄 and 🦓? We are about to find out.
* I think we all know how this is going to go.
* It was neck and neck until the very end, but some necks are longer than others.
|-
| 🐮 (3658) vs '''🦌 (5111)'''
* Cow face
* '''Deer'''
|
* Uh oh. 🦌 has had words with 🐮 before. The next match will be good.
* This is a close one!
|-
| 🐖 (3568) vs '''🐷 (5175)'''
* Pig
* '''Pig face'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🐖. Coming up next!
* Who will bring home the bacon?
|-
| 🐗 (2576) vs '''🐏 (6073)'''
* Boar
* '''Ram'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🐏 or 🐗?
|-
| 🐪 (3329) vs '''🐐 (5304)'''
* Dromedary camel
* '''Goat'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🐐 or 🐪?
|-
| 🦙 (4397) vs '''🦒 (5164)'''
* Llama
* '''Giraffe face'''
|
* Uh oh. 🦙 has had words with 🦒 before. The next match will be good.
* It's neck and neck!
* I hope 🦙 comes back next year. It would be a sham to see it all end like this.
|-
| '''🐘 (4809)''' vs 🦏 (3804)
* '''Elephant'''
* Rhinoceros
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🐘 or 🦏?
*We'll never forget this.
|-
| 🐁 (4039) vs '''🦛 (4085)'''
* Mouse
* '''Hippopotamus'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🐁 or 🦛?
|-
| 🐀 (2994) vs '''🐹 (4580)'''
* Rat
* '''Hamster face'''
|
* Will it be 🐀 or 🐹? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* Today is also about settling scores, there is no doubt about that for some of our contestants.
|-
| 🐰 (1865) vs '''🐿 (5175)'''
* Rabbit face
* '''Chipmunk'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🐰 or 🐿.
* Its about reflexes.
|-
| 🦇 (3648) vs '''🦔 (4507)'''
* Bat
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🦇 vs. 🦔.
* This one is a toss-up in my book, folks.
|-
| 🐻 (2686) vs '''🐨 (5059)'''
* Bear face
* '''Koala'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🐨 vs. 🐻!
* Ok! You know what to do! Let's see those hearts!
|-
| 🐼 (2896) vs '''🦘 (5185)'''
* Panda face
* '''Kangaroo'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🐼 and 🦘? We are about to find out.
* It's exciting to look around and see so many joining us from all over the world.
* One for the history books.
|-
| 🦃 (2553) vs '''🦡 (5483)'''
* Turkey
* '''Badger'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🦃 and 🦡! Facing off against each other again!
* That was a stinker of a battle, if you ask me.
|-
| 🐓 (2883) vs '''🐣 (5153)'''
* Rooster
* '''Hatching chick'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🐓 and 🐣 to go head to head.
|-
| 🕊 (2432) vs '''🐧 (5951)'''
* Dove of peace
* '''Penguin'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐧 vs. 🕊!
|-
| 🦅 (3871) vs '''🦆 (4800)'''
* Eagle
* '''Duck'''
|
* Uh oh. 🦆 has had words with 🦅 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| 🦢 (1613) vs '''🦉 (7025)'''
* Swan
* '''Owl'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🦉 vs. 🦢.
* 🦉 didn't do their homework.
* I hope everyone has printed their brackets and are ready, because time waits for very few people!
* Yes, this is live commentary.
* 🦉 one, 🦢 zero.
|-
| 🦚 (4333) vs '''🦜 (4803)'''
* Peacock
* '''Parrot'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* I know some very invested audience members for this one.
|-
| 🐊 (3986) vs '''🐢 (6403)'''
* Crocodile
* '''Turtle'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
|-
| '''🐍 (5378)''' vs 🦎 (4415)
* '''Snake'''
* Lizard
|
* Have at it, 🐍 and 🦎!
*In the end, there was nothing 🐍 could do to stop the power of 🦎.
*Did you just see that!?
*Plenty of matches left to see. Don't go anywhere.
|-
| '''🐉 (5359)''' vs 🦕 (4855)
* '''Dragon'''
* Sauropod
|
* Have at it, 🐉 and 🦕!
*One for the history books.
|-
| '''🐳 (5445)''' vs 🦖 (5411)
* '''Spouting whale'''
* T-rex
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
*Again, another difficult match-up for our audience.
|-
| 🐟 (1639) vs '''🐬 (8071)'''
* Fish
* '''Dolphin'''
|
* Will it be 🐟 or 🐬? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* I know which one I would choose, but I don't have time to vote!
|-
| 🐡 (2307) vs '''🦈 (6544)'''
* Blowfish
* '''Shark'''
|
* Have at it, 🐡 and 🦈!
* 🦈 opened strong and 🐡 never caught up.
|-
| 🐚 (1590) vs '''🐙 (8224)'''
* Spiral shell
* '''Octopus'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🐙 vs. 🐚.
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 🐌 (4816) vs '''🦋 (4835)'''
* Snail
* '''Butterfly'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐌 vs. 🦋!
* The hearts are flying on this one!
|-
| 🐜 (3194) vs '''🐛 (5132)'''
* Ant
* '''Bug'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* 🐜 didn't do their homework.
|-
| 🐞 (3561) vs '''🐝 (5804)'''
* Lady beetle
* '''Honeybee'''
|
* On deck, we have 🐝 and 🐞.
* This one is a true test of the audience today.
* Will luck be a ladybug tonight?
* Amazing!
|-
| '''🕷 (4806)''' vs 🦗 (4195)
* '''Spider'''
* Cricket
|
* Uh oh. 🦗 has had words with 🕷 before. The next match will be good.
*And 🦗 falls to 🕷. A suprising turn of events.
|-
| 🦂 (3853) vs '''🦠 (4971)'''
* Scorpion
* '''Microbe'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🦂 and 🦠? We are about to find out.
* Nope. Nope nope nope nope.
|-
| 🌷 (3767) vs '''🌻 (4374)'''
* Tulip
* '''Sunflower'''
|
* We will be right back with 🌷 vs. 🌻!
* Now that's more like it.
|-
| 🌳 (1973) vs '''🌲 (6563)'''
* Deciduous tree
* '''Evergreen tree'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🌲 or 🌳.
* Who would have thought, eh?
|-
| 🌴 (3876) vs '''🌵 (5468)'''
* Palm tree
* '''Cactus'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* In the end, there was nothing 🌴 could do to stop the power of 🌵.
|-
| 🍈 (2617) vs '''🍇 (5319)'''
* Melon
* '''Grapes'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🍇 or 🍈?
* Folks, I am just as stunned at the outcome as you.
|-
| 🍋 (4186) vs '''🍉 (4720)'''
* Lemon
* '''Watermelon'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🍉 vs. 🍋.
* I just don't know why they can't find common ground.
* 🍉 one, 🍋 zero.
|-
| 🍌 (4704) vs '''🍍 (5525)'''
* Banana
* '''Pineapple'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🍌 and 🍍 warming up.
* Ok! Let's see those hearts!
* I guess it was that kind of a party.
|-
| '''🍎 (5111)''' vs 🥭 (3830)
* '''Red apple'''
* Mango
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
|-
| 🍏 (2703) vs '''🍓 (6403)'''
* Green apple
* '''Strawberry'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🍏 or 🍓?
* We might be close to some matches the audience is expecting or hoping to see today.
* Berry nice!
|-
| 🍅 (3002) vs '''🥝 (5348)'''
* Tomato
* '''Kiwifruit'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🍅 vs. 🥝.
|-
| 🥥 (3840) vs '''🥑 (5759)'''
* Coconut
* '''Avocado'''
|
* On deck, we have 🥑 and 🥥.
* Somehow, someone will blame millenials for this.
|-
| 🥕 (4577) vs '''🥔 (4620)'''
* Carrot
* '''Potato'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🥔 and 🥕? We are about to find out.
* Ahhh the age old question, 🥕 or 🥔.
|-
| 🌽 (4074) vs '''🌶 (5087)'''
* Ear of maize
* '''Hot pepper'''
|
* Have at it, 🌶 and 🌽!
|-
| 🥬 (2694) vs '''🥒 (5472)'''
* Leafy green
* '''Cucumber'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🥒. Coming up next!
* Not sure which way this one goes.
|-
| '''🍄 (5850)''' vs 🥦 (2707)
* '''Mushroom'''
* Broccoli
|
* Will it be 🍄 or 🥦? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
*Folks, we are nearly halfway through the first bracket!
*Again, we are getting a lot of questions on this today. This is live commentary, folks.
*Into the second half of the first round.
*That was 🥦's to give away and they did.
|-
| 🌰 (2698) vs '''🥜 (6225)'''
* Chestnut
* '''Peanuts'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🌰 or 🥜?
* I am not even sure what I am looking at here.
|-
| 🍞 (2934) vs '''🥐 (6465)'''
* Bread
* '''Croissant'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🍞 vs. 🥐.
* Well, I know who I would vote for.
|-
| 🥖 (4800) vs '''🥨 (5136)'''
* Baguette bread
* '''Pretzel'''
|
* We will be right back with 🥖 vs. 🥨!
|-
| 🥯 (2470) vs '''🥞 (5926)'''
* Bagel
* '''Pancakes'''
|
* Uh oh. 🥯 has had words with 🥞 before. The next match will be good.
* Now I am just hungry.
|-
| 🥩 (3959) vs '''🧀 (6225)'''
* Cut of meat
* '''Cheese wedge'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* Truly a battle for the ages.
|-
| 🍟 (3719) vs '''🍔 (5352)'''
* French fries
* '''Hamburger'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🍔 and 🍟 warming up.
|-
| 🌭 (1340) vs '''🍕 (7881)'''
* Hot dog
* '''Slice of pizza'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🌭 or 🍕.
|-
| '''🌮 (6417)''' vs 🥪 (2869)
* '''Taco'''
* Sandwich
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🌮 or 🥪?
*I'll be honest, even I voted in that last one.
*There are some titanic match-ups that could happen today.
*One for the history books.
|-
| '''🌯 (5359)''' vs 🥚 (3868)
* '''Burrito'''
* Egg
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🌯 or 🥚?
*🥚 is an fan favorite to go far today.
*One for the history books.
|-
| '''🍳 (5293)''' vs 🥗 (3101)
* '''Cooking'''
* Green salad
|
* Have at it, 🍳 and 🥗!
*There can be very food-centric history books.
*If 🍳 wins this match, it will be interesting to see how far they can go.
|-
| '''🍿 (2640)''' vs 🧂 (2067)
* '''Popcorn'''
* Salt shaker
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*This one was over before it started.
|-
| '''🍱 (4931)''' vs 🥫 (1948)
* '''Bento box'''
* Canned food
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🍱 vs. 🥫.
*It is early still. Possibly too early to predict an over-all winner. But I am hearing 🏇 mentioned a fair bit.
*And 🥫 falls to 🍱. A suprising turn of events.
|-
| 🍤 (2334) vs '''🍣 (5552)'''
* Fried shrimp
* '''Sushi'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🍣 vs. 🍤.
* Plenty of matches left to see. Don't go anywhere.
|-
| 🥡 (3101) vs '''🥟 (4128)'''
* Takeout box
* '''Dumpling'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🥟 vs. 🥡.
* 🥟 one, 🥡 zero.
|-
| 🦀 (3762) vs '''🦞 (4739)'''
* Crab
* '''Lobster'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🦀 vs. 🦞!
|-
| 🦐 (2421) vs '''🦑 (6162)'''
* Shrimp
* '''Squid'''
|
* Will it be 🦐 or 🦑? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
|-
| 🍦 (3804) vs '''🍨 (4698)'''
* Soft ice cream
* '''Ice cream'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🍦 or 🍨.
|-
| 🍪 (3722) vs '''🍩 (5167)'''
* Cookie
* '''Doughnut'''
|
* We will be right back with 🍩 vs. 🍪!
|-
| 🎂 (3658) vs 🧁 (3658)
* Birthday cake
* Cupcake '''(Tie - unclear how winner was chosen)'''
|
* Next up, 🎂 and 🧁.
|-
| 🍬 (1244) vs '''🍫 (6674)'''
* Candy
* '''Chocolate bar'''
|
* We will be right back with 🍫 vs. 🍬!
|-
| 🍭 (2568) vs '''🍯 (5445)'''
* Lollipop
* '''Honey pot'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🍭 or 🍯?
* Thank you for tuning in. I promise you are in for a treat today.
|-
| 🍼 (1824) vs '''🥛 (5239)'''
* Baby bottle
* '''Glass of milk'''
|
* Will it be 🍼 or 🥛? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
|-
| '''☕ (4813)''' vs 🍾 (3227)
* '''Hot beverage'''
* Bottle with popping cork
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, ☕ or 🍾.
*Time to get another feel for our audience today.
|-
| 🍷 (3021) vs '''🍹 (3561)'''
* Wine glass
* '''Tropical drink'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🍷 and 🍹! Facing off against each other again!
* Well now I am just getting thirsty.
|-
| '''🍺 (5763)''' vs 🥤 (3897)
* '''Beer mug'''
* Cup with straw
|
* Will it be 🍺 or 🥤? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
*Still thirsty!
|-
| 🍴 (3917) vs '''🥢 (4348)'''
* Fork and knife
* '''Chopsticks'''
|
* We will be right back with 🍴 vs. 🥢!
* I know which one I would choose, but I don't have time to vote!
|-
| '''🔪 (5627)''' vs 🥄 (1742)
* '''Hocho'''
* Spoon
|
* Have at it, 🔪 and 🥄!
|-
| 🏺 (2604) vs '''🧭 (4784)'''
* Amphora
* '''Compass'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🏺 and 🧭 warming up.
* You just know that 🏺 is thinking about 🏎 right now.
|-
| ⛰ (1843) vs '''🌋 (6793)'''
* Mountain
* '''Volcano'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ⛰. Coming up next!
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 🏖 (3159) vs '''🏕 (5611)'''
* Beach with umbrella
* '''Camping'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🏕 and 🏖 to go head to head.
* Time to pick your poison!
|-
| 🏟 (2537) vs '''🏝 (6180)'''
* Stadium
* '''Desert island'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
|-
| '''🏗 (4093)''' vs 🧱 (3680)
* '''Building construction'''
* Brick
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*What an amazing display of prowess from 🏗.
|-
| 🏢 (2178) vs '''🏠 (5829)'''
* Office building
* '''House building'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* 🏠 has every reason to be concerned about this match-up.
|-
| 🏨 (1367) vs '''🏥 (5326)'''
* Hotel
* '''Hospital'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🏥 and 🏨? We are about to find out.
* is $6,000,000 of one and Six million of the other, am I right?
|-
| 🏪 (3114) vs '''🗽 (4875)'''
* Convenience store
* '''Statue of liberty'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🏪 and 🗽! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| '''⛲ (4296)''' vs ⛺ (3483)
* '''Fountain'''
* Tent
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have ⛲ and ⛺ warming up.
*If you look away for a moment, you may miss your chance to send ⛺ into the later rounds.
|-
| 🌁 (3488) vs '''🌃 (4354)'''
* Foggy
* '''Night with stars'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
|-
| 🏙 (2396) vs '''🌅 (6055)'''
* Cityscape
* '''Sunrise'''
|
* Next up, 🌅 and 🏙.
* 🏙 is fully committed to this match.
|-
| 🎠 (3307) vs '''🎡 (4648)'''
* Carousel horse
* '''Ferris wheel'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🎠 or 🎡?
* Oh no. 🎠 fans are not going to like this match-up.
|-
| '''🎢 (5854)''' vs 💈 (2137)
* '''Roller coaster'''
* Barber pole
|
* Next up, 🎢 and 💈.
*This one will be filled with twists and turns!
|-
| 🚂 (3915) vs '''🚄 (4826)'''
* Steam locomotive
* '''High-speed train'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🚂 vs. 🚄.
* The future waits on no one. Let's see those hearts!
|-
| 🚇 (3395) vs '''🚝 (4881)'''
* Metro
* '''Monorail'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🚇 vs. 🚝!
* On the other hand, time and space are a matter of perspective, right?
* I guess it was that kind of a party.
|-
| 🚌 (2412) vs '''🚑 (5363)'''
* Bus
* '''Ambulance'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🚌 vs. 🚑.
* Uh oh, that can't be good for 🚌.
|-
| 🚓 (2703) vs '''🚒 (6746)'''
* Police car
* '''Fire engine'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Uh oh, that can't be good for 🚓.
* This is a classic struggle.
|-
| 🚕 (3400) vs '''🚗 (3794)'''
* Taxi
* '''Automobile'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🚕 and 🚗 warming up.
* Well that's certainly something.
|-
| 🚘 (2922) vs '''🚜 (5363)'''
* Oncoming automobile
* '''Tractor'''
|
* Next up, 🚘 and 🚜.
* This one is a real nail biter!
* If 🚘 falls today, we might start hearing serious conversations about retirement.
|-
| 🏎 (3103) vs '''🛵 (4839)'''
* Racing car
* '''Motor scooter'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🏎 and 🛵 warming up.
* Well this is just fan service. And I am ok with it.
|-
| 🛴 (2103) vs '''🚲 (6970)'''
* Scooter
* '''Bicycle'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🚲 and 🛴? We are about to find out.
* Frankly, I don't think anyone saw this coming.
|-
| 🛢 (3474) vs '''🛹 (4780)'''
* Oil drum
* '''Skateboard'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🛢 and 🛹? We are about to find out.
* And 🛢 falls to 🛹. A suprising turn of events.
|-
| '''⚓ (4816)''' vs 🚨 (2389)
* '''Anchor'''
* Police cars revolving light
|
* Welcome back, it's time for ⚓ and 🚨 to go head to head.
*Just to stress this again. Live commentary, folks. Completely unscripted and coming in hot.
*This one is a true test of the audience today.
|-
| '''⛵ (4941)''' vs 🚢 (2877)
* '''Sailboat'''
* Ship
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's ⛵ vs. 🚢!
*SAIL!
|-
| 💺 (1776) vs '''🛩 (5947)'''
* Seat
* '''Small airplane'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 💺. Coming up next!
|-
| 🚡 (3729) vs '''🚁 (4148)'''
* Aerial tramway
* '''Helicopter'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🚁 or 🚡.
* Sometimes miracles happen.
* Plenty of matches left to see. Don't go anywhere.
|-
| 🛰 (3655) vs '''🚀 (4861)'''
* Satellite
* '''Rocket'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🚀 and 🛰 to go head to head.
* 🛰 and 🚀 have been friends for a long time. I am not sure where that relationship is going to be after today.
|-
| ⏳ (3021) vs '''🛸 (5203)'''
* Hourglass with flowing sand
* '''Flying saucer'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, ⏳ or 🛸?
* This one is serious, folks.
|-
| '''⌚ (4462)''' vs ⏰ (3619)
* '''Watch'''
* Alarm clock
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ⌚. Coming up next!
*If you believe in ⏰, now is the time to clap or whatever, because it is not looking good.
*If you believe in ⏰, now is the time to clap or whatever, because it is not looking good.
|-
| 🌕 (3690) vs '''🌒 (4145)'''
* Full moon symbol
* '''Waxing crescent moon symbol'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🌒. Coming up next!
* What a shocking result!
|-
| 🌡 (2829) vs '''🌙 (4432)'''
* Thermometer
* '''Crescent moon'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🌙 and 🌡! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| 🌝 (3559) vs '''🌞 (3871)'''
* Full moon with face
* '''Sun with face'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🌝. Coming up next!
|-
| ⭐ (2063) vs '''🌌 (5731)'''
* White medium star
* '''Milky way'''
|
* Uh oh. 🌌 has had words with ⭐ before. The next match will be good.
|-
| '''⛈ (5487)''' vs 🌦 (1983)
* '''Thunder cloud and rain'''
* White sun behind cloud with rain
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have ⛈ and 🌦 warming up.
*And 🌦 falls to ⛈. A suprising turn of events.
|-
| 🌨 (3646) vs '''🌪 (4139)'''
* Cloud with snow
* '''Cloud with tornado'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🌨 and 🌪! Facing off against each other again!
* Folks, I am just as stunned at the outcome as you.
|-
| 🌀 (3034) vs '''🌈 (7070)'''
* Cyclone
* '''Rainbow'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🌀 and 🌈? We are about to find out.
|-
| ☂ (2117) vs '''⚡ (5125)'''
* Umbrella
* '''High voltage sign'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ☂. Coming up next!
|-
| '''☄ (4988)''' vs ⛄ (2602)
* '''Comet'''
* Snowman without snow
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's ☄ vs. ⛄.
*Another curious match-up with significant implications on how the rest of the day will go.
|-
| 🌊 (3356) vs '''🔥 (5286)'''
* Water wave
* '''Fire'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* I am not sure if 🌊 was prepared for today.
|-
| 🎆 (3284) vs '''🎃 (4418)'''
* Fireworks
* '''Jack-o-lantern'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🎃 or 🎆.
* This is a mystery.
|-
| 🎇 (2770) vs '''🧨 (4066)'''
* Firework sparkler
* '''Firecracker'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🎇 vs. 🧨!
* Get ready for an explosive result!
|-
| 🎈 (2619) vs '''🎉 (4673)'''
* Balloon
* '''Party popper'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* I guess it was that kind of a party.
|-
| 🎊 (2250) vs '''🎁 (4203)'''
* Confetti ball
* '''Wrapped present'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🎁 and 🎊 to go head to head.
* This one was a mess.
|-
| 🎟 (2054) vs '''🏆 (4558)'''
* Admission tickets
* '''Trophy'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🎟 and 🏆 warming up.
* Truly a dizzying win.
|-
| ⚽ (3116) vs '''🏅 (4383)'''
* Soccer ball
* '''Sports medal'''
|
* Have at it, ⚽ and 🏅!
* A dominant performance by 🏅.
|-
| '''⚾ (5479)''' vs 🥎 (2335)
* '''Baseball'''
* Softball
|
* Uh oh. 🥎 has had words with ⚾ before. The next match will be good.
*Uhhhh. I can't tell the difference here, can you?
|-
| 🏐 (3742) vs '''🏀 (4148)'''
* Volleyball
* '''Basketball and hoop'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* The ball is round, everything else is negotiable.
|-
| 🏈 (2932) vs '''🎾 (6003)'''
* American football
* '''Tennis racquet and ball'''
|
* Next up, 🎾 and 🏈.
* The ball is round ...er .... well .... uh.
|-
| 🎳 (4071) vs '''🥏 (4561)'''
* Bowling
* '''Flying disc'''
|
* We will be right back with 🎳 vs. 🥏!
* I had BOWLING BALL in my March Madness bracket. I did not do well.
* Ok. Now this is just ridiculous.
|-
| 🏑 (2742) vs '''🏏 (3810)'''
* Field hockey stick and ball
* '''Cricket bat and ball'''
|
* We will be right back with 🏏 vs. 🏑!
|-
| '''🏒 (5926)''' vs 🥍 (2291)
* '''Ice hockey stick and puck'''
* Lacrosse stick and ball
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*Floor stick vs. sky stick—who will win?
|-
| '''🏓 (5858)''' vs 🥊 (2203)
* '''Table tennis paddle and ball'''
* Boxing glove
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🏓 vs. 🥊!
|-
| ⛸ (2465) vs '''🛷 (4552)'''
* Ice skate
* '''Sled'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's ⛸ vs. 🛷.
* Foot sled vs. regular sled!
|-
| 🎯 (1539) vs '''🥌 (1873)'''
* Direct hit
* '''Curling stone'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🎯 and 🥌? We are about to find out.
|-
| '''🎮 (6798)''' vs 🔮 (2657)
* '''Video game'''
* Crystal ball
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 🎭 (2137) vs '''🎲 (4868)'''
* Performing arts
* '''Game die'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🎭 or 🎲.
|-
| '''🎨 (4172)''' vs 🧶 (2994)
* '''Artist palette'''
* Ball of yarn
|
* Uh oh. 🧶 has had words with 🎨 before. The next match will be good.
*A lot of cats clicking on screens right now.
|-
| '''👓 (4206)''' vs 🥽 (3986)
* '''Eyeglasses'''
* Goggles
|
* Have at it, 👓 and 🥽!
*Glasses vs. Science Glasses!
|-
| 👛 (1029) vs '''🧦 (5468)'''
* Purse
* '''Socks'''
|
* Have at it, 👛 and 🧦!
|-
| '''🎒 (3516)''' vs 👟 (2756)
* '''School satchel'''
* Athletic shoe
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🎒 and 👟 warming up.
*Time for school! Which one will you bring?
|-
| 👠 (1627) vs '''👑 (5203)'''
* High-heeled shoe
* '''Crown'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
|-
| '''🎩 (5611)''' vs 💄 (1719)
* '''Top hat'''
* Lipstick
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🎩 vs. 💄.
*The fanciest matchup!
|-
| 💍 (1284) vs '''💎 (5973)'''
* Ring
* '''Gem stone'''
|
* Will it be 💍 or 💎? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* If you like the one on the right, put a ring on it!
|-
| 🎤 (1728) vs '''🎵 (5239)'''
* Microphone
* '''Musical note'''
|
* On deck, we have 🎤 and 🎵.
* :notes::notes::notes:
* Music!
|-
| '''🎷 (4934)''' vs 📻 (2021)
* '''Saxophone'''
* Radio
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🎷 and 📻 warming up.
*The radio and the saxophone are having a music fight. Who can be louder?
|-
| 🎺 (3427) vs '''🎸 (4388)'''
* Trumpet
* '''Guitar'''
|
* Uh oh. 🎺 has had words with 🎸 before. The next match will be good.
* Truly, this is a day that will live in the memories of everyone here.
|-
| '''🎻 (4450)''' vs 🥁 (2857)
* '''Violin'''
* Drum with drumsticks
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🎻 vs. 🥁.
*You can hit either one with drumsticks, technically.
|-
| 📱 (3837) vs '''📞 (3980)'''
* Mobile phone
* '''Telephone receiver'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 📞 vs. 📱.
* 📞 is fully committed to this match.
|-
| 📠 (2877) vs '''📟 (3262)'''
* Fax machine
* '''Pager'''
|
* Uh oh. 📠 has had words with 📟 before. The next match will be good.
* This one is a toss-up in my book, folks.
* Only 15% of the people voting recognize either of these antique devices.
|-
| 🔋 (2676) vs '''💻 (4418)'''
* Battery
* '''Personal computer'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* I spoke with 💻 before the match today, and they had this to say: 💻.
* Sparks fly!
|-
| '''⌨ (5293)''' vs 🖨 (1909)
* '''Keyboard'''
* Printer
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*A keyboard is just a reverse printer.
|-
| 🖱 (2661) vs '''💾 (6308)'''
* Three button mouse
* '''Floppy disk'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Yes, this is live commentary.
* This one is a mystery to me, folks.
|-
| 📀 (2585) vs '''🧮 (5282)'''
* Dvd
* '''Abacus'''
|
* Will it be 📀 or 🧮? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
|-
| 📺 (2752) vs '''📷 (4543)'''
* Television
* '''Camera'''
|
* Next up, 📷 and 📺.
* 📷 certainly has its work cut out for it going up agaist 📺.
* The camera comes with a tiny TV on the back, which hardly seems fair.
|-
| 📼 (3648) vs '''🔎 (3663)'''
* Videocassette
* '''Right-pointing magnifying glass'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 📼 or 🔎?
* 🔎 has every reason to be concerned about this match-up.
* These two can combine for a very unsatisfying movie-watching experience.
|-
| 🕯 (3910) vs '''💡 (4178)'''
* Candle
* '''Electric light bulb'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 💡 and 🕯 to go head to head.
* I'm so happy to see 💡 here, after 🧠 didn't make it.
* Some would argue this one was settled in the 1800s.
|-
| 🔦 (1663) vs '''📚 (5960)'''
* Electric torch
* '''Books'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 📚 and 🔦! Facing off against each other again!
* The flashlight illuminates the pages, but it only makes the books stronger!
|-
| 📰 (2524) vs '''📜 (5491)'''
* Newspaper
* '''Scroll'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 📜. Coming up next!
* I thought we had seen everything, but look at 📜 go! Amazing!
* A faceoff between two types of ancient scrolls.
|-
| 💳 (2655) vs '''💰 (5595)'''
* Credit card
* '''Money bag'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 💰 and 💳! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| 📬 (3218) vs '''📦 (3350)'''
* Open mailbox with raised flag
* '''Package'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 📦 and 📬 warming up.
* Will the package fit in the mailbox? Vote now!
|-
| 🗳 (2403) vs '''🖋 (4691)'''
* Ballot box with ballot
* '''Lower left fountain pen'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🖋 and 🗳 to go head to head.
* The winner of this bout will go on to face The Sword.
* The winner of this bout will go on to face The Sword. Who’s mightier?
|-
| 🖌 (3530) vs '''🖍 (3897)'''
* Lower left paintbrush
* '''Lower left crayon'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🖌 and 🖍! Facing off against each other again!
* If 🖍 falls today, we might start hearing serious conversations about retirement.
* Paintbrush (hard mode) vs. Paintbrush (easy mode)
|-
| 💼 (2264) vs '''📅 (3884)'''
* Briefcase
* '''Calendar'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* You have to wonder if 💼 even wanted to be here today.
|-
| 🗒 (2430) vs '''📊 (4726)'''
* Spiral note pad
* '''Bar chart'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 📊 vs. 🗒.
* *checks notes* Yikes.
|-
| 📌 (2799) vs '''📎 (4796)'''
* Pushpin
* '''Paperclip'''
|
* Uh oh. 📎 has had words with 📌 before. The next match will be good.
* I am excited about this match. This might be my favorite early match so far.
|-
| '''✂ (3762)''' vs 🗑 (2409)
* '''Black scissors'''
* Wastebasket
|
* We will be right back with ✂ vs. 🗑!
*This is a day that ✂ has been anticipating for a long time.
|-
| 🔒 (2827) vs '''🗝 (5214)'''
* Lock
* '''Old key'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* Finally, an answer to the classic question.
|-
| 🔨 (3350) vs '''🗡 (5042)'''
* Hammer
* '''Dagger knife'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Between the two of these, you can cover almost any home improvement situation.
|-
| '''⚔ (5352)''' vs 🔫 (3734)
* '''Crossed swords'''
* Pistol
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
*Pew pew pew!
*[sword noises]
|-
| '''🏹 (4931)''' vs 🛡 (2629)
* '''Bow and arrow'''
* Shield
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🏹 vs. 🛡!
*Where is the Master Sword when you need it?
*In this match, we see Legolas take on Captain America.
|-
| 🗜 (3393) vs '''🔧 (3481)'''
* Compression
* '''Wrench'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🔧 and 🗜 warming up.
* [drops pretense of impartiality] VOTE C clamp!
|-
| '''⚖ (4961)''' vs 🧰 (1868)
* '''Scales'''
* Toolbox
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's ⚖ vs. 🧰!
*I know some of you out there had a challenging commute. Hopefully today's matches will improve your day.
*If there’s any justice in the world, the one on the left will win.
|-
| 🧪 (4134) vs '''🧲 (4519)'''
* Test tube
* '''Magnet'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🧪 or 🧲?
* Do you want super-powers? Because this is how you get super-powers!
|-
| 🔬 (2587) vs '''🧬 (5487)'''
* Microscope
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Do you want super-science? Because this is how you get super-science!
|-
| 📡 (3609) vs '''🔭 (4607)'''
* Satellite antenna
* '''Telescope'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 📡. Coming up next!
* This one is a real nail biter!
|-
| 🚿 (3933) vs '''🚽 (4031)'''
* Shower
* '''Toilet'''
|
* Next up, 🚽 and 🚿.
* Combine these to save time in the morning!
|-
| '''🛁 (4131)''' vs 🧷 (2740)
* '''Bathtub'''
* Safety pin
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🛁. Coming up next!
*Well that just doesn't seem fair.
|-
| 🧹 (2655) vs '''🧻 (5118)'''
* Broom
* '''Roll of paper'''
|
* Will it be 🧹 or 🧻? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
|-
| '''⚰ (4651)''' vs 🧯 (4009)
* '''Coffin'''
* Fire extinguisher
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ⚰. Coming up next!
*You should have one of these handy in your house, although I guess which one is up to you.
|-
| 🆗 (5326) vs '''🆒 (5506)'''
* Squared OK
* '''Squared COOL'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🆒 and 🆗 warming up.
* Here it is, the final match before the second round!
* At least this one is going to be over quickly.
* Here it is, the final match before the second round!
|-
|}

==== Round 2====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 😁 (5968) vs '''😅 (9223)'''
* Grinning face with smiling eyes
* '''Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😁 vs. 😅.
* What a shocking result!
* Welcome to round 2!
* Welcome to round 2! These rounds will be a little slower.
* Welcome to round 2!
|-
| '''🙃 (12578)''' vs 🤣 (5892)
* '''Upside-down face'''
* Rolling On the Floor Laughing
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🙃 or 🤣?
*Round two is serious business, folks.
*Rolling-on-the-floor-laughing is a top seed, but the upside-down smiley has a certain intriguing ambiguity. Possible upset?
|-
| 😇 (4117) vs '''😉 (10595)'''
* Smiling face with halo
* '''Winking face'''
|
* Uh oh. 😉 has had words with 😇 before. The next match will be good.
* Is it winking *at* the halo? Or is it winking at me?
* I didn't remember 😉 qualifying.
|-
| 😘 (6659) vs '''😍 (8816)'''
* Face throwing a kiss
* '''Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes'''
|
* On deck, we have 😍 and 😘.
* I expect to see a lot of hearts on the page for this one.
|-
| 😙 (2284) vs '''😛 (11620)'''
* Kissing face with smiling eyes
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 😙 and 😛! Facing off against each other again!
* This one is a toss-up in my book, folks.
* Don’t you hate it when one of you sticks out your tongue right as the other goes for the kiss?
* Close one!
|-
| 😝 (6304) vs '''😜 (7167)'''
* Face with stuck-out tongue and tightly-closed eyes
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue and winking eye'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 😜. Coming up next!
|-
| 🤭 (1796) vs '''🤔 (15162)'''
* Smiling face with smiling eyes and hand covering mouth
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* Will it be 🤔 or 🤭? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* You know what the correct answer is here.
|-
| 😑 (5943) vs '''🤨 (9223)'''
* Expressionless face
* '''Face with one eyebrow raised'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 😑. Coming up next!
* 😑 certainly has its work cut out for it going up agaist 🤨.
|-
| 🙄 (5122) vs '''😏 (8486)'''
* Face with rolling eyes
* '''Smirking face'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 😏 and 🙄 to go head to head.
* Why is the one on the right looking at me like that?
|-
| 😔 (4101) vs '''😬 (8574)'''
* Pensive face
* '''Grimacing face'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 😔 or 😬?
* I don’t think either competitor wants to win this round.
* See? That's how you should feel. Starting at a humble live commentator doing live commentary.
|-
| '''😴 (8582)''' vs 🤒 (2281)
* '''Sleeping face'''
* Face with thermometer
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 😴 vs. 🤒!
*Mondays, am I right?
*Two big moods enter, one leaves.
|-
| 🤕 (5579) vs '''🤮 (8136)'''
* Face with head-bandage
* '''Face with open mouth vomiting'''
|
* On deck, we have 🤕 and 🤮.
* I don't feel so good...
* Really leaving it all on the floor with this one.
|-
| 🥴 (5548) vs '''🥶 (7121)'''
* Face with uneven eyes and wavy mouth
* '''Freezing face'''
|
* On deck, we have 🥴 and 🥶.
* Ice to see you.
* I think they might be trying to ice the kicker!
|-
| '''😎 (8912)''' vs 🤠 (5576)
* '''Smiling face with sunglasses'''
* Face with cowboy hat
|
* Have at it, 😎 and 🤠!
*Howdy, I’m the sheriff of cool!
|-
| 😕 (4748) vs '''😮 (7861)'''
* Confused face
* '''Face with open mouth'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* An unexpected pairing! This should be good.
* I mean ... you can *see* the bracket so it isn't completely unexpected.
|-
| 😳 (5552) vs '''😯 (6583)'''
* Flushed face
* '''Hushed face'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 😯 and 😳! Facing off against each other again!
* Wasn't 😯 in the last match?
|-
| 😰 (2756) vs '''😭 (9508)'''
* Face with open mouth and cold sweat
* '''Loudly crying face'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* 😰 is going to have to dig deep if they want to continue.
|-
| 😣 (2674) vs '''😱 (10403)'''
* Persevering face
* '''Face screaming in fear'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* It doesn't get more real than this, folks.
|-
| 😓 (4790) vs '''😤 (7053)'''
* Face with cold sweat
* '''Face with look of triumph'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 😓 and 😤 to go head to head.
* Nice. Nice nice nice nice.
|-
| 😡 (4209) vs '''😈 (9437)'''
* Pouting face
* '''Smiling face with horns'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 😈 or 😡?
* This one is a toss-up in my book, folks.
|-
| 💩 (7681) vs '''💀 (12905)'''
* Pile of poo
* '''Skull'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 💀 vs. 💩.
* This one is going to cause some arguments.
|-
| 👽 (4888) vs '''👾 (9937)'''
* Extraterrestrial alien
* '''Alien monster'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Space invaders: Analog vs. Digital
|-
| 😻 (5800) vs '''😺 (6451)'''
* Smiling cat face with heart-shaped eyes
* '''Smiling cat face with open mouth'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 😺 vs. 😻!
* I love cats. I love every kind of cat.
|-
| 😼 (4767) vs '''🙀 (7648)'''
* Cat face with wry smile
* '''Weary cat face'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* Every. Kind. Of. Cat.
* Did someone say "V-E-T?"
|-
| 😾 (5464) vs '''💖 (7037)'''
* Pouting cat face
* '''Sparkling heart'''
|
* Next up, 💖 and 😾.
* 😾 looks pretty upset.
|-
| ❤ (7490) vs '''💯 (7881)'''
* Heavy black heart
* '''Hundred points symbol'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ❤. Coming up next!
* Two crowd-pleasers here, folks!
* The score is Love-100
|-
| 💣 (6379) vs '''💦 (7343)'''
* Bomb
* '''Splashing sweat symbol'''
|
* Next up, 💣 and 💦.
* From where I am standing 💦 has a commanding grip on this bracket.
* Well that's certainly something.
* I know which one I would choose, but I don't have time to vote!
|-
| '''👍 (7610)''' vs 🤘 (6417)
* '''Thumbs up sign'''
* Sign of the horns
|
* On deck, we have 👍 and 🤘.
*This is going well, right? This is working for you?
|-
| '''👊 (8368)''' vs 🦵 (3323)
* '''Fisted hand sign'''
* Leg
|
* Next up, 👊 and 🦵.
*Kickpuncher or punchkicker?
|-
| 👀 (6253) vs '''🧠 (6412)'''
* Eyes
* '''Brain'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 👀 or 🧠.
* Whoever wins this one gets punched by the fist emoji in the next round. Choose wisely.
* Whoever wins this one gets punched by the fist emoji in the next round. Choose wisely.
|-
| 👅 (4726) vs '''🤦 (7496)'''
* Tongue
* '''Face palm'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 👅 or 🤦?
* Look, we are a little disappointed, too.
|-
| 👩‍🚀 (5246) vs '''👩‍🔬 (7971)'''
* Woman + Rocket
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
* Neither of these professions go well with concussions.
|-
| 🧛 (2269) vs '''🧙 (13138)'''
* Vampire
* '''Mage'''
|
* We will be right back with 🧙 vs. 🧛!
* Science?
|-
| '''🚶 (6112)''' vs 🧟 (6020)
* '''Pedestrian'''
* Zombie
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*Oh no. 🚶 fans are not going to like this match-up.
*Walk for your lives!
|-
| 🕴 (5070) vs '''💃 (7283)'''
* Man in business suit levitating
* '''Dancer'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 💃. Coming up next!
* The Matrix is TWENTY YEARS OLD
* The Matrix is *TWENTY* *YEARS* *OLD*
|-
| ⛷ (4388) vs '''🤺 (7484)'''
* Skier
* '''Fencer'''
|
* On deck, we have ⛷ and 🤺.
* A slippery slope. En guard!
* The IOC has rejected this combination sport.
|-
| 🏊 (4139) vs '''🏄 (5491)'''
* Swimmer
* '''Surfer'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🏄 vs. 🏊.
* This one, too.
|-
| 🚴 (4082) vs '''🚵 (7642)'''
* Bicyclist
* '''Mountain bicyclist'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🚴 vs. 🚵!
* Why is 🚵 stuck in a box?
|-
| 🛀 (4042) vs '''🐒 (6948)'''
* Bath
* '''Monkey'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🐒 vs. 🛀.
* Uh-oh.
|-
| 🐶 (5214) vs '''🦊 (12396)'''
* Dog face
* '''Fox face'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐶 vs. 🦊!
* Again, we are getting a lot of questions on this today. This is live commentary, folks.
* 12/10 Both good doggos.
|-
| 🐱 (5182) vs '''🐈 (7578)'''
* Cat face
* '''Cat'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐈 vs. 🐱!
* EVERY. CAT.
|-
| 🐎 (4944) vs '''🐅 (9398)'''
* Horse
* '''Tiger'''
|
* Have at it, 🐅 and 🐎!
* If it were up to me, the last bracket would have eight cats and then just stop there with eight winners.
|-
| 🦌 (5619) vs '''🦄 (10318)'''
* Deer
* '''Unicorn face'''
|
* Have at it, 🦄 and 🦌!
* The IOC had some words about this pairing as well
|-
| 🐷 (5341) vs '''🐏 (8541)'''
* Pig face
* '''Ram'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🐏 and 🐷 to go head to head.
* Or side to head, or whatever. VOTE!
* That was 🐷's to give away and they did.
|-
| 🐐 (6038) vs '''🦒 (8345)'''
* Goat
* '''Giraffe face'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Yet more Very good dogs
|-
| '''🐘 (11342)''' vs 🦛 (3614)
* '''Elephant'''
* Hippopotamus
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*Another curious match-up with significant implications on how the rest of the day will go.
|-
| 🐹 (3660) vs '''🐿 (10713)'''
* Hamster face
* '''Chipmunk'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🐹 and 🐿! Facing off against each other again!
* We are incredibly excited to see so many fans here.
* Finally, the long-awaited showdown between Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Hamster Dance.
|-
| 🐨 (5171) vs '''🦔 (10929)'''
* Koala
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* On deck, we have 🐨 and 🦔.
* It doesn't get more real than this, folks.
* Tree pocket cat vs. spiky cat
|-
| 🦘 (6954) vs '''🦡 (7727)'''
* Kangaroo
* '''Badger'''
|
* Will it be 🦘 or 🦡? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* If you believe in 🦘, now is the time to clap or whatever, because it is not looking good.
|-
| 🐣 (5846) vs '''🐧 (12239)'''
* Hatching chick
* '''Penguin'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐣 vs. 🐧!
* Don't count 🐣 out yet. They may have a contingent of fans just tuning in to battle.
* I thought we had seen everything, but look at 🐧 go! Amazing!
* A generational battle.
|-
| 🦆 (6558) vs '''🦉 (9674)'''
* Duck
* '''Owl'''
|
* Will it be 🦆 or 🦉? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* You just know that 🦆 is thinking about 🏥 right now.
* Duck... duck... duck... duck... owl!
|-
| '''🐢 (11594)''' vs 🦜 (3957)
* '''Turtle'''
* Parrot
|
* Uh oh. 🦜 has had words with 🐢 before. The next match will be good.
*Sometimes miracles happen.
|-
| 🐍 (5264) vs '''🐉 (6954)'''
* Snake
* '''Dragon'''
|
* Have at it, 🐉 and 🐍!
* How spiky do you like your sneks?
* Snake is currently losing to Fanfiction Snake.
* Snake is losing to Snake Fanfiction
|-
| 🐬 (7916) vs '''🐳 (9398)'''
* Dolphin
* '''Spouting whale'''
|
* On deck, we have 🐬 and 🐳.
* It's the battle of the blowholes!
|-
| '''🐙 (8799)''' vs 🦈 (3695)
* '''Octopus'''
* Shark
|
* Next up, 🐙 and 🦈.
*This one is potentially a battle between two mimic octopuses.
|-
| 🐛 (5330) vs '''🦋 (9176)'''
* Bug
* '''Butterfly'''
|
* On deck, we have 🐛 and 🦋.
* Time waits for no one.
* Another generational struggle.
|-
| 🕷 (5714) vs '''🐝 (12151)'''
* Spider
* '''Honeybee'''
|
* We will be right back with 🐝 vs. 🕷!
* 🕷 and 🐝 have been friends for a long time. I am not sure where that relationship is going to be after today.
|-
| 🌻 (6639) vs '''🦠 (10448)'''
* Sunflower
* '''Microbe'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* You *knwo* what to do, folks.
* Oh no. 🦠 fans are not going to like this match-up.
* Fresh off its victory over the aliens in War of the Worlds…
|-
| 🌲 (8099) vs '''🌵 (8194)'''
* Evergreen tree
* '''Cactus'''
|
* Will it be 🌲 or 🌵? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* DISAPPOINTED!
* both are surprisingly spiky!
* This is the closest battle in the bracket so far.
|-
| 🍇 (6548) vs '''🍉 (8681)'''
* Grapes
* '''Watermelon'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* sweet!
|-
| 🍎 (5411) vs '''🍍 (10586)'''
* Red apple
* '''Pineapple'''
|
* Have at it, 🍍 and 🍎!
* Regular apple versus Pine’s Apple
* Fancy apple holds a clear lead over Regular Apple.
|-
| '''🍓 (8877)''' vs 🥝 (7540)
* '''Strawberry'''
* Kiwifruit
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🍓 or 🥝?
*Seeds: Inside or Out?
*Outside: Seeds or Hair?
|-
| 🥔 (7800) vs '''🥑 (9580)'''
* Potato
* '''Avocado'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🥑 and 🥔 warming up.
* Fun fact: Several different analyses confirm baby boomers like avocados more than millennials!
|-
| '''🌶 (8714)''' vs 🥒 (6360)
* '''Hot pepper'''
* Cucumber
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🌶. Coming up next!
*I know some very invested audience members for this one.
|-
| '''🍄 (8929)''' vs 🥜 (5311)
* '''Mushroom'''
* Peanuts
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🍄. Coming up next!
*It's peanut butter mushroom time!
|-
| 🥨 (7003) vs '''🥐 (9204)'''
* Pretzel
* '''Croissant'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🥐 and 🥨 warming up.
* Buttery curved bread: extra-buttery or extra-curved?
|-
| 🥞 (7881) vs '''🧀 (9457)'''
* Pancakes
* '''Cheese wedge'''
|
* Will it be 🥞 or 🧀? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* I wonder what cheesy pancakes are like.
|-
| 🍔 (5917) vs '''🍕 (11407)'''
* Hamburger
* '''Slice of pizza'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🍔 and 🍕! Facing off against each other again!
* Friday Night Food Fight!
|-
| 🌮 (7714) vs '''🌯 (8885)'''
* Taco
* '''Burrito'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🌮 vs. 🌯!
* ………
* . . . . . .
|-
| 🍿 (7104) vs '''🍳 (8128)'''
* Popcorn
* '''Cooking'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🍳. Coming up next!
* The saltiest and butteriest matchup yet
|-
| 🍱 (4259) vs '''🍣 (7578)'''
* Bento box
* '''Sushi'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Hungry again. Wasn't it just lunch time?
* This part of the bracket has been *wild*
* Sushi takes the lead!
|-
| 🥟 (5804) vs '''🦞 (7681)'''
* Dumpling
* '''Lobster'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* A delicious dumpling vs some kind of large spider
|-
| 🍨 (7349) vs '''🦑 (7834)'''
* Ice cream
* '''Squid'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🍨 or 🦑.
* I think there’s another squid hiding in the ice cream bowl.
|-
| 🎂 (4175) vs '''🍩 (8454)'''
* Birthday cake
* '''Doughnut'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🍩 or 🎂.
|-
| 🍯 (4787) vs '''🍫 (7565)'''
* Honey pot
* '''Chocolate bar'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 🍫 and 🍯? We are about to find out.
* The beans vs. the bees!
|-
| '''☕ (7674)''' vs 🥛 (5344)
* '''Hot beverage'''
* Glass of milk
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's ☕ vs. 🥛!
*Would you like some coffee with your milk?
|-
| 🍹 (4901) vs '''🍺 (7490)'''
* Tropical drink
* '''Beer mug'''
|
* Uh oh. 🍺 has had words with 🍹 before. The next match will be good.
* how drunk do you want to get?
* One small glass of beer with an umbrella, please.
|-
| '''🔪 (7787)''' vs 🥢 (5468)
* '''Hocho'''
* Chopsticks
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*The two most popular ways to eat food
|-
| '''🌋 (8706)''' vs 🧭 (4079)
* '''Volcano'''
* Compass
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
*That compass is not leading you in a good direction.
|-
| 🏝 (5445) vs '''🏕 (8722)'''
* Desert island
* '''Camping'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🏕 vs. 🏝!
|-
| 🏠 (5722) vs '''🏗 (5804)'''
* House building
* '''Building construction'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🏗 and 🏠! Facing off against each other again!
* It's building vs. building!
|-
| '''🏥 (7053)''' vs 🗽 (5981)
* '''Hospital'''
* Statue of liberty
|
* We will be right back with 🏥 vs. 🗽!
|-
| ⛲ (5498) vs '''🌃 (6519)'''
* Fountain
* '''Night with stars'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ⛲. Coming up next!
|-
| 🎡 (3212) vs '''🌅 (8000)'''
* Ferris wheel
* '''Sunrise'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🌅 and 🎡! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| 🎢 (4701) vs '''🚄 (7014)'''
* Roller coaster
* '''High-speed train'''
|
* We will be right back with 🎢 vs. 🚄!
* Do you like your fast trains flat, or up-and-down?
|-
| 🚑 (4901) vs '''🚝 (7087)'''
* Ambulance
* '''Monorail'''
|
* On deck, we have 🚑 and 🚝.
|-
| 🚗 (2707) vs '''🚒 (8391)'''
* Automobile
* '''Fire engine'''
|
* Will it be 🚒 or 🚗? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
|-
| 🛵 (5344) vs '''🚜 (6475)'''
* Motor scooter
* '''Tractor'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🚜 or 🛵?
* Both of these are popular rideshare vehicles.
|-
| 🛹 (3509) vs '''🚲 (9447)'''
* Skateboard
* '''Bicycle'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🚲 vs. 🛹.
* next wave of rideshare vehicles.
|-
| '''⚓ (6608)''' vs ⛵ (6431)
* '''Anchor'''
* Sailboat
|
* Welcome back, it's time for ⚓ and ⛵ to go head to head.
*Should I stay or should I go?
|-
| 🛩 (5694) vs '''🚁 (6529)'''
* Small airplane
* '''Helicopter'''
|
* Will it be 🚁 or 🛩? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* Here in the future, flying cars are common!
|-
| 🚀 (7266) vs '''🛸 (14945)'''
* Rocket
* '''Flying saucer'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🚀 vs. 🛸.
* IFO vs UFO
|-
| ⌚ (6623) vs '''🌒 (7404)'''
* Watch
* '''Waxing crescent moon symbol'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's ⌚ vs. 🌒.
* Waxing crescent already? I must be running slow.
|-
| 🌙 (8921) vs '''🌞 (15703)'''
* Crescent moon
* '''Sun with face'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🌙 and 🌞 to go head to head.
* Two contenders as different as night and day.
* In five billion years, this battle will play out in real life with the same result.
|-
| ⛈ (9358) vs '''🌌 (17038)'''
* Thunder cloud and rain
* '''Milky way'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Astronomers are hammering the button on the right as hard as they can.
|-
| 🌪 (9848) vs '''🌈 (11326)'''
* Cloud with tornado
* '''Rainbow'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🌈. Coming up next!
* The Wizard Of Oz (1938)
* The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
|-
| '''☄ (8014)''' vs ⚡ (7597)
* '''Comet'''
* High voltage sign
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*The two leading theories for what killed the dinosaurs: A comet strike, or Zeus.
*Boom!
|-
| 🎃 (4112) vs '''🔥 (10407)'''
* Jack-o-lantern
* '''Fire'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🎃 or 🔥.
|-
| 🎉 (5422) vs '''🧨 (18509)'''
* Party popper
* '''Firecracker'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* How emphatic do you like your celebrations?
|-
| 🏆 (5564) vs '''🎁 (6499)'''
* Trophy
* '''Wrapped present'''
|
* Have at it, 🎁 and 🏆!
|-
| ⚾ (5404) vs '''🏅 (7337)'''
* Baseball
* '''Sports medal'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Sports fact: If you hit a medal-winner with a ball, you take their title.
|-
| 🎾 (6117) vs '''🏀 (6171)'''
* Tennis racquet and ball
* '''Basketball and hoop'''
|
* We will be right back with 🎾 vs. 🏀!
* Sports fact: If you hit a medal-winner with a ball, you take the medal (but they take first base.)
* Sports showdowns: Bouncy edition
* Would you rather play basketball with a tennis ball, or tennis with a basketball?
|-
| 🏏 (7343) vs '''🥏 (7546)'''
* Cricket bat and ball
* '''Flying disc'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🏏. Coming up next!
|-
| 🏒 (8078) vs '''🏓 (8739)'''
* Ice hockey stick and puck
* '''Table tennis paddle and ball'''
|
* Uh oh. 🏓 has had words with 🏒 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| 🛷 (7104) vs '''🥌 (7733)'''
* Sled
* '''Curling stone'''
|
* Have at it, 🛷 and 🥌!
|-
| 🎲 (11931) vs '''🎮 (14739)'''
* Game die
* '''Video game'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🎮 vs. 🎲.
* Digital or analog?
* Devices or, uh, dices?
|-
| '''🎨 (5374)''' vs 👓 (4988)
* '''Artist palette'''
* Eyeglasses
|
* We will be right back with 🎨 vs. 👓!
*two ways to add color to your world
|-
| '''🎒 (4961)''' vs 🧦 (4819)
* '''School satchel'''
* Socks
|
* We will be right back with 🎒 vs. 🧦!
*You can put your feet in either of these! No one can stop you.
|-
| '''🎩 (23265)''' vs 👑 (19274)
* '''Top hat'''
* Crown
|
* Will it be 🎩 or 👑? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
*Hats for fancy people!
|-
| '''🎵 (17951)''' vs 💎 (9378)
* '''Musical note'''
* Gem stone
|
* We will be right back with 🎵 vs. 💎!
*C-notes
|-
| 🎷 (6954) vs '''🎸 (10692)'''
* Saxophone
* '''Guitar'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🎷 vs. 🎸.
* I've never heard the dueling banjos played like this!
|-
| '''🎻 (11568)''' vs 📞 (8172)
* '''Violin'''
* Telephone receiver
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🎻 vs. 📞.
*Can I put you on hold? I can't hang onto both of these with my chin
|-
| 💻 (7355) vs '''📟 (9348)'''
* Personal computer
* '''Pager'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 💻 and 📟! Facing off against each other again!
* Over time, computers have gotten steadily smaller.
|-
| ⌨ (3372) vs '''💾 (8550)'''
* Keyboard
* '''Floppy disk'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* fun fact: it would take the average person 20 years to type an entire floppy disk
|-
| 📷 (10623) vs '''🧮 (12401)'''
* Camera
* '''Abacus'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
|-
| 🔎 (7902) vs '''💡 (12706)'''
* Right-pointing magnifying glass
* '''Electric light bulb'''
|
* On deck, we have 💡 and 🔎.
* it's mostly clicks either way.
* Both equally bad for bugs.
|-
| 📜 (4020) vs '''📚 (32459)'''
* Scroll
* '''Books'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Turning pages: hot new technology, or too much complication?
|-
| 💰 (5378) vs '''📦 (17957)'''
* Money bag
* '''Package'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Let's be real. Neither contain actual money.
|-
| 🖋 (6166) vs '''🖍 (42115)'''
* Lower left fountain pen
* '''Lower left crayon'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🖋 and 🖍! Facing off against each other again!
* Neither is coming off your walls if a kid gets ahold of them.
|-
| 📅 (3309) vs '''📊 (5217)'''
* Calendar
* '''Bar chart'''
|
* Have at it, 📅 and 📊!
* It’s cool how, if you design an emoji font, you get to tell everyone your birthday.
|-
| ✂ (4504) vs '''📎 (5846)'''
* Black scissors
* '''Paperclip'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. ✂ and 📎! Facing off against each other again!
* Look, we all have too much paper in our lives, but we all deal with it differently
* Clippy, I swear…
|-
| 🗡 (5537) vs '''🗝 (6193)'''
* Dagger knife
* '''Old key'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🗝 vs. 🗡.
* There are two ways to open doors: The easy way and the fun way.
|-
| ⚔ (5514) vs '''🏹 (7201)'''
* Crossed swords
* '''Bow and arrow'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for ⚔ and 🏹 to go head to head.
* Close-up stabby, or stabby from a ways off?
|-
| '''⚖ (6153)''' vs 🔧 (4351)
* '''Scales'''
* Wrench
|
* Will it be ⚖ or 🔧? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
*⚖ comes out on top.
|-
| 🧲 (4654) vs '''🧬 (9019)'''
* Magnet
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
|-
| 🚽 (4388) vs '''🔭 (8647)'''
* Toilet
* '''Telescope'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🔭 vs. 🚽.
* I got these mixed up last week and I still haven't heard the end of it.
|-
| 🛁 (4540) vs '''🧻 (11347)'''
* Bathtub
* '''Roll of paper'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🛁 and 🧻 to go head to head.
* Needed both of these after the telescope incident.
|-
| '''⚰ (7909)''' vs 🆒 (6024)
* '''Coffin'''
* Squared COOL
|
* On deck, we have ⚰ and 🆒.
*And that wraps up the round!
|-
|}

==== Round 3====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 😅 (6285) vs '''🙃 (31589)'''
* Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat
* '''Upside-down face'''
|
* Uh oh. 🙃 has had words with 😅 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| 😍 (8430) vs '''😉 (10837)'''
* Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes
* '''Winking face'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 😉 and 😍? We are about to find out.
* Some of us are more suave than others...
|-
| 😛 (9010) vs '''😜 (10428)'''
* Face with stuck-out tongue
* '''Face with stuck-out tongue and winking eye'''
|
* Uh oh. 😜 has had words with 😛 before. The next match will be good.
* Battle of the tongues
|-
| 🤨 (6519) vs '''🤔 (18849)'''
* Face with one eyebrow raised
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* Next up, 🤔 and 🤨.
* Some behind the scenes for you, folks. I know for a fact that 🤔 wanted first billing for this match and 🤨 refused to budge.
|-
| 😬 (8983) vs '''😏 (11449)'''
* Grimacing face
* '''Smirking face'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 😏 and 😬! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| '''😴 (10588)''' vs 🤮 (7773)
* '''Sleeping face'''
* Face with open mouth vomiting
|
* Have at it, 😴 and 🤮!
*🤮 opened strong and 😴 never caught up.
*I hope everyone has printed their brackets and are ready, because time waits for very few people!
*I guess it was that kind of a party.
|-
| '''😎 (11469)''' vs 🥶 (9176)
* '''Smiling face with sunglasses'''
* Freezing face
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
*🥶 has a chance here, but it is slipping away.
*What's cooler than being cool?
*What’s cooler than being cool?
*You need to be cooler than that!
|-
| 😯 (7648) vs '''😮 (7944)'''
* Hushed face
* '''Face with open mouth'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Anyone want to go bowling?
* Sometimes I spend so long deciding on which of these to use that the conversation moves on.
|-
| 😭 (7559) vs '''😱 (8894)'''
* Loudly crying face
* '''Face screaming in fear'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 😭 vs. 😱.
* In these kinds of contests, everyone comes away a little hurt.
|-
| 😤 (5475) vs '''😈 (9739)'''
* Face with look of triumph
* '''Smiling face with horns'''
|
* Uh oh. 😤 has had words with 😈 before. The next match will be good.
* I don't think 😤 expected to see 😈 opposite them today.
* Devils over Cotton by a country mile. Let's see those hearts!
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 💀 (6669) vs '''👾 (11173)'''
* Skull
* '''Alien monster'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 👾 or 💀?
* It doesn't get more real than this, folks.
|-
| 😺 (7993) vs '''🙀 (8903)'''
* Smiling cat face with open mouth
* '''Weary cat face'''
|
* On deck, we have 😺 and 🙀.
* I spoke with 🙀 before we started today. They were hoping to dodge 😺. Too bad for them.
* The next few are contests are going to break friendships.
* This one is a real nail biter!
|-
| 💯 (9859) vs '''💖 (10041)'''
* Hundred points symbol
* '''Sparkling heart'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 💖 and 💯? We are about to find out.
* I've always considered 💖 to be one of the greats.
* Starting to think 100 might go all the way.
* Starting to think 💯 might go all the way.
|-
| 👍 (9892) vs '''💦 (9960)'''
* Thumbs up sign
* '''Splashing sweat symbol'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 👍 or 💦?
* What an unexpected result!!
* Now what is going to happen here:
* We are seeing some real back and forth matches this round.
* Again, cannot stress this enough. This commentary is 100% (sorry) live.
|-
| 👊 (6867) vs '''🧠 (12115)'''
* Fisted hand sign
* '''Brain'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 👊 vs. 🧠.
* Sometimes miracles happen.
* The match-up you have been waiting for!
|-
| '''👩‍🔬 (15141)''' vs 🤦 (7172)
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
* Face palm
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*Looks like someone forgot their PPE today!
|-
| 🚶 (2581) vs '''🧙 (17413)'''
* Pedestrian
* '''Mage'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🚶 and 🧙 to go head to head.
* Another fan favorite. Can 🚶 catch up to 🧙?
* Well folks, it is not looking good for 🚶.
* In the end, there was nothing 🚶 could do to stop the power of 🧙.
|-
| 💃 (10409) vs '''🤺 (10987)'''
* Dancer
* '''Fencer'''
|
* We will be right back with 💃 vs. 🤺!
* Pointy Dancy vs. Pointy Stancy
* This one should be familiar to anyone who has tried fencing in heels.
|-
| 🏄 (7355) vs '''🚵 (10300)'''
* Surfer
* '''Mountain bicyclist'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* 🏄 has a chance here, but it is slipping away.
* Bicycle --> Unicycle --> None-cycle with left waves
* 🏄 has a chance here, but it is slipping away.
|-
| 🐒 (4784) vs '''🦊 (15635)'''
* Monkey
* '''Fox face'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🐒 and 🦊! Facing off against each other again!
* Another challenging contest of cute!
* What *does* the fox say? "NOT TODAY, MONKEY."
|-
| 🐅 (7014) vs '''🐈 (11420)'''
* Tiger
* '''Cat'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* I have taken this yoga class!
* It looks like it is Cat vs. Extremely Cat.
|-
| 🐏 (12498) vs '''🦄 (12505)'''
* Ram
* '''Unicorn face'''
|
* On deck, we have 🐏 and 🦄.
* 🐏 is an fan favorite to go far today.
* This one is a real nail biter!
* This one is a real horn-biter!
|-
| '''🐘 (11723)''' vs 🦒 (6162)
* '''Elephant'''
* Giraffe face
|
* Have at it, 🐘 and 🦒!
*Two great examples of character creator parameters set to different extremes.
|-
| 🐿 (9539) vs '''🦔 (12565)'''
* Chipmunk
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* Have at it, 🐿 and 🦔!
* I have no idea how you are going to handle this one, folks.
* 🦔 is out to an early lead, but don't count 🐿 out just yet.
* the crowd is going nuts!
* One for the history books.
|-
| '''🐧 (14230)''' vs 🦡 (7361)
* '''Penguin'''
* Badger
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🐧 and 🦡! Facing off against each other again!
*Arriving at the party ... same party two hours later.
|-
| 🐢 (10674) vs '''🦉 (10893)'''
* Turtle
* '''Owl'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🐢 vs. 🦉!
* Yeah, we know. This one is going to sting.
* It's neck and ... very interesting neck!
* Owl standing in for Hare in this round. We're all as surprised as you are.
|-
| 🐳 (9881) vs '''🐉 (12000)'''
* Spouting whale
* '''Dragon'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🐉 and 🐳 to go head to head.
* Dry Snek vs. Wet Snek.
* A showdown between two mythical creatures!
* The dragon keeps beating real animals, even though dragons are just our animal fanfic.
* Save the whales!
|-
| '''🐙 (13431)''' vs 🦋 (6011)
* '''Octopus'''
* Butterfly
|
* On deck, we have 🐙 and 🦋.
*save the butterwhales!
*Here we have a contest between two mimic octopuses
*The octopus has over twice as many clicks, folks. This one isn’t looking close.
*The octopus has over twice as many clicks, folks. This one isn’t close.
|-
| '''🐝 (19577)''' vs 🦠 (16657)
* '''Honeybee'''
* Microbe
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
*nooooon, :butterfly:
*nooooon, butterfly (edited)
*Honeybees vs. colony collapse disorder
*I’m looking at the totals, and this one is extremely close.
*🦠 fans need to click more and faster!
*I mean, 🐝 fans need to keep clicking!
*Fun fact: You can click more than once, although if you click too much it ignores you.
*No! Save the bees!
*Bees!
|-
| 🍉 (12946) vs '''🌵 (13830)'''
* Watermelon
* '''Cactus'''
|
* Have at it, 🌵 and 🍉!
* As a dessert for saving the bees, try one of these fine desert fruits.
* Ever wonder what the inside of a cactus looks like? We’ve cut one open for you here.
|-
| 🍓 (12167) vs '''🍍 (12522)'''
* Strawberry
* '''Pineapple'''
|
* Uh oh. 🍓 has had words with 🍍 before. The next match will be good.
* What fruit is best to eat in the night? Could it be Pine’s Apple?
* The weird-textured fruit showdown features two strong competitors.
|-
| 🌶 (13812) vs '''🥑 (13975)'''
* Hot pepper
* '''Avocado'''
|
* Uh oh. 🥑 has had words with 🌶 before. The next match will be good.
* We have reached the halfway point of round 3!
* As Twitter user @jitka said, “I like avocados because they taste pretty good and also they come with a cool wood ball you get to keep”
|-
| 🍄 (11290) vs '''🥐 (11348)'''
* Mushroom
* '''Croissant'''
|
* Next up, 🍄 and 🥐.
* Don’t eat either of these if you find them on the ground in the woods.
|-
| '''🍕 (13520)''' vs 🧀 (8558)
* '''Slice of pizza'''
* Cheese wedge
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🍕 and 🧀 warming up.
*cheese: baked or not?
*pizza is just impure cheese
|-
| 🍳 (8407) vs '''🌯 (9848)'''
* Cooking
* '''Burrito'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🌯 and 🍳 warming up.
* one burrito, sunny-side up
* Now I want a burrito.
|-
| '''🍣 (11362)''' vs 🦞 (9488)
* '''Sushi'''
* Lobster
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🍣 and 🦞! Facing off against each other again!
*I thought we had seen everything, but look at 🍣 go! Amazing!
|-
| 🍩 (12192) vs '''🦑 (12893)'''
* Doughnut
* '''Squid'''
|
* On deck, we have 🍩 and 🦑.
* Do not mix these flavors.
|-
| ☕ (7248) vs '''🍫 (13919)'''
* Hot beverage
* '''Chocolate bar'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, ☕ or 🍫.
* what a cruel choice
* in which form would you like your beans?
* mocha hold the chocolate vs. mocha hold the coffee
|-
| 🍺 (11448) vs '''🔪 (12597)'''
* Beer mug
* '''Hocho'''
|
* Will it be 🍺 or 🔪? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* What an amazingly bad combination!
* Its ... a close shave.
|-
| 🏕 (6055) vs '''🌋 (13928)'''
* Camping
* '''Volcano'''
|
* They have been attacking each other on social media all week. Next up! It's 🌋 vs. 🏕.
* What an amazingly bad combination! .... Again!
* the eruption of mt. Saint helens (artist's conception)
* ruuuuunn!
|-
| 🏥 (7225) vs '''🏗 (8415)'''
* Hospital
* '''Building construction'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite 🏗. Coming up next!
* the crane can build hospitals, so voting for the crane is like wishing for infinite wishes
|-
| 🌅 (7042) vs '''🌃 (10460)'''
* Sunrise
* '''Night with stars'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* all good things must come to an end
|-
| 🚄 (8128) vs '''🚝 (8903)'''
* High-speed train
* '''Monorail'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
|-
| 🚜 (6598) vs '''🚒 (8085)'''
* Tractor
* '''Fire engine'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🚒 vs. 🚜!
* We can put out your fire, or we can move it over there.
|-
| ⚓ (6987) vs '''🚲 (9001)'''
* Anchor
* '''Bicycle'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, ⚓ or 🚲.
|-
| 🚁 (3409) vs '''🛸 (12591)'''
* Helicopter
* '''Flying saucer'''
|
* Oh, this one should be good.
* Independence Day (1996)
|-
| 🌞 (6290) vs '''🌒 (11026)'''
* Sun with face
* '''Waxing crescent moon symbol'''
|
* Coming to you live from the Emojidome, it's 🌒 vs. 🌞!
|-
| 🌈 (12417) vs '''🌌 (13194)'''
* Rainbow
* '''Milky way'''
|
* Uh oh. 🌌 has had words with 🌈 before. The next match will be good.
|-
| ☄ (7687) vs '''🔥 (8315)'''
* Comet
* '''Fire'''
|
* Have at it, ☄ and 🔥!
* Armageddon (1998)
|-
| 🎁 (5311) vs '''🧨 (9417)'''
* Wrapped present
* '''Firecracker'''
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
* Do you like surprises?
|-
| 🏀 (3729) vs '''🏅 (9083)'''
* Basketball and hoop
* '''Sports medal'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 🏀 or 🏅.
* This match has me questioning 🏀's commitment.
|-
| '''🏓 (9290)''' vs 🥏 (7916)
* '''Table tennis paddle and ball'''
* Flying disc
|
* I'm looking forward to this.
*Don't blink.
|-
| 🎮 (11060) vs '''🥌 (14205)'''
* Video game
* '''Curling stone'''
|
* Welcome back, it's time for 🎮 and 🥌 to go head to head.
* Curling Simulator 2019
* If you love 🥌, you will have to show it now!
* Its a close match!
* 🎮 sweeping up
* 🥌 sweeping up
* I think 🥌 has it.
|-
| 🎒 (5682) vs '''🎨 (8574)'''
* School satchel
* '''Artist palette'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* Is the backpack Blue or Red??
* Blue or Red isn't going to matter if 🎨 keeps their lead!
* This one was over before it started.
|-
| 🎩 (9120) vs '''🎵 (10259)'''
* Top hat
* '''Musical note'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🎩 or 🎵?
* Top Hat (1935)
|-
| 🎸 (7349) vs '''🎻 (10889)'''
* Guitar
* '''Violin'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 🎸 and 🎻 warming up.
* the day the music died
|-
| 📟 (3276) vs '''💾 (14470)'''
* Pager
* '''Floppy disk'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have 💾 and 📟 warming up.
* 🖍, are you watching this match?
* At this rate, 📟 will lose worse than 🎒 earlier!
|-
| 💡 (7834) vs '''🧮 (10579)'''
* Electric light bulb
* '''Abacus'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 💡 and 🧮! Facing off against each other again!
* What an illuminating contest.
* In case you were wondering, the obsolete tech bracket is coming to a close soon.
* 🧮 comes out on top.
|-
| 📦 (3650) vs '''📚 (13464)'''
* Package
* '''Books'''
|
* Uh oh. 📦 has had words with 📚 before. The next match will be good.
* Remember trees?
|-
| 📊 (7144) vs '''🖍 (8035)'''
* Bar chart
* '''Lower left crayon'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 📊 and 🖍! Facing off against each other again!
* Which crayon is the shortest
* Which crayon is the shortest?
|-
| 📎 (8114) vs '''🗝 (9019)'''
* Paperclip
* '''Old key'''
|
* Have at it, 📎 and 🗝!
* Have you considered just casting 'Knock'?
|-
| ⚖ (6910) vs '''🏹 (9251)'''
* Scales
* '''Bow and arrow'''
|
* You do not want to miss the fan favorite ⚖. Coming up next!
* I am not sure if there is anything else that 🏹 needs to prove.
|-
| 🔭 (9037) vs '''🧬 (11772)'''
* Telescope
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* It's time to find out: Who would win in a match, 🔭 or 🧬?
* Pretty sure that is not how any of this works.
|-
| ⚰ (12470) vs '''🧻 (13083)'''
* Coffin
* '''Roll of paper'''
|
* Don't change that channel, folks. We have ⚰ and 🧻 warming up.
* This is the final match of round 3!
* You have died of Dysentery.
|-
|}

==== Round 4====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 😉 (13589) vs '''🙃 (22912)'''
* Winking face
* '''Upside-down face'''
|
* Will it be 😉 or 🙃? Find out next after this message from our sponsors.
* Finally! A rivalry spoke only in whispers now takes center stage.
* I see our friends in Australia have joined in the fun.
* 😉 has some time to recover, but they are going to need help.
* Down to our last minute in the match!
* 😉 never had a chance.
|-
| 😜 (6578) vs '''🤔 (25692)'''
* Face with stuck-out tongue and winking eye
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* Next! Who would win in a match between 😜 and 🤔? We are about to find out.
* This match-up reminds me of something clever I heard earlier ...
* Oh! I remember what it was!
* Someone said
|-
| 😴 (11518) vs '''😏 (12506)'''
* Sleeping face
* '''Smirking face'''
|
* If you're like me, you've argued over who would win head-to-head, 😏 or 😴.
* Success is no stranger to 😏. Let's see if they can keep it going.
* Don't sleep on this match-up!
|-
| 😮 (18361) vs '''😎 (18415)'''
* Face with open mouth
* '''Smiling face with sunglasses'''
|
* Next up, 😎 and 😮.
* I don't know about you, but this is the match I have been waiting all day to see.
* Sunglasses pulling ahead.
* The betting markets had 😮 as favourite today, but it sure looks like 😎 is going to make it!
* It's all up to 😎 now. Can they hold 😮 back long enough to claim victory?
* The betting markets had 😮 as favourite today, but it sure looks like 😎 is going to make it!
* The gap is closing! Is there enough time for 😮 to take the lead?
* This one is coming down to the wire!
* Surprised Pikachu pulls ahead!
|-
| 😱 (4868) vs '''😈 (5411)'''
* Face screaming in fear
* '''Smiling face with horns'''
|
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 😈 and 😱! Facing off against each other again!
|-
| 👾 (18385) vs '''🙀 (18571)'''
* Alien monster
* '''Weary cat face'''
|
* 👾 and 🙀 have been friends for a long time. I am not sure where that relationship is going to be after today.
* This could get interesting if 🙀 brings out their lasers!
* This could get interesting if 👾 brings out their lasers!
* Can we go back to the laser kittens for a minute?
* laser kittens! mew mew mew!
* Uh oh. The cat cheering section seems to be slacking.
* Can the cats make a comeback and save us all?
* It's gonna be tight!
|-
| 💦 (13865) vs '''💖 (15698)'''
* Splashing sweat symbol
* '''Sparkling heart'''
|
* Someone has to win this match and someone has to lose, but you have to acknowledge the pure sportsmanship of these competitors.
* Click the link at the bottom of the comic to view the current bracket! (Just updated.)
* That last one came down to the wire, and this one's looking like it might too.
* The three other Planeteers are watching this match tensely.
* Sparkle Heart has been a surprisingly strong contender, knocking out the 100 emoji early!
* Click the link at the bottom of the comic to view the current bracket!
* Sparkle heart appears to be running away with another one.
|-
| '''👩‍🔬 (19865)''' vs 🧠 (9398)
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
* Brain
|
* This is a match that no one wanted to deal with until the end.
*what exactly is 👩‍🔬 going to do with that beaker?
*Neuroscience vs. Neuro!
*There seems to be a commotion in the audience as to whether that was a flask or a beaker.
*I *was* a beaker, but someone changed it in post!
*Looks like 👩‍🔬 is really taking 🧠 to *flask*.
|-
| 🤺 (8947) vs '''🧙 (25337)'''
* Fencer
* '''Mage'''
|
* 🤺 has been a fan favorite all day. Suprising literally no one.
* However, 🧙 has literally been disintegrating their competition all afternoon.
* What are we thinking here? 'Heat Metal'?
* Parry hotter vs Harry Potter?
|-
| 🚵 (7397) vs '''🦊 (27045)'''
* Mountain bicyclist
* '''Fox face'''
|
* This is a match that no one wanted to deal with until the end.
* several people are typing.
* 🦊 is putting 🚵 in the rear-view mirror and stepping on the gas.
* I have never seen 🦊 crush an opponent that mercilessly before.
|-
| '''🐈 (25965)''' vs 🦄 (20912)
* '''Cat'''
* Unicorn face
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*I am not sure if there is anything else that 🐈 needs to prove.
|-
| 🐘 (23083) vs '''🦔 (23975)'''
* Elephant
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* I spoke with 🐘 before the match today, and they had this to say: 🐘.
* This is one grudge that won't be resolved soon: 🐘 never forgets.
* Hedgehog has been a strong contender but elephant is running surprisingly close.
* This is going to come down to the final seconds.
* An amazing match from 🦔.
|-
| 🐧 (19957) vs '''🦉 (22737)'''
* Penguin
* '''Owl'''
|
* There are a lot of 🐧 fans in the audience today hoping to see their champ make it through.
* Another close match in the making!
* 1 minute for 🦉 to overtake 🐧!
* I think the bird has it.
|-
| 🐉 (25129) vs '''🐙 (25238)'''
* Dragon
* '''Octopus'''
|
* You wouldn't know it to look at them right now, but 🐉 and 🐙 have been friends for years.
* I think 🐉 may have finally met their match.
* 🐙 is trying to get back in the lead. But 🐉 is not having any of it.
* The totals are back and forth!
* An unbelievably close match is down to the final minute!
* It’s neck and neck, despite one being all neck and the other having none.
* The final seconds are here. Who will take the final lead?
|-
| 🌵 (17985) vs '''🐝 (18691)'''
* Cactus
* '''Honeybee'''
|
* 🌵 has really suprised me today.
* another close match. Are all of the contests going to be like this now?
|-
| '''🍍 (19728)''' vs 🥑 (18099)
* '''Pineapple'''
* Avocado
|
* 🍍 continues to show why they are just the dominant force to be reckoned with today.
*Avocado Toast or Pineapple Pizza
*Avocado Toast or Pineapple Pizza?
|-
| '''🍕 (19207)''' vs 🥐 (11100)
* '''Slice of pizza'''
* Croissant
|
* Oh this one should be good.
*Pineapple pizza isn't real pizza
*There are two correct answers here. Choose wisely.
*Pizzas are like croissant tacos
*Looks like 🥐 is getting roasted.
*🥐 burn so easily. Who knew?
|-
| 🌯 (16204) vs '''🍣 (17599)'''
* Burrito
* '''Sushi'''
|
* 🌯 came to play. It is so obvious.
* why do we have to choose?
* I have definitely eaten food that was described as both of these.
|-
| 🍫 (17503) vs '''🦑 (18313)'''
* Chocolate bar
* '''Squid'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* No No Nothing about this is good.
* 🍫 is pretty sweet, but I'm a sucker for 🦑
|-
| '''🌋 (18049)''' vs 🔪 (7144)
* '''Volcano'''
* Hocho
|
* 🌋 has been a fan favorite all day. Suprising literally no one.
*before the knives come out of the mountain they're technically called "magma"
*before knives come out of a mountain they're technically called 'magma'
|-
| 🏗 (7355) vs '''🌃 (12660)'''
* Building construction
* '''Night with stars'''
|
* Oh this one should be good.
* Has anyone ever seen one of these without the other? Hmm.
* 163
|-
| 🚒 (4736) vs '''🚝 (9570)'''
* Fire engine
* '''Monorail'''
|
* 🚒 is dedicating this match to someone very special in their lives.
|-
| 🚲 (11477) vs '''🛸 (14994)'''
* Bicycle
* '''Flying saucer'''
|
* 🚲 has really suprised me today.
* E.T. (1982)
|-
| 🌒 (7313) vs '''🌌 (15975)'''
* Waxing crescent moon symbol
* '''Milky way'''
|
* I am very excited to see 🌌 still in this competition.
* This battle is out of this world!
|-
| '''🔥 (13588)''' vs 🧨 (8239)
* '''Fire'''
* Firecracker
|
* This is a match with a special meaning for 🔥.
*Uh oh, this is one of those battles where nobody wins.
*🔥 bolting ahead with an alarming lead against 🧨
*Take cover folks, this looks like it's going to be a hot one.
*aaaaaand boom goes the dynamite!
|-
| 🏅 (9309) vs '''🏓 (11409)'''
* Sports medal
* '''Table tennis paddle and ball'''
|
* I am very excited to see 🏅 still in this competition.
* Ohhhhhhhh. That one is going to leave a mark.
|-
| 🎨 (11242) vs '''🥌 (20329)'''
* Artist palette
* '''Curling stone'''
|
* Look at where you came from 🎨. Look at where you started! You would think that this would be enough.
* C'mon baby put the rock in the house
|-
| 🎵 (10452) vs '''🎻 (11806)'''
* Musical note
* '''Violin'''
|
* 🎵 came to play. It is so obvious.
* It is a battle as old as time itself. 🎵 and 🎻! Facing off against each other again!
* No, that's not the iTunes logo
* 🎻's tuning might be working against them right now.
|-
| '''💾 (16887)''' vs 🧮 (13339)
* '''Floppy disk'''
* Abacus
|
* 💾 is dedicating this match to someone very special in their lives.
*Welcome back to the Obsolete Technology Dome!
*MicroSD Card is watching closely at this battle of two square data storage options
|-
| 🖍 (6157) vs '''📚 (16083)'''
* Lower left crayon
* '''Books'''
|
* This is going to be a challenge for 📚.
* 📚 really left a mark on 🖍 in their last match.
* 🖍 really left a mark on 📚 in their last match.
|-
| '''🏹 (14112)''' vs 🗝 (11789)
* '''Bow and arrow'''
* Old key
|
* 🏹 is looking fierce, but 🗝 is having none of it.
|-
| 🧻 (8107) vs '''🧬 (24415)'''
* Roll of paper
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* 🧬 came to play. It is so obvious.
* 🧻 and 🧬 are neck and neck here in the final bout of round 3!
* when either is missing, you're in trouble
* And 🧻 falls to 🧬. A suprising turn of events.
|-
|}

==== Round 5====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 🙃 (77562) vs '''🤔 (85714)'''
* Upside-down face
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* all remaining rounds will be 26 minutes
* all remaining bouts will be 26 minutes
* Sometimes I think they've gone too far with plastic surgery
* This one's a fitting start to the round of 32, don't you think?
* Spiderman (2002)
* these vote totals are getting *close*! 🤔
* up is down, down is up! 🤔
* up is down, down is up! 🙃
* 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
* Getting knocked out in the round of 32 🙃
|-
| 😎 (35129) vs '''😏 (35485)'''
* Smiling face with sunglasses
* '''Smirking face'''
|
* 😎 and 😏 have been friends for a long time. I am not sure where that relationship is going to be after today.
* wink wink vs nudge nudge
* The Blues Brothers (1980)
* Can't read my p-p-p-poker face"
* Can't read my p-p-p-poker face
* David Caruso, is that you
* explicit vs. implicit
|-
| 🙀 (34060) vs '''😈 (46401)'''
* Weary cat face
* '''Smiling face with horns'''
|
* Are we about to see a huge upset?
* The devil went down to kittytown
* We're not sure which of these is a more accurate representation of a cat
* Both of them like to make your life hell.
* Which side are the Hellcats cheering for?
* 9 circles of hell. 9 lives. COINCIDENCE?
* Better the devil you know than the one you pet.
|-
| 💖 (15594) vs '''👩‍🔬 (43035)'''
* Sparkling heart
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
|
* This is a match that no one wanted to deal with until the end.
* Love Potion No. 9 (1963)
* The shine seems to be wearing off for sparkle heart.
* The shine seems to be wearing off for sparkle heart. What's in that flask?
|-
| 🦊 (48941) vs '''🧙 (49275)'''
* Fox face
* '''Mage'''
|
* 🦊 has really suprised me today.
* :leaves:: Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn targeting Devilthorn Fox
* G: Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn targeting Devilthorn Fox
|-
| 🐈 (32862) vs '''🦔 (42994)'''
* Cat
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* I don't care if you are a 🐈 fan or a 🦔 fan, you have to admire their work here today.
* Scoring of this bout might be delayed, we're having to re-calibrate our cuteness meter.
|-
| 🐙 (38553) vs '''🦉 (204094)'''
* Octopus
* '''Owl'''
|
* Someone has to win this match and someone has to lose, but you have to acknowledge the pure sportsmanship of these competitors.
* This staring contest began hours before the match started.
* You obviously like owls.
|-
| 🍍 (25531) vs '''🐝 (28801)'''
* Pineapple
* '''Honeybee'''
|
* 🍍 is dedicating this match to someone very special in their lives.
* Neither of these really go well with a bonnet.
|-
| 🍕 (30696) vs '''🍣 (33247)'''
* Slice of pizza
* '''Sushi'''
|
* We didn't expect 🍕 to show up today, and ... well ... we are just as suprised as you!
* It's come down to this... which one is going to get taken out.
* In Toronto, this isn't even a competition.
|-
| '''🌋 (24884)''' vs 🦑 (20329)
* '''Volcano'''
* Squid
|
* There was never any doubt in my mind that 🌋 would be right here, right now.
*Finally the mastermind has an appropriate lair
|-
| 🌃 (21192) vs '''🚝 (24042)'''
* Night with stars
* '''Monorail'''
|
* I am very excited to see 🌃 still in this competition.
|-
| '''🌌 (25884)''' vs 🛸 (14803)
* '''Milky way'''
* Flying saucer
|
* 🌌 has been a fan favorite all day. Suprising literally no one.
*Will we go to the stars, or will the stars come to us?
|-
| 🏓 (13494) vs '''🔥 (17154)'''
* Table tennis paddle and ball
* '''Fire'''
|
* 🏓 continues to show why they are just the dominant force to be reckoned with today.
* Would you rather be on fire, or on fire?
* Have you ever seen a ping pong paddle on fire? Me neither.
|-
| '''🎻 (26281)''' vs 🥌 (26221)
* '''Violin'''
* Curling stone
|
* 🎻 certainly has its work cut out for it going up agaist 🥌.
*Which do you prefer, classical or house?
|-
| 📚 (16770) vs '''💾 (19628)'''
* Books
* '''Floppy disk'''
|
* 💾 had an interesting previous round. Let's see what they do now.
* One of these is a universal icon for saving data, and the other is a floppy.
* The Persistence of Memory (1931)
|-
| 🏹 (9717) vs '''🧬 (20370)'''
* Bow and arrow
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* We didn't expect 🏹 to show up today, and ... well ... we are just as suprised as you!
* The latest ad targeting technology is pretty scary.
|-
|}

==== Round 6====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 😏 (17357) vs '''🤔 (23903)'''
* Smirking face
* '''Thinking face'''
|
* Look at where you came from 😏. Look at where you started! You would think that this would be enough.
* I know something you don't know.
* How do you know for sure that your votes are doing anything?
|-
| 😈 (11306) vs '''👩‍🔬 (30208)'''
* Smiling face with horns
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
|
* This is a match with a special meaning for 👩‍🔬.
* The scientific method's problem is that the devil's in the details.
|-
| 🧙 (26205) vs '''🦔 (27999)'''
* Mage
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* 🦔 had an interesting previous round. Let's see what they do now.
* Hedge magic is generally more pragmatic than other forms of sorcery.
* The wizard didn't do it
|-
| 🐝 (21941) vs '''🦉 (28070)'''
* Honeybee
* '''Owl'''
|
* 🐝 came to play. It is so obvious.
* Of course we all know about the Owls and the Bees
* The Owlbee is a lesser known, but beloved D&D monster.
* The Owlbee is a lesser known, but beloved D and D monster.
* The Owlbee is a lesser known, but beloved DnD monster.
* Owls well that ends well
|-
| 🍣 (27026) vs '''🌋 (33364)'''
* Sushi
* '''Volcano'''
|
* 🌋 is dedicating this match to someone very special in their lives.
* Cooked or raw?
* Sushi is tasty, but the volcano offers free delivery.
* Click the link at the bottom for a just-updated bracket!
* Sushi has received a technical disqualification for being very very cooked
|-
| '''🌌 (36285)''' vs 🚝 (17405)
* '''Milky way'''
* Monorail
|
* 🌌 continues to show why they are just the dominant force to be reckoned with today.
*~future~
*The red carpet is empty tonight; the sky is full of stars.
*NIGHT TRAIN!
*Spaaaaaaaaace
|-
| 🎻 (26806) vs '''🔥 (32652)'''
* Violin
* '''Fire'''
|
* 🎻 is dedicating this match to someone very special in their lives.
* Either can kill if used indiscriminately.
* And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
* That fiddle-playing is [fire emoji], but that fire emoji is [actual fire].
* That 🎻 is 🔥, but that 🔥 is actual 🔥.
* Click the link below the comic to see the current round of 32! (just updated)
* Click the link at the bottom to see the current round of 32! (just updated)
* That 🎻 is 🔥, but that 🔥 is actual 🔥.
|-
| 💾 (57577) vs '''🧬 (58313)'''
* Floppy disk
* '''DNA double helix'''
|
* Look at where you came from 💾. Look at where you started! You would think that this would be enough.
* Magnets work on both of these, right?
* Fun fact: Your genome could fit on just a few hundred floppy disks.
* This is the final match of the round, determining whether 💾 or 🧬 makes it into the Elite Eight.
* These two have been neck-and-neck through the whole bout.
* The “3d-printed save icon” is pulling ahead in the home stretch!
* This is a close one!
* Fun fact: Your genome could fit on just a few hundred floppy disks.
|-
|}

==== Round 7 - Quarterfinals====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| '''👩‍🔬 (113683)''' vs 🤔 (108653)
* '''Woman + Microscope'''
* Thinking face
|
* Nearly tied at 40,000 votes each!
*Nearly tied at 50,000 votes each!
*👩‍🔬 has the lead, but 🤔 points out it’s not a statistically significant difference.
*🤔 has the lead, but 👩‍🔬 points out it’s not a statistically significant difference.
*🤔 pulls ahead, but reminds everyone that it’s not a statistically significant lead.
*👩‍🔬 pulls ahead, but reminds everyone that it’s not a statistically significant lead.
*Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
*👩‍🔬 is ahead, but reminds everyone that it’s not statistically significant.
*👩‍🔬 appears to be leading, but more studies are needed.
*🤔
|-
| 🦉 (103212) vs '''🦔 (105260)'''
* Owl
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* I've always considered 🦉 to be one of the greats.
* sky cat vs. pointy cat
* This bout will decide which animal emoji advances to the final 4.
* The main difference between these two is the number of potentially flying spines.
* This one's going to be close.
* One might say this was neck and neck if either of these had one.
* 🦔 just barely squeaking in a victory.
|-
| 🌋 (105716) vs '''🌌 (175099)'''
* Volcano
* '''Milky way'''
|
* 🌋 had an interesting previous round. Let's see what they do now.
* Star stuff or regurgitated star stuff?
* This is secretly a referendum on air pollution.
* “Earth” and “Space” have each sent their most exciting representatives
* 🌋 is going to go extinct at this rate.
* This combination led to the cretaceous extinction.
* It’s looking like 🌌 will advance to the final 4.
* Good (starry) Night!
|-
| '''🔥 (178121)''' vs 🧬 (159553)
* '''Fire'''
* DNA double helix
|
* Did you know the melting point of DNA depends on the information it encodes?
*Jurassic Park III (2001)
*🧬 pulled ahead early, but 🔥 has closed the gap.
*🧬 is pulling away!
*Click the link below to see the current bracket!
*🧬 seems eager to move up the ladder.
*Whatever happens, this one will have a twist ending.
*🧬 has pulled ahead in the home stretch!
*🔥 has pulled ahead in the home stretch!
*🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
|-
|}

==== Round 8 - Semifinals====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| 👩‍🔬 (285263) vs '''🦔 (285736)'''
* Woman + Microscope
* '''Hedgehog'''
|
* 👩‍🔬 defeated [purple devil face] and [sparkling heart] to get here.
* 👩‍🔬 defeated the wizard and then beat out the rest of the animal quadrant.
* 🦔 defeated the wizard and then beat out the rest of the animal quadrant.
* With over a quarter of a million votes, this one is coming down to the wire.
* In the final minutes, 🦔 is opening up the first real lead of the bout!
* 🦔 fans had better keep clicking!
* 👩‍🔬 is ahead but 🦔 is closing the gap!
* It’s virtually tied going into the final minute! Keep clicking!
* 🦔 pulls ahead!
* Science!
|-
| '''🌌 (281040)''' vs 🔥 (155282)
* '''Milky way'''
* Fire
|
* Without oxygen, there’s no 🔥.
*Space fire fact: If we detect fire on exoplanets, it may indicate life. Oxygen is volatile and shouldn’t persist in an atmosphere without something replenishing it.
*Space fire fact: If we detect fire on exoplanets, it may indicate life. Oxygen is volatile and shouldn’t persist in an atmosphere without replenishment.
*Just how much fire is there in a star, anyway?
*The winner of this match will go on to face hedgehog in the finals.
*The galaxy is running away with this one.
*Click the link below for the bracket! (Change the 32 to 128 for a larger one.)
*Space is running away so fast with this one we're seeing red shift.
*Spaaaaaaaaaaaaace
*Space ran away with that one so fast it redshifted.
|-
|}

==== Round 9 - Final====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Competitors and score !! Commentary
|-
| '''🌌 (710129)''' vs 🦔 (682919)
* '''Milky way'''
* Hedgehog
|
* 🦔 is in the lead!
*🌌 has pulled ahead again!
*🦔 is slowly trying to close the gap that 🌌 managed to open.
*🦔 is catching up!
*🦔 is in the lead, 🌌 hot on its tail.
*🌌 beginning to expand its lead again.
*Over a million votes have been cast!
*🌌 in the lead, but 🦔 isn't out of this yet.
*This is it folks, the final moments...
*🌌 takes it!
|-
|}

===Error image transcript===
:[This is the image that appears when JavaScript fails or other errors occur. This is what embeds and automated programs usually see, as they load down dynamic comics. The transcript for this image is below the image:]
:[[File:2131_Emojidome_Error_image.png]]
:[A tournament bracket tree is shown with eight participants each on the left and right side, for a total of sixteen, all of which are the 😰 emoji ("Face With Open Mouth and Cold Sweat"). From both sides towards the middle the brackets reduce to eight, then four, two, and one line where the latter join to a rectangle in the middle. Below is an explanation of why this is seen instead of the correct comic. It is due to an error with JavaScript. This is also why the sad emoji is used in all sweet sixteen places.]

:Visit xkcd.com to participate

:If you ''are'' on xkcd.com, then you're seeing this
:because of something something JavaScript.

:Listen, websites are hard 😰

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:April fools' comics]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Emoji]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Tournament bracket]]

2126: Google Trends Maps

2021-03-30T17:50:45Z

DPS2004: missing close parenthesis

{{comic
| number = 2126
| date = March 20, 2019
| title = Google Trends Maps
| image = google_trends_maps.png
| titletext = It's early 2020. The entire country is gripped with Marco Rubio fever except for Alaska, which is freaking out. You're frantically studying up on etiquette and/or sexting.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Google Trends}} is a website for visualizing {{w|Google}} search activity by date and region. Used properly, it can give a picture of what topics people are interested in (as evidenced by what they search for) at particular times and in different places. Used improperly, it can simply [[1845:_State Word Map|amplify random noise]].

[[Randall]] has created several Google Trends maps of search activity in the US. Each map colors in states according to which of two (or more) search queries was more popular. As noted at the top of the comic, all of these based on real queries (though not reflecting the same time period across all maps). However, none of them seem to show any especially ''useful'' comparisons. States in gray did not return enough data for Google Trends to consider it significant.

* '''"Frostbite" vs "heat stroke":''' This is probably the most sensible comparison of the lot, showing which of these two risks of exposure people search up more often. However, the results are fairly obvious: in the colder northern and eastern states, "{{w|frostbite}}" is the more common search, while across the south and west, it's "{{w|heat stroke}}". In the map, a tiny part of North Carolina (specifically on the Outer Banks) is miscolored red compared to the rest of the state being blue.

* '''"Best church" vs "best strip club":''' This map would seem to indicate people in Nevada (and only in Nevada) are more interested in strip clubs than religion. This may have something to do with the fact that Las Vegas is in Nevada.

* '''"Bigfoot" vs "Mike Pence":''' Apparently, everywhere except for Indiana, people in the US are more interested in a mythical hairy creature than in the current (at the time of this comic's release) Vice President of the United States. Since Mike Pence was once the governor of Indiana, this makes more sense if the time period covered precedes his nomination as Trump's running mate.

* '''"Etiquette" vs "sexting":''' Similar to the church/strip club example, this map contrasts search interest in polite behavior (etiquette) against risqué behavior ({{w|sexting}}).

* '''"Little dog" vs "big cat":''' The Trend map contrasts two searches for unidentified and briefly glimpsed wildlife that often snatch household pets left outside. The smallest canid in the wilds of America is the coyote, ''Canis latrans'', which are often smaller than the American wild dog, ''Canis lupus''. They are known for being scavenger/hunters and for the ululating "songs" their packs break into in the middle of the night. By contrast, "big cat" is a term for the largest members of the cat family (''Felidae''). Except for the jaguar, which is a roaring cat of the ''Panthera'' genus that inhabits Mexico and sometimes Arizona, the largest wild cat in North America is the mountain lion, ''Puma concolor''. It is also known as cougar, puma, catamount, ghost cat, over seventy other regional names, and the misnomer panther. (The cougar is ironically of the Felinae subfamily, all of which purr, and not Pantherinae, which roar. Black panthers in Africa are black-coated leopards, while black panthers in the Americas are black-coated jaguars, and both are Pantherinae. No black-coated pumas have been verified, leading zoologists to believe such sightings are misidentified.) "Little Dog" is also a Canadian television series, set in Newfoundland, which explains the larger number of searches for Little Dog in Maine, the state closest to Newfoundland. Interestingly, there mainly seems to be an inverse relationship between the range of coyotes and cougars and the respective searches.

* '''"Shark attack" vs "childbirth":''' While both of these things might be considered risky, there is not much of a relationship between them. As might be expected, the "shark attack" search is more common in most coastal states (and, for some reason, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Nevada, despite being landlocked).

* '''"Snakes" vs "ants" vs "bees" vs "alligators":''' These are all dangerous animals that cause occasional human fatalities (mainly from allergic reactions for ants and bees). There is no noticeable pattern in which animal is searched most often, though only Florida has alligators as the most common search of the four. Florida presumably has Alligators as the most searched item on this list as it is where the Everglades are located, a vast area of swamp and marsh that, aside from maintaining the ecosystem and the water supply of Florida, also is home to an obscene number of alligators.

* '''"Retirement planning" vs "bungee jumping":''' The implication here is that people in some states are more concerned with short-term fun rather than long-term planning. The contrast is more striking since {{w|bungee jumping}} is a potentially dangerous activity and people practising it might be seen as likely to die young enough not to need a retirement plan. However, bungee jumping is actually a quite safe activity due to most operators following rigorous safety procedures.

* '''"Super Bowl" vs "funeral home":''' This is an attempt to contrast interest in a popular sports (and media) event against a rather somber topic.

* '''"Resume tips" vs "skateboard tricks":''' Another comparison between learning a "serious", goal-oriented skill (career advancement) and a "silly", fun skill (skateboarding). It is also an imperfect rhyme. Interestingly, of the states with enough data for a result, only Arizona had more hits for "skateboard tricks".

* '''"Donald Trump" vs "What do I do":''' The implication here seems to be that people in some states are more likely to ask Google "what do I do?", either in panic or in ignorance, than they are to look up the latest doings of the US President. The split shown is not too different from the actual split between states voting for {{w|Donald Trump}} and for his opponent, {{w|Hillary Clinton}}.

* '''"Existential crisis" vs "Marco Rubio":''' Senator {{w|Marco Rubio}} was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. Everywhere but Alaska, people were more likely to look up his name than to search for "existential crisis". This may be due to {{w|Cabin Fever}}, which is common in Alaska due to the long, dark winters and frequent isolation.

The title text uses two of these maps to paint a picture of the year 2020 (implying that these search patterns are both meaningful and likely to continue into the future). In this scenario, most of the country continues to read about Marco Rubio (except for Alaskans, still searching for help with their existential crises), and individuals are trying to learn about etiquette, sexting, or both, depending on their location.

==Transcript==
:The least informative
:'''Google Trends Maps'''
:I've created over the years

:(All are real but not all cover the same date range)

:[12 maps of the United States are shown with the states colored. There are labels for the colors.]

:[Map 1]
:[Blue:] Frostbite
:[Red:] Heat stroke
:[Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington are red. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 2]
:[Blue:] Best church
:[Red:] Best strip club
:[Nevada is red. Alaska, North Dakota, and Wyoming are gray. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 3]
:[Blue:] Bigfoot
:[Red:] Mike Pence
:[Indiana is red. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 4]
:[Blue:] Etiquette
:[Red:] Sexting
:[Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia are red. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 5]
:[Blue:] Little dog
:[Red:] Big cat
:[Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming are blue. All other states are red.]

:[Map 6]
:[Blue:] Shark attack
:[Red:] Childbirth
:[California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia are blue. All other states are red.]

:[Map 7]
:[Blue:] Snakes
:[Red:] Ants
:[Yellow:] Bees
:[Green:] Alligators
:[Florida is green. Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are red. Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming are yellow. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 8]
:[Blue:] Retirement planning
:[Red:] Bungee jumping
:[Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are gray. Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin are blue. All other states are red.]

:[Map 9]
:[Blue:] Super Bowl
:[Red:] Funeral home
:[Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington are blue. All other states are red.]

:[Map 10]
:[Blue:] Resume tips
:[Red:] Skateboard tricks
:[Arizona is red. Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are gray. All other states are blue.]

:[Map 11]
:[Blue:] Donald Trump
:[Red:] What do I do
:[California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin are blue. All other states are red.]

:[Map 12]
:[Blue:] Existential crisis
:[Red:] Marco Rubio
:[Alaska is blue. All other states are red.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Bees]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Donald Trump]]

1395: Power Cord

2020-03-11T13:52:44Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ fix tvtropes link

{{comic
| number = 1395
| date = July 16, 2014
| title = Power Cord
| image = power_cord.png
| titletext = In this situation, gzip /dev/inside to deflate, then pipe the compressed air to /dev/input to clean your keyboard. Avert your eyes when you do.
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic, we see [[Beret Guy]] walking in from the left, as [[Cueball]] is sitting on a couch, typing on a {{w|laptop}} on his {{w|lap}}, with its {{w|power cord}} unplugged. Instead of connecting it to the {{w|wall socket}}, Beret Guy picks it up and blows air into the loose end of the cord, as if inflating a balloon — and the laptop inflates. It then floats away, making Cueball grab for it as Beret Guy casually walks away. (See an instance where Cueball inflates something in a similar unexpected way in [[1798: Box Plot]]).

While it is not possible to inflate a laptop like this{{Citation needed}}, nor to inflate ''anything'' by blowing down a power cord, Beret Guy has previously demonstrated several [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|supernatural abilities]], for instance with power cords, such as in [[1293: Job Interview]]. In theory, human breath should not be buoyant enough to lift anything in an atmosphere of ordinary air. Because humans are warm-blooded, human breath is slightly warmer than the surrounding air, and therefore has slightly fewer molecules per unit volume. However, because human breath has much higher levels of carbon dioxide (MW=44) than ordinary air (average MW=29), and somewhat lower levels of diatomic oxygen (MW=32), human breath has a higher average weight per molecule. (This is also true of hot air balloons, but they operate at much higher temperatures than human breath and are therefore able to obtain a slight amount of net buoyancy.) There is a standard cartoon convention that {{tvtropes|AllBalloonsHaveHelium| inflating something with breath}} nonetheless makes it lighter than air. Also, given Beret Guy's many manifestations of inexplicable phenomena, it is not too far fetched to believe his body is, in fact, expelling some form of lighter-than-air gas, similar to the character Rigel on Farscape who could "fart helium".

The title text involves some jokes on {{w|Unix}} systems. On Unix, {{w|everything is a file}}; even most of the hardware can be referenced by a (virtual) file. These virtual files usually are in /dev or another virtual filesystem like /sys or /proc. While /dev/input really exists and points to the input system (mice, keyboards, gamepads, etc.), /dev/inside doesn't. {{w|gzip}} is a common tool to compress files. The first joke is to compress the air inside the laptop (with the command <code>gzip /dev/inside</code>) in order to deflate the laptop back to normal size. It is a pun with the literal meaning of "deflate", which is also the {{w|DEFLATE}} algorithm used by gzip (compressing files is also called "deflating"). Another joke is "{{w|Pipeline (Unix)|piping}}", the act of using the output of one operation as the input to another. As the output of the gzip command would be compressed air, a ''physical'' pipe could be used to direct the air somewhere useful. The output of a command can also be redirected to a file. Since the hardware is a file, the suggestion is to direct the air to /dev/input (which, in this case, means the keyboard) to clean it, similar to "compressed air" dusting cans. The complete command would be <code>gzip /dev/inside > /dev/input</code>. As this might cause a spray of unpleasant detritus (compare [[237: Keyboards are Disgusting]]), the reader is advised to avert their eyes.

==Transcript==
:[Beret Guy enters to find Cueball on a chair typing on a laptop. Cueball's power cord is unplugged from the wall.]
:Cueball typing: Type type

:[Beret Guy picks up the power cord. Cueball continues typing.]
:Cueball typing: Type type

:[Beret Guy blows into the plug end of the cord. The laptop abruptly inflates and Cueball jerks back.]
:Beret Guy: '''PBBBBT'''
:Laptop: '''FOOMP'''

:[Beret Guy walks away, leaving Cueball climbing up his chair to retrieve his inflated laptop which is now floating away.]

{{comic discussion}}

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

1350: Lorenz

2020-03-10T12:25:35Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ fixed grammar

__NOTOC__
{{comic
| number = 1350
| date = April 1, 2014
| title = Lorenz
| image = lorenz - alternative options.png
| titletext = Every choice, no matter how small, begins a new story
}}
<div class="toclimit-3">{{TOC}}</div>
*'''NOTE: The above is the first panel of an interactive comic.'''
**To actually experience the interactive content you need to go to this comic on xkcd (click on the date above the comic, which, as always, takes you to the xkcd comic)
**For a collection of images that appear in this comic, see [[1350: Lorenz/Images]].
***These will also be described below under [[#Themes|themes]].
**Also note that the order of the options are random.
***By adding that there is a [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/3d/lorenz.png fifth option]
****''Let's see if BSD is any easier to install nowadays.''
***Where only four can be shown - this means there are 5*4*3*2 = '''120 different permutations''' of the way the options can be arranged only in this first image.
**So the above image will only appear with these four options in this order in less than 1% of the cases!
***Of course when you choose an option it is indifferent what the order of the other options was.

==Explanation==
This was the fifth [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] released by [[Randall]]. The previous fools comic was
[[1193: Externalities]] from Monday April 1st 2013. The next was [[1506: xkcloud]] released on Wednesday April 1st 2015. This comics was posted a day earlier than normal (on Tuesday instead of Wednesday) to honor {{w|April Fools' Day}} of 2014.

It is an interactive and dynamic comic with the first picture shown on top of this page, with a possible combination of text options to choose from (see above). The picture is always the same but the order of the four sentences is chosen randomly (and there can be more than four). The result of all the interactions by the readers led to the generation of {{w|Crowdsourcing|crowd-sourced content}}.

The title 'Lorenz' is referring to {{w|Edward Norton Lorenz}} who, among other subjects, was famous for {{w|Chaos theory}} and the {{w|Butterfly effect}} (mentioned later in the title text of [[1519: Venus]]). This comic is an example of a {{w|Choose Your Own Adventure}} story as mentioned in the title text.

The title text is also a reference to how the story line of this comic will be chaotic by nature, since it includes all of the user submitted dialogue and updates over time based on statistics of user clicks. In this manner, it is a reference to the butterfly effect, a phrase coined by Edward Lorenz to describe how a small initial change can lead to wide variations in outcome in a chaotic system.

Every time a story comes to a point where the user can either choose something or contribute when asked to ''Suggest a line'' then a link will appear by hovering the mouse over the bottom right corner of the last image. This is named a ''{{w|permalink}}'' as it is a link that will recreate this particular story up to the point, making it permanent. It will not save the options listed below that image (i.e. the order of these will change, new options may appear, either because more than four is already present or new will be added and some options may even disappear). An option is thus only saved by choosing it and then saving the next permalink - see [[#Permalink|more below]].

The best way to enjoy this comic is to {{xkcd|1350|try it yourself!}} If you didn't do that already, '''reading any below''' will spoil you from truly enjoying the comic, and maybe make some interesting discoveries yourself! So here is a '''spoiler alert''' if you read on. If you do then see also the section below about [[#Functionality and bugs|Functionality and bugs]].

Any particular story-line will typically only have one or two of the many [[#Themes|themes]] possible in the comic, but some very long stories may have several, see the [[#Record length|Record section]] below. Several of the themes refer to previous comics or generally recurring themes in xkcd. Most obviously is the [[#Blowtorch|blowtorch theme]] which is a direct reference to the previous comic [[1349: Shouldn't Be Hard]] where the last comment is ''I'll find a blowtorch'' as a response to Cueball's frustration over his problems.

Because it is not always ending "as well" as with a burnt PC, they might instead end up in a shark infested ocean - see the [[#Ocean|Ocean theme]], which is a direct reference to [[349: Success]], a comic that came exactly 1000 comics before the other one referenced in the same computer problem theme. In that comic the sharks had not appeared yet, but here there may be several, and sharks is also a [[:Category:Sharks|recurring topic]] in xkcd.

These issues with computers is generally a reference to the [[#Computer problems|computer problems themes]] that precedes both the burning of the laptop and the ocean story-lines, because [[#Knit Cap Girl|Knit Cap Girl]], the new character from the first image, tries to install [[:Category:BSD|BSD]], and then when it fails she takes her friend [[Hairy]] with her in the fall, in the water, into space or into a Pokémon fight etc. as they are the two main character of this comic. Also [[Cueball]] (as a politician vs. another politician with hair) and [[White Hat]] has small appearances, but only in a small sections of particular story-line. Only few others interact directly with the main characters in the rest of the possible stories.

Other themes that are recurring in xkcd is [[:Category:Politics|Politics]], [[:Category:Pokémon|Pokémon]], [[:Category:Boomerangs|Boomerangs]] and [[:Category:Dinosaurs|Dinosaurs]]. Dinosaurs enter the comic in the form of the green talking T-rex from {{w|Dinosaur Comics}}, a clip-art-based webcomic that uses the same artwork with different captions for every strip. This particular [http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=2420 ''Dinosaur Comics''] has a title text that actually refer to [[Randall]] and xkcd, and the comic has previously appeared on xkcd in [[145: Parody Week: Dinosaur Comics]].

A way to combine more than one story line is to let characters wake up from a dream or a nightmare, as can be see in the [[#Dreams|Dreams theme]], and dreams is also a [[:Category:Dreams|recurring topic]]. Here it can even get recursive so there can be dreams within dreams. One of the way to wake from a dream is of course by encountering a dinosaur that tries to step on your house (with you inside), but another is in reference to the possible rocket trip that may take the characters into space. See the [[#Space|Space theme]] another [[:Category:Space|recurring topic]].

There are a few other topics that are covered by Randall himself, but many others will be referenced in the text in the comic. However, since most of the options the users have is created by user input, including naming the characters different names, then any reference made by the text, is not considered part of Randall's work, and will only sporadically be mentioned below under the [[#Themes|themes section]], and not be included as a category.

Here is an example with a [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:d8856ae6-bafb-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd permalink] where the last comment, in the ocean with a shark, references {{w|Malaysia Airlines Flight 370}} that disappeared less than a month before this comic was released and has still to been found two years later. But this is a user input, and not Randall's.

Some of the idea of this comic was used again in the next year's April Fools' comic [[1506: xkcloud]], where user input also generated a very complex comic and the concept of permalink was used again.

==Transcript==
:[This transcript only transcribes what can be seen in the picture shown at the top of the explanation here.]

:[The comic starts with two panels. In the top panel we see Knit Cap Girl sitting at a desk in front of her laptop typing. There is a speech line up to a gray but empty speech bubble.]
:[The second panel below has the same gray background as the empty speech bubble above. Here is presented four options to what Knit Cap Girl could be saying. They are marked a, b, c and d written in small white rectangles next to the text. There is a small arrow at the top pointing to the first panel:]

:a Hurry! We're in talks with Facebook.
:b These stupid tiles... I'll just play one more game.
:c Refresh... No new email... Refresh... No new tweets... Refresh...
:d Oh. Hey. There's some kind of political thing going on.

:[Once the reader chooses one of the options the text will appear in the speech bubble where the gray area is replaced with the usual white background. The lower gray panel disappears. Now the comic really begins.]
:[A new panel is shown after the selection, again with one to four options to choose from in the new gray panel below. This will continue until it comes to an end where the reader finally only has the choice to suggest the next line.]

:[The order of the up to four options are random, and changes every time you begin again (or even go back to a previous frame). This means that the a-d in the transcript is not the same next time. In some few panels there are even more than four options. To see the fifth you have to reload, then you may find this fifth option next time. The first panel is one of those with five options.]
:[The fifth not shown above is: '''Let's see if BSD is any easier to install nowadays.''', see image with this option in the [[#Trivia|trivia section]].]

:[In the first days of the comic when it developed quickly, new options appeared only to later disappear. '''Gravity. Lots of it.''' is one of those lost options from the first panel. At one time there was also by mistake two versions of one of the other five mentioned above. But this was later deleted. Below in the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] there are permalinks to all the different starting options, including the now lost gravity story.]

:[Although it may be impossible to finish? ... it has been tried to make a complete '''[[1350: Lorenz/Transcript|interactive transcript]]'''.]

==Functionality and bugs==
The reader is initially presented with only one panel where [[#Knit Cap Girl|Knit Cap Girl]] is sitting in front of her computer. The reader is given multiple choices concerning what exactly Knit Cap Girl is thinking. Upon choosing any option - the chosen text will appear where her gray speech bubble was (and this will then disappear), and then a second panel appears to the right, to give continuity to the story. Each new panel may have a new set of options or just the button "Continue" to see the next panel without making any choice in particular. Eventually, one may reach a dead end in which the story is interrupted and reader is presented with a text box to suggest how it should continue. Some of the suggestions given should eventually become available as new options.

===Knit Cap Girl===
Knit Cap Girl is a completely new character wearing a {{w|knit cap}}. It was at first debated if this was a girl or a boy, but since Knit Cap Girl seems to be together with [[Hairy]] that was reason enough to call her a girl. She has some similarities to [[Megan]] with a Knit Cap but since Megan never before has been shown with a knit cap or been together as a pair with Hairy it would be strange if this should represent Megan. (Hairy has some bad reputation in trying to fool girls to fall for him. Perhaps he has finally found out how to be with a woman; although they seem to fight in this comic some times.)

;Other comics with knit caps:
*'''Before this comic:'''
**A guy with a knit cap can be seen in [[1037: Umwelt]] in the [[1037#Aurora|aurora story line]].
**A [http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/1n5w.png guy with knit cap] can be seen on a boat in [[1110: Click and Drag]].
**A guy looking very similar to Knit Cap Girl, even starting in the same position in front of a laptop, can be seen in [[1112: Think Logically]].
***He is described as ''guy in a knit hat'' in the [http://xkcd.com/1112/info.0.json official transcript].
**Randall's wife is depicted with a knit cap in [[1141: Two Years]], one she uses due to chemotherapy treatments causing her to lose her hair.
***Since it is clear that Knit Cap Girl has hair, she does not wear the cap for that reason.
***It is described as ''...the woman (who is wearing a '''knit cap''')...'' in the [http://xkcd.com/1141/info.0.json official transcript].
****In the Lorenz comic the knit cap is not mentioned in the [http://xkcd.com/1350/info.0.json official transcript], but it is also mainly describing the functionality of the comic.
**Two guys wear knit caps in [[1321: Cold]].
***They are called winter hats in the [http://xkcd.com/1321/info.0.json official transcript].
*'''After this comic:'''
**One of the user pictures for the April fools' comic the year after, [[1506: xkcloud]], also [[1506: xkcloud/Transcript#User pictures|looked like]] Knit Cap Girl.
**Another user picture with a person wearing a knit cap can be seen in [[1689: My Friend Catherine]]
**At the top of the huge chart in [[1732: Earth Temperature Timeline]] a guy with a white knit cap similar to the one in [[1321: Cold]] is freezing.
**What appears to be a guy in a knit cap is out watching birds with Cueball in [[1826: Birdwatching]].
**The "You" option in [[2198: Throw]], which can be both thrower and thrown has a knit cap. It can also be customized and in the new window coming up, the knit cap You is also shown. At first glance it may look like a man, but given the look of Knit Cap Girl, it could also represent a woman, which may be the idea, since it should represent the reader.
**The character at the top of the mountain in [[2199: Cryptic Wifi Networks]] has a knit cap. That was two comics in a row.

;Other names for knit caps
*{{w|Beanie (seamed cap)|Beanie}}.
**The knit caps that appeared in [[1190: Time]] are traditionally referred to as "beanies"; by extension, the people wearing them are known as "Beanies" (and their language as "Beanish").
*{{w|Toque}}.
*{{w|Knit_cap#Canadian_tuque|Tuque}}.
*{{w|Skullcap}} or skully.
*Obviously knit cap is the name that fits best with the three different official transcripts versions mentioned above.

===Number of options===
Normally, there is a total of 4 options to make: a/b/c/d. Their order changes constantly. Sometimes, there are 3 or fewer options, with the text box to suggest an alternative option. Sometimes, a given panel actually has 5 or more available options, although even in this case only 4 options appear at a time. Refreshing the comic changes randomly which of the available options are visible and which are hidden. As of late April 2014, the existence of 5 options seems to occur only in a few rare cases, including the first panel itself. There are no longer any panels that seem to have six options.

===Easy navigation===
Instead of clicking with the mouse you can move more quickly through the panels using the keyboard:
*Up/Down - navigate options
*Enter/Right/Spacebar - choose option after navigating with Up/Down
*Left - go back one panel
*a/b/c/d - choose any option directly

===New panels===
It appeared that new panels were generated by Randall in near real time as user suggestions to dialog were submitted around the release of the comic.

This text can (now) be found under the [http://xkcd.com/1350/info.0.json official transcript] at xkcd:
This April Fools' Day comic has a dynamic panel structure along the lines of a choose-your-own-adventure format - the viewer is presented with up to 4 options for each bit of dialogue, with each choice opening up a new subtree of potential options for the next bit of dialog, and new panel images are chosen semi-randomly based on a graph of potential panel transitions. Readers were also invited to submit dialog options for trees where there were not yet 4 fixed options, thus growing the potential story space. As such there is no fixed transcript for this comic.

The dialog options could be based on click-through rates and hence will change over time based on which choices are clicked most using {{w|A/B testing|A/B measurement techniques}}. This will mean that the most popular choices for dialog lines will prevail as the statistics build up. In some cases, dialog line options do not depend on the continuity of the storyline followed, suggesting that some parts of the story are planned. For example, several of the story lines involve one of the two main characters waking up and for instance telling the other character, "I had the strangest dream…" or even reliving the dream. This may be due to common submissions across story lines. Of course there is the other option that Randall has used the first week of April to look though some input and choose himself. These possibilities are not mutually exclusive. Some of the options that were there very early were in quite poor English. Later the same idea was still there but in a more refined sentence. However, after the first week or two, no new panels seemed to appear, which suggests that some were drawn to match the story's progression.

===Permalink===
A "{{w|permalink}}" is a portmanteau, of "permanent-link". Each panel has a "permalink" button which generates a unique URL for all the choices made by the reader — so a reader can save the chosen choices to compare them to other ways going through the selections. The permalink do only save the chosen options, not the order or the visible options in the image where the permalink is recorded. So it is not possible to save a copy where the options are in the same order as they are in the 1/120 version shown at the top. Also if you go back in the story from a permalink, you can risk, when passing back through a panel with five options, that the option you just got back from, is no longer available, as it is the option randomly not shown this time.

===Suggest a line===
Some times it is possible to add your own suggestions in a panel where there are still other choices. But if not before, then the story will always reach a "final" panel (dead-end) where the reader only has the option left to "suggest a line..." By doing so and pressing enter this text is then shown in the speech bubble. But these suggestions can't be saved as there are no permalink button after this. The reader has to do a screen shot by himself - if he wishes to save his own witty remark. As a few weeks had progressed there were probably so few new suggestions that Randall stopped changing the comic. A few images have been found month (or even more than a year) after the release, but there has been no reason to believe that Randall continued to make new panels after the first few weeks of April. But maybe he returns and do one once in a while. For certain the options and text continue to evolve.

===Bugs===
Since this interactive comic relies on many servers in the background to provide the response to the reader's actions, there are some problems reported here:
*{{w|HTTP cookie|Cookies}} and {{w|Javascript}} are required to see this page properly. Without cookies, the next panel will not render; attempting to load the page in the UNIXKCD terminal or loading the page without Javascript will just get you the [[1349|previous comic]].
*In the first week after the comic was released, if a response led to a panel where two characters speak at the same time, it was impossible to proceed past the first speech bubble. This was subsequently fixed.
As a consequence of these bugs many readers had trouble understanding how this interactive comic worked.

==Themes==
{{Notice|Preferably there should be [[#Permalink|permalink]] that shows all the possible images below. But sadly this is not the case, as many images are no longer accessible by "playing" the comic game. Only if someone saved a permalink in the beginning of the comics "life" will it be possible to see examples of all images in a story line. If you do have some of these old permalinks saved, please fill in for any missing images here below. There are also notices in the relevant sections, which have no all been streamlined so they are build up in the same way and with as many permalink as are available at the moment.}}
*The 17 themes below have been split up after what type of images appear in the comic.
**At present (April 2016) there are 149 different images, which are all described here below.
**To see all images go to [[1350: Lorenz/Images]].
*Below several images have been used in more than one theme, and there will thus be more than 149 images displayed in the tables below.
**To avoid this section becomes extremely long all the tables under each section has been collapsed, and can be opened by clicking the link [show].
*Permalinks has been provided (where possible) to story-lines that includes all the images shown in a given section.
**As the story may continue to evolve there may eventually be added more images, although there is reason to believe that this will no longer happen.
**But if any are discovered please include them in the table below with a permalink.
*In general only little mention will be of the user contributed text.
**But if a story seems to evolve around the choices this may be mentioned.
**Try only to make reference to anything that can be backed up with a permalink.

===The beginning===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! The beginning [[Image:lorenz - computer.png]]
|
*This is the opening image shown at the top of the explanation.
*Knit Cap Girl sits at her laptop saying something either to herself or maybe to Hairy.
*You choose what she says from four options written below the panel and thus starts this interactive and dynamic comic.
**Originally on April the 1st there where only four choices, but this quickly increased to six, but eventually ended up on five options.
**But you always only have four options to choose from when you begin.
**By reloading the page you will eventually get the fifth also.
*There are only three different images that can follow this first image see below:
|-
! Possible follow up images [[Image:lorenz_-_laptop_1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - visit.png]] [[Image:lorenz - debate laptop.png]]
|
*These images are the only three that can follow after the first image:
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:9b96fda0-bb48-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd Knit Cap Girls with question marks].
**[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd Hairy walks in].
**[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd Live debate].
|}

===Computer problems===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Computer problems [[Image:lorenz - laptop 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 6.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl's laptop has an unspecified problem.
*Hairy walks in and they attempt to fix it by connecting his laptop with hers.
*It doesn't work so now Knit Cap Girl tries to write something on Hairy's laptop from a paper (a manual?) she holds in her hand.
**See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with all the images shown in this section, including the blow torch option mentioned below).
*There are two outcomes possible:
**When Knit Cap Girls manual fails the story continues with the blowtorch scene, see [[#Blowtorch|below]].
**Knit Cap Girls fails so badly that they both end up randomly floating in the ocean (with or without circling sharks - a reference to [[349: Success]]), see [[#Ocean|below]].
|}

===Blowtorch===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Manual failing [[image:lorenz - laptop 6.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl tries to write something on Hairy's laptop from a note (manual?) she has in her hand while Hairy watches.
*In this story line it just doesn't work and Knit Cap Girl takes revenge on her laptop:
**This image is the last in the [[#Computer problems|computer problem theme]] above and can also lead to the [[#Ocean|Ocean scene]] below.
|-
! Blowtorch [[Image:lorenz - laptop 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 9.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 10.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 11.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl becomes so upset with her laptop that she decides to melt it using a blowtorch
**A clear reference to the comic from the day before this one: [[1349: Shouldn't Be Hard]].
*After this they walk out of the building.
**See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with all images shown here, the one also used above for the [[#Computer problems|Computer problems]].
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bd44a816-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where the burning first takes place after a dream after a rocket launch.
|}

===Ocean===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Wrong move [[image:lorenz - laptop 6.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl tries to write something on Hairy's laptop from a note (manual?) she has in her hand while Hairy watches.
*In this story line it goes really wrong and the Ocean scene appears right after this:
**This image is the last in the [[#Computer problems|computer problem theme]] above and can also lead to the [[#Blowtorch|Blowtorch scene]] above.
*Usually they get to this point directly from the starting point, but the story can also return here after a dream.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:3df213b4-ba4f-11e3-8037-002590d77bdd example].
|-
! Sharks [[image:lorenz - shark zero.png]] [[image:lorenz - shark one.png]] [[image:lorenz - sharks.png]] [[image:lorenz - squids.png]] [[image:lorenz - blood.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl and Hairy are floating in the ocean, with or without sharks.
**A clear reference to [[349: Success]].
*{{w|Sharks}} have also been the subject of [[:Category:Sharks|several other comics]].
**Three giant squids appear and a lone shark seems disturbed.
**Maybe the squids killed the sharks leaving the blood in the last of these images?
*Here are three examples than together uses all the images shown in this section
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:9b96fda0-bb48-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd Zero and one shark]
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:9b6e3082-bb48-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd Three sharks]
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:310127b6-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd Squids and blood].
|-
! Beach [[image:lorenz - hairy swims away.png]] [[image:lorenz - beach.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl and Hairy starts to swim out of the shark free ocean.
*Finally reaches a beach - see [[349: Success]] again.
**Here is an [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:30f53d98-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where they reach the beach and walk on.
|}

===Political debate===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Let's go live [[image:lorenz - debate laptop.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl uses her laptop to watch a debate online.
**The images that follows are what she sees on her screen.
*Usually they get to this point directly from the starting point, but the story can also return here after a dream.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:31c6e414-bab0-11e3-8029-002590d77bdd example] where they even leave the laptop afterwards.
|-
! The debate [[image:lorenz - debate 1.png]] [[image:lorenz - debate 2.png]] [[image:lorenz - debate 5.png]] [[image:lorenz - debate 4.png]] [[image:lorenz - debate 3.png]]
|
*An online debate between two politicians, one with hair to the left and [[Cueball]] to the right is shown on Knit Cap Girls laptop screen.
**The subject and the actual conversation of which varies according to the storyline. But it always begins with the hairy politician speaking and then Cueball replying.
**This may be the end of the conversation but sometimes there is a picture where both politician speaks in the same image
**There may even be two (more?) images in a row where both politician speak in the same image
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:f6b4b374-bd25-11e3-802c-002590d77bdd example].
*Eventually one of two things can happen:
**They fight each other, Cueball using a {{w|lightsaber}} (or something that looks like a {{w|Magic sword|holy sword}}) with the hairy politician using his bare fists
***A clear reference to {{w|Star Wars}} which has been [[:Category:Star Wars|referenced often]] in xkcd.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ba7794b6-bafb-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**The hairy politician is going down on one knee - either to pray or as in a suggestion to ask the other to marry him...
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**All images used in this section are shown in the above examples.
*Subjects debated is most likely user suggestions and so any references made is not from Randall even though they have been used in xkcd before.
**Here below are some of the subject already up on April the 1st:
**The hairy politician accuses Cueball of having never liked {{w|Firefly}} see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bf86fba8-baed-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example]).
**The hairy politician vows to end the "war on Christmas" if elected (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example]).
**The hairy politician praises his adversary and supports his economic plan (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ba7794b6-bafb-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example]).
**The hairy politician questions Cueball's project of tying multiple birds to a car as fuel replacement, which would require some method to make the birds take off in unison.
***This is a reference to {{w|Monty Python and the Holy Grail}} where two swallows tied together to a coconut with a string try to lift it.
***The solutions mentioned for this topic are given here as an example:
***Opening and closing an umbrella near them (a reference to {{W|Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade}}). (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:df6d1952-bc0f-11e3-8037-002590d77bdd this example]).
***Using a predatory bird to the car to scare them (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ef2c870e-baea-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd this example]).
***Putting resources in the hands of bird educators for the purpose of training them (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bfaccbe4-ba98-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd this example]).
***Employing {{w|Alan_Seabaugh#Fiscal_Hawk|fiscal hawks}}. (see [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4996daf6-baf4-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example]).
**If the hairy politician points out some problem with the reasoning, often the solution proposed by Cueball would be doing the same in a larger scale or saying he completely agrees with everything the other says... (see some of the above examples).
|-
! After the debate [[image:lorenz - visit.png]] [[image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]]
|
*In the end either:
**Hairy walks in to Knit Cap Girl and points out something happening near which may or may not involve birds (or whatever was the subject).
***This could be a direct result of Cueball's project. But all this is most likely based on user input!
***See [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4996daf6-baf4-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example].
**Knit Cap Girl wakes up as it turns out it was just a bad dream (see [[#Dreams|Dreams]] below).
***See [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example].
*Both of these last two images have also been used in other story lines.
|}

===Dinosaur===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Dinosaur Comics [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 3.png]]
|
*The green T-rex from {{w|Dinosaur Comics}}, (a clip-art-based webcomic that uses the same artwork with different captions for every strip), interrupts the story and proceeds to talk about his tiny arms or other subjects.
**The first three pictures are taken directly from the webcomic, except that the third picture is larger in the real comic
***See this particular [http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=2420 ''Dinosaur Comics''] where the title text actually refer to Randall and xkcd.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4e66ab6e-bae1-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with only these three T-rex images.
**The entire ''Dinosaur Comics'' was parodied in [[145: Parody Week: Dinosaur Comics]], where Randall copied the drawings himself, and T-Rex has appeared in [[1452: Jurassic World]], where it was the last image from the actual comic that was used, as opposed to the three first here.
|-
! Stepping on the house [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*In the end, the dinosaur stamps on the house where the main characters are inside Knit Cap Girl covering and Hairy escaping.
**This is thus Randall's own picture but with the foot, seemingly taken from the T-rex, scaling it up to fit the size.
**Usually the dinosaur story gets to this point before the characters [[#Leaving the building|leaves the building]].
***But when they do so, in other story-lines, it is a completely different building they walk out of
***The explanation for this (apart from that it looks like this in ''Dinosaur Comics'') is that whenever the story gets this far one of the characters will wake up from a dream. See more under the [[#Dreams|dream theme]].
**When the building gets stepped on either Hairy or Knit Cap Girl wakes up:
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:f2b12f1e-bbae-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where Hair wakes up.
***Here are two examples where Knit Cap Girl awakes where the dinosaur dream is the second dream from which she awakes:
****After the [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:5e94d028-bb7d-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd hole dream]
****After the [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 rocket dream].
****The characters has thus left the other building first, but then again both buildings turned out to be part of a dream.
|}

===Leaving the building===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Leaving [[Image:lorenz - going.png]] [[Image:lorenz - laptop 11.png]]
|
*In some storylines the two characters leaves the building.
**Either with the laptop intact:
***Either directly after the first image or
***After the [[#Political debate|politic debate]].
**Or with a fused laptop (see the [[# Blowtorch|Blowtorch theme]]).
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bd44a816-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where they leave the house twice, once first with the laptop intact and secondly after burning it.
*In either case they encounter one of the following scenarios when they come out the door:
|-
! Empty lawn [[Image:lorenz - away.png]]
|
*Sometimes nothing is outside the building except the pavement they walk upon there is just an empty lawn.
**See [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b69f6096-b9f0-11e3-8009-002590d77bdd this example] where the laptop is burned.
*From this point they will continue walking past different landscapes - see the [[#Walking|Walking theme]].
|-
! Rocket on the lawn [[Image:lorenz - rocket 1.png]]
|
*Sometimes there is a space rocket on the lawn outside the building. See the [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]] theme.
**See [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 this example] with the computer intact and no political debate.
|-
! Huge hole on the lawn [[image:lorenz - hole.png]]
|
*Sometimes there is a huge hole in the ground just outside of the building.
**The two characters always end up falling into it and one of them awakes from a nightmare - see more below about [[#Dreams|dreams]].
**See [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd this example] with the computer intact and no political debate.
**See [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd this example] with the computer intact after political debate.
|}

===Walking===
{{Notice |Does anyone have [[#Permalink|permalinks]] for the image where Hairy is walking alone in silhouette, and maybe a situation where he walks alone without the ''meanwhile'' image first (maybe because of arguing, see below)? Please help by posting them in the table below:}}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Starting the walk [[Image:lorenz - away.png]] [[Image:lorenz_-_pikachu_dead_5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - beach.png]] [[Image:lorenz - run.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 2.png]] l[[Image:lorenz - meanwhile.png]]
|
*A walk can begin in more than one way.
**The most direct way to start the walk is when the two characters are [[#Leaving the building|leaving the building]], and finding noting out on the lawn.
**A walk can also start when they leave the Pikachu from the [[#Pokémon|Pokémon theme]].
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example] where the first ''walking together'' image appear after the house and a new walk begins after Pikachu with both the ''passing'' images.
**A walk can also start when they leave the beach after the [[#Ocean|ocean theme]].
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:30f53d98-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] and this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:310127b6-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where respectively a ''walking together'' and a ''passing'' image appear after they come out of the ocean.
**In the examples above Knit Cap Girl and Hairy are in principle always walking together.
***But such a walk can start directly with a zoom in on one of the characters thinking.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd example] where leaving the house is replaced with Knit Cap Girl thinking and then finding Pikachu.
***As it turns out she was still with Hairy and they continue the walk together after, but if the story stops before the last Pikachu picture, it would not be clear that Hairy was still there.
**But one of them sometimes ends up walking alone even though they started walking together.
***This happens after they have an [[#Arguing|argument]]. '''Example of this is missing!'''
**But walks can also start from different starting point where only one of them are walking
***After Knit Cap Girl runs away from hitting something with the [[#Boomerang|boomerang]] or is hit herself by the boomerang.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b94d8be4-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example] where she runs away.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where she hits herself.
***After the ''meanwhile'' image where Hairys alone walk can begin.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example].
*So the walking images from below can also appear or re-appear in other ways longer into a complicated story, as with the Pokémon example above with two walks one early one later.
*There are also two images which zoom in on one of the characters thinking.
**This mainly happens for Knit Cap Girl when they are together?
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:55a9e1ae-baa3-11e3-8017-002590d77bdd example].
***But can also happen when she is alone as seen in this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example].
**This only seems to happen for Hairy when he walks alone?
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example].
|-
!Passing something [[Image:lorenz - tree.png]] [[Image:lorenz - gap.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl and Hairy walks together past the following items:
*A tree where the two are walking past, and only Hairy speaks.
**See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:a012d55a-bf3c-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where they get past..
*A gap/pit in the ground which Knit Cap Girl jumps over, much like in a pit from Mario brothers, while Hairy looks down speaking.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:97c42da2-bb01-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example].
**See also this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example] with both images at the end.
|-
!Walking together [[Image:lorenz - walking.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walking 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dark.png]] [[Image:lorenz - thinking.png]]
|
*The two characters are seen walking together from different perspectives.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:52e63998-bb3b-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd example] with all three walking together images.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example] with the image with Hairy in front.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd example] with Hairy behind.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:30f53d98-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] with the silhouette image.
*At one point, while they are walking together, a zoom in of Knit Cap Girl's head shows she is thinking
**See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example].
**As it turns out she was still with Hairy and they continue the walk together after, but if the story stops before the last Pikachu picture, it would not be clear that Hairy was still there.
***See also this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:55a9e1ae-baa3-11e3-8017-002590d77bdd example] where she thinks twice on the same walk.
***See also this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bf610654-bb43-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example] where she thinks two images in a row.
***This image can also appear while she walks alone. See below.
|-
!Alone - Knit Cap Girl [[Image:lorenz - walk 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 9.png]] [[Image:lorenz - bird gift.png]] [[Image:lorenz - bird money.png]] [[Image:lorenz - thinking.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 8.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl walks alone.
**She is seen walking alone in many different poses and perspectives.
***There also exist an image with a zoom in of her head showing she is thinking.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example] where she is walking alone and then the thinking image comes at the very end.
***This image has mainly been used while she is walking with Hairy, see above.
***In this example seven of the images from this section is used, only the last normal walking image above those with birds as well as those two with birds are missing.
**At some point a bird passes over her carrying a parcel. It then returns - now with a money note in its beak.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:d09d6e40-bbd3-11e3-802e-002590d77bdd example].
****The remaiing three images are shown here.
****The birds could be a reference to Amazon's plans for using drones to deliver packages. Something referred to later, for instance in [[1523: Microdrones]].
****In the example the text is a reference to {{w|Monty Python and the Holy Grail}} where it is discussed if two swallows could carry a coconut to explain their precense in England.
***In most other cases only one of the bird pictures are shown like in these examples:
****The picture of the bird with parcel can be seen in this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b94af780-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example] and this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:79bfc3d8-baa3-11e3-8017-002590d77bdd example] at the very end.
****The picture of the bird with money can be seen in this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b94d8be4-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd example] and this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:7b3383ae-baa2-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd example] at the very end.
****In this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:50d05aa2-baa1-11e3-800d-002590d77bdd example] the story continues after the bird with the parcel.
****In this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:7448daea-ba97-11e3-8007-002590d77bdd example] the bird with the parcel comes twice.
****In this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4e6dc4d8-bb01-11e3-8003-002590d77bdd example] the bird with the parcel is shown twice in a row.
****In this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:7fc6e57a-baeb-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd example] the bird with the money is shown twice in a row.
**The image where she is standing without saying anything, may only be seen in the [[#Boomerang|boomerang theme]]? That image will thus (so far) not be shown here.
|-
!Alone - Hairy [[Image:lorenz - meanwhile.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 10.png]] [[Image:lorenz - thinking 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - walk 6.png]]
|
*Hairy is seen walking alone.
**He is seen walking alone in two poses.
**At one point a zoom in of his head shows he is thinking - this does not have to be while alone!
**In one story line the ''meanwhile'' image appears before this walk.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] with the first four images from this section.
***It seems that this image only appear before Hairy's alone walk?
**There '''still misses examples''' of him walking alone without this image first
****There '''still misses''' an example with the silhouette images of Hairy alone.
|}

===Arguing===
{{Notice |Does anyone have [[#Permalink|permalinks]] with a story line where either of the two are walking alone after the argument where one of them leaves, as this supposedly occurred to begin with. Please help by posting them in the table below:}}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
!Arguing [[Image:lorenz - discuss.png]] [[Image:lorenz - knit cap leaves.png]] [[Image:lorenz - hairy leaves.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl and Hairy begins an argument.
**The fight can either commence during a walk:
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:2a2d5f80-badd-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with only the start of the fight.
**Or after they come out of the rocket when it failed to launch:
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:b8c820a2-bb61-11e3-800e-002590d77bdd example] with only the start of the fight.
*Then either she or he leaves the other by walking back the way they came.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:b65f48a8-bbc1-11e3-802c-002590d77bdd example] where Knit Cap Girl is walking away.
**See this [https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:588c9fd6-bbdb-11e3-8033-002590d77bdd example] where Hairy is walking away.
*After this either of them can continue the walk alone.
**'''Examples are missing...''' for both walking along - i.e. a story-line that actually shows that at least one of them can continues to walk alone afterwards.
|-
!Leading to the argument [[Image:lorenz - tree.png]] [[Image:lorenz - gap.png]] [[Image:lorenz - thinking.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 6.png]]
|
*The following examples show where these images lead to the first argument image.
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:bf610654-bb43-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd Tree].
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4b2b6f7e-ba92-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd Jumping over pit].
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:75c1569a-bae7-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd Thinking].
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:b8c820a2-bb61-11e3-800e-002590d77bdd Failed rocket launch].
***'''There are likely more''' from the walking range of images.
|}

===Pokémon===
{{Notice|It seems like it is the pictures Pikachu which represent the enemy who uses the moves described below. But when they are effective it is that very Pokémon which faints. This seems counterintuitive. How can this be understood by someone who never played Pokémon, or does it also not make any sense for those who knows? Please explain at the first image below.}}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! A wild Pikachu appeared [[Image:lorenz - pikachu appeared.png]]
|
*Some of the story-lines involve Pokémon-battles featuring {{w|Pikachu}}, a very popular {{w|Pokémon}}.
**Pokémon has often been [[:Category:Pokémon|featured in xkcd]].
*The battles are drawn in the style of the video games.
**A trainer in the left-bottom corner facing the foe in the right-top corner, with a narration box below the scene and the trainer's {{w|Pokéballs}} visible
**Although some elements are missing, such as the level, gender and HP bar.
*In this first image Pikachu the wild pokémon appears.
**Then the fight begins.
**Pikachu is the reason no fight begins in [[1516: Win by Induction]].
|-
! As part of the walk [[Image:lorenz - walking.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dark.png]] [[Image:lorenz - tree.png]] [[Image:lorenz - thinking.png]]
|
*The Pokémon story-line always begins during a walk where the two characters are together
**It can for certain happen after these images, so typically shortly after they [[#Leaving the building|leave the building]].
***But it can occur after a [[#Dreams|dream]]:
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:97c42da2-bb01-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] that begins with a hole dream and then reaching the Pikachu after the thinking image.
***The thinking image can occur without they are together, but mainly it has been used as part of their walks together, and this will always be the case in the Pokémon story as they both are there if the moves are effective.
****See more detail in the [[#Walking|Walking section]].
***They can meet more than one Pikachu, but then the story return to one of these images before it happens again:
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:9a86363c-bb53-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] that begins after walking past a three first and then later where Knit Cap Girl thinks before the next attack.
***Other images are listed here:
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:feaa5d4e-bbd2-11e3-802c-002590d77bdd example] with the silhouette image.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:0f6483ac-baee-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with the walking together image with Hairy in front.
|-
! Pikachu's moves [[Image:lorenz - pikachu abandonment.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu anguish.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu ant.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu ethylene.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu extrude.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu faceless.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu friendship.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu granite.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu graph.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu ink cloud.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu radicality.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu theft.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu uplift.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu blank.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu not very effective.png]]
|
*Pikachu uses a number of different moves, though these are mostly made up and are not from the Pokémon games.
**It is written as "Enemy Pikachu used "''move''", with the possible ''moves'' listed here below.
**Pikachu's moves are almost invariably remarked by the narrator as "It's not very effective...",
***This is included as the last image in this section, as it comes in between all these non effective moves.
***It can lead on as seen below.
**But "It's super effective!" is also possible to appear
***This will always lead on as can be seen at the bottom.
**In the video games a move is:
***"Not very effective" when the opponent's type resists the attacking move's type
***"Super effective" when the opponent's type is weak to the attacking move's type.

*'''Pikachu's moves'''
**See below for examples
***The examples below are marked with ¤ $ £ etc. and the moves are similarly marked to indicate in which examples they appear.
****Those that can be ''not very effective'' in a way that takes the characters past Pikachu are written in ''italics'' below.
****Those that can be '''super effective''' are written in '''bold''' below.
*****A move that sometimes can result in a move past Pikachu will in another story line not give the same result.
*****None of the moves have yet been shown to be able to get past Pikachu in both possible ways though!
*****For instance the examples marked with "¤" and "&" below both uses ''graph theory'' and only in the first example is it super effective. But in the other it is not the last move.
*Here are the moves in alphabetical order:
** {{w|Abandonment (emotional)|Abandonment}} ^~@ - Pikachu disappears completely.
** {{w|Anguish}} ¤%~ - Pikachu is sad.
** ''{{w|Ant Colony}}'' ~ - Pikachu is covered in ants.
** ''{{w|1,2-Dichloroethane|Ethylene Dichloride}}'' ¤= - Pikachu holds a glass with Ethylene Dichloride
*** Nothing seems to happen, although Ethylene Dichloride is a toxic chemical, therefore there may be future consequences for the characters.
** ''{{w|Extrude}}'' + - Pikachu's head moves away from his body as his neck becomes long and malleable.
** '''[http://www.dictionary.com/browse/faceless Faceless]''' $@ - Pikachu's face disappears.
** {{w|Friendship}} £= - Pikachu is on Knit Cap Girl's head, signifying they are now friends.
*** Friendship, though not a move, is a game mechanic in the video games.
** {{w|Granite}} % - Pikachu is atop a block of granite.
** '''{{w|Graph Theory}}''' ¤& - The theory can be seen behind Pikachu
** {{w|Ink|Ink Cloud}} %+@ - Pikachu is covered in ink.
*** In the storyline Pikachu uses it, there is the option to "gather" the ink.
** '''[http://da.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=radicality Radicality]''' £ - Pikachu is on a skateboard.
** ''{{w|Theft}}'' &@ - Pikachu wears Knit Cap Girl's hat.
*** Pikachu seems to be using "Thief", a similarly-named actual move from the games, that is used to steal the foe's item and use it as its own.
** [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/uplift Uplift] §@ - Pikachu's head goes upward, separated from its body, showing a long, thick cable still connecting the head and the body.
*Finally there is a blank text box - for '''user input''' ¤£%@&~+
**The below items are using the blank text box picture with that text coming from users input to appear in the blank picture at the bottom of this section:
***Google Maps did not warn me of this @
***In Google Maps it was easy to capture pokemons @
****Those two above are referencing the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YMD6xELI_k Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge].
***Where's Twitch when I need help? @
****a reference to {{w|Twitch Plays Pokémon}} which was also covered by comic [[1333: First Date]].
***Cute face @ (Written out correctly as ''Enemy Pikachu used "cute face"'').
***Cuteness % (Written out correctly as ''Enemy Pikachu used cuteness'').
***Yet %
***Go charizard! £
***Pikachu, find a Hamiltonian cycle in this graph! &
***Player wonders why Pikachu is working day labour at the home depot these days? ~
***Player used twitch crowdsource ~
***Enemy Pikachu used "the discrete metric" +
***I'm carrying so many Pokémon!! ¤
***Was is diluted ¤
****(i.e. was it diluted as in the Ethylene Dichloride).

*Here are some '''examples of battle''' that together includes all the moves images.
**The examples below are marked with ¤ $ £ etc.
***Above the moves are similarly marked to indicate in which examples they appear.
**These moves are '''not very effective''':
:::@ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:d5bba698-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 9 different moves] - including four user inputs and ending on '''theft''' (28 panels, '''record length''' although not passing all the way by Pikachu).
:::= [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:9a86363c-bb53-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 2 different moves] - ending both on '''Ethylene Dichloride''' and later on '''Friendship''' (26 panels, '''moving past''' Pikachu and then '''returning for another fight''' ending with the empty image for the user to fill in).
:::+ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:47fe85d0-bbbd-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd 3 different moves] - including a user input and ending on '''extrude''' (20 panels, '''moving past''' Pikachu).
:::§ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:97c42da2-bb01-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 1 move only] - ending on '''uplift''', and then followed by an empty image for the user to fill in (21 panels, not getting to the end, but only one here coming to Pikachu '''through a dream''').
:::~ [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:0f6483ac-baee-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 5 different moves] - including two user inputs and ending on '''ant colony''' (19 panels, not passing all the way by Pikachu).
:::% [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:f203d1c6-ba22-11e3-801a-002590d77bdd 5 different moves] - including two user inputs and ending on '''granite''', and then followed by an empty image for the user to fill in (17 panels, not getting to the end).
:::^ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:2f0612e0-bbd7-11e3-8030-002590d77bdd 1 move only] - ending on '''abandonment''', and then followed by an empty image for the user to fill in (9 panels, not getting to the end).
:::& [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:b8fe0a3c-bb52-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 3 different moves] - including a user input and ending on '''theft''' (15 panels, not passing all the way by Pikachu, and ineffective even though graph theory is also included before then end, which is effective in another example see below).
:*These moves are '''super effective''':
:::¤ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd 5 different moves] - including two user inputs and ending on '''graph theory''' (24 panels, but no new text after poking the Pokémon).
:::£ [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd 3 different moves] - including a user input and ending on '''radicality''' (22 panels, with '''one line of text after poking''' the Pokémon).
:::$ [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:feaa5d4e-bbd2-11e3-802c-002590d77bdd 1 move only] - ending on '''faceless''' (17 panels, but no new text after poking the Pokémon).
|-
! Not very effective [[Image:lorenz - pikachu not very effective.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu um.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu end 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu end 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 5.png]]
|
*Normally after a few failed attempts - where the result is given as ''It's not very effective'', there is an uncomfortable silence as the Pikachu says "Um..."
**Then it talks to Knit Cap Girl and Hairy from the tall grass
**They ignore this remark and walk away past the Pókemon. The Pikachu is left in the tall grass looking after them and has time to make a final remark which they also seem to ignore.
**After that they come out of the tall grass (without an image where they walk in the tall grass without Pikachu as seen below in the very effective version).
*See these examples that are not very effective:
**In these they do not even get all the way out of the grass:
***[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd Theft], on the ninth move!
***[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:0f6483ac-baee-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd Ant colony], on the fifth move.
***[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:b8fe0a3c-bb52-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd Theft], on the third move.
**In these they do get all the way out of the grass:
***[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:47fe85d0-bbbd-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd Extrude], on the third move.
***[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:9a86363c-bb53-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd Ethylene Dichloride], on the first move! But first after burning the lap top. After this move they walk away only to meet another (or the same) wild Pikachu for another unfinished fight.
****In this particular example on the way past it says:
****"I used to be better at chemistry."
****"Wait I can install you BSD".
*****This last line could have been different:
*****"Come back! I don't like it here in the tall grass!", see this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:33d9e268-baa3-11e3-8017-002590d77bdd example].
*****"Wait you can't flee from a trainer battle!", see this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:372bbc40-ba97-11e3-8006-002590d77bdd example].
*****"No really guys I can still remember most of it", see this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:6a2b3ca0-baa7-11e3-801e-002590d77bdd example].
****In another line out it says: "This is still better than all the lightning crap."
*****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:62d0439e-baaf-11e3-801f-002590d77bdd example], where there is no follow up lines.
****There are several endings to this particular story-line, and in another story-line they do not meet the second Pikachu but lines are still spoken.
*****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:93aeb59c-bce2-11e3-801e-002590d77bdd example].
*Below are some other transcript of lines from user input and their references:
**Other remarks from Pikachu or about Pikachu can be seen in these examples from the same storyline:
*** Pikachu: Aren't you going to catch me? It's not difficult, I promise... Please? [Knit Cap Girl and Hairy ignore him and go away] and may get the following responses.
**** Please! Jigglypuff keeps on drawing on my face!
*****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:e8dc6866-bbd4-11e3-8030-002590d77bdd example].
**** You were walking in tall grass! You asked for it!
*****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:e90d70be-bbd4-11e3-8030-002590d77bdd example].
**** Please... Tame me! I want to party on days other than Thursday.
*****Hairy remarks while waking away: "Y'know, if we catch a Pikachu, we would never to pay our electric bills again." (Missing have between never and to - user input...)
*****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:93b5fbea-bce2-11e3-801e-002590d77bdd example].
*Pokémon mentioned other than Pikachu in user input:
** Charizard (In one storyline, "Go Charizard" is one usable move in battle)
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example].
** Jigglypuff
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:e8dc6866-bbd4-11e3-8030-002590d77bdd example].
|-
! Super effective [[Image:lorenz - pikachu not very effective.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu super effective.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu fainted.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - pikachu dead 5.png]]
|
*Rarely, a suggested move knocks Pikachu out.
**This is stated as ''It's super effective''
***But this image seem to always first come right after the one with ''It's not very effective'' which makes no sense, but is why this is also included here.
**The result is that Pikachu faints.
***Knit Cap Girl and Hairy looks at the fainted (not dead) Pikachu who lies facedown in the grass.
***Then Knit Cap Girl ''pokes'' the pókemon and they walk past him
***Through and then out of the tall grass
*See these examples that are super effective:
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd Graph theory], on the fifth move.
**[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd Radicality], on the third move, and with one line of text after poking the Pokémon.
***Hairy looking down the pit: Now. what?
**[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:feaa5d4e-bbd2-11e3-802c-002590d77bdd Faceless], on the first move!
|}

===Rocket launch===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
!Rocket on the lawn [[Image:lorenz - rocket 1.png]]
|
*When [[#Leaving the building|leaving the building]] they may find a rocket on the lawn.
|-
!Into the rocket [[Image:lorenz - rocket 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 4.png]]
|
*The characters climb into the rocket.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:f0ff797c-badd-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**Note that Hairy can be seen climbing up the ladder in the second image and the door is slammed shut in the third indicated with small lines.
|-
!Out of the rocket [[Image:lorenz - rocket 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 6.png]]
|
*In some story-lines the rocket does not launch.
**Either it fails or they just don't wish to go into space today.
*So the two characters climb out again.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4b2b6f7e-ba92-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] where they then walk on and then have an argument.
**Note that after the door has been slammed there is an image without these lines indicating the door is now shut, before they climb out again.
|-
!Rocket launch [[Image:lorenz - rocket 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 9.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*If they do not climb out again, the rocket will launch towards space right after the door has slammed without waiting for the picture with the door closed.
**Sometimes an image from the flight simulator program {{W|Kerbal Space Program}} (KSP) will then appear (see [[#Kerbal Space Program|KSP theme]]) instead of the black image.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] where the launch wakes up Knit Cap Girl from a (second) dream. (See the [[#Dreams|dream theme]]).
***See alto this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:c9cfde56-bae6-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where the launch wakes up Hairy.
**If the characters doesn't wake up here, then the rocket will go into space (see [[#Space|space theme]]).
***Before reaching space a dark image will turn up.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example] where the space trip turns out to be a dream.
****Here another KSP image is also used to end the dream.
***The black picture is also used in the dream sequence with the hole just before wake up.
****This never seems to happen from the launch sequence.
|}

===Space===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
!Successful launch [[Image:lorenz - rocket 9.png]]
|
*When the [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]] is successful the rocket will go into space and a black image will turn up as the first evidence of this
**See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example].
**The black picture is also used in the dream sequence with the hole.
|-
!Flying over earth [[Image:lorenz - rocket 10.png]]
|
*After entering space, the rocket is always shown in an orbit over earth.
|-
!In space [[Image:lorenz - rocket 13.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 14.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 19.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 20.png]]
|
*From earth the rocket flies into deep space.
**These images will appear and reappear (sometimes several times) intermixed with those below.
***Exceptions are with those of the little prince and those after the attacking space ship which will always end the space journey.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:cccdb9ea-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] with all the images from this section and the two from above as well as most of those below (several of them (many) more than one time). The first image is only used once right after Earth orbit.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:6322a5a2-ba97-11e3-8007-002590d77bdd example] where the first image is not included.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:6490cc4a-b9f0-11e3-8009-002590d77bdd example] where the first image is used twice, but not to begin with.
|-
!Asteroids [[Image:lorenz - rocket 24.png]]
|
*Passing the {{W|Asteroid belt}}.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:cccdb9ea-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where the image is used twice in a row.
|-
!Saturn [[Image:lorenz - rocket 12.png]]
|
*Passing {{W|Saturn}} with its majestic rings.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:cccdb9ea-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where the image is used eight times, but only for five flybys as the image is used both twice and three times in a row.
|-
!Space ship [[Image:lorenz - rocket 15.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 16.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 17.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 18.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 22.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 23.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*The rocket encounters another space ship that asks a question about relativity
**It is the same question that appeared in [[265: Choices: Part 2]].
*If the question is answered satisfactory the two rockets will just fly past each other.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ccd0b334-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where the ship passes the space ship ones and then meets up with it again at the end.
*If the answer to the space ship is not acceptable it will turn around after passing, and shoot down the rocket.
**The next image is from the {{w|Kerbal Space Program}} (KSP) simulator, see the [[#Kerbal Space Program|KSP theme]].
***But in this case it is an image where the rockets are turned off as opposed to the one that could have appeared at the beginning of the launch. But that would not result in a space trip but in a dream.
**The KSP image is followed by Hairy waking up from a dream (it seems it can only be him), see the [[#Dreams|dream theme]].
***Most of the images above as well as this attack is included in this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 this example]
***In this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:6322a5a2-ba97-11e3-8007-002590d77bdd example] Hairy wakes up and starts to sing.
|-
!Little Prince [[Image:lorenz - rocket 21.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 25.png]]
|
*Eventually the space rocket meets a guy on a very tiny planet
**This is a reference to {{w|The Little Prince}}, which has been referenced before in xkcd in both [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]] and [[618: Asteroid]].
**This could also be a reference to the asteroid [http://blog.xkcd.com/2013/09/30/asteroid-4942-munroe/ 4942 Munroe], and then it could be Randall on the rock...
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:6490cc4a-b9f0-11e3-8009-002590d77bdd example] that stops at the first picture.
**The story originally never seemed to move past this first image with the prince and the rocket, but finally there appeared one more without the rocket.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:25743f70-baee-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
|}

===Kerbal Space Program===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
!Kerbal space program [[Image:lorenz - rocket 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 23.png]]
|
*These pictures are from the flight simulator program {{W|Kerbal Space Program}} (KSP).
**The first shows a rocket with the engines on from [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]].
**The second shows a rocket with the engines off after the attack in the [[#Space|space theme]].
*They both appear in a certain sequence leading to a [[#Dreams|dream]], see below:
|-
!Engines on [[Image:lorenz - rocket 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*During rocket launch when the engine is on it turns out to be just a dream.
**One of the two characters wakes up in their bed.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] where Knit Cap Girl wakes.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:c9cfde56-bae6-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where Hairy wakes.
***It seems that the image can (no longer?) precede a space travel going into deep space.
|-
!Engines off [[Image:lorenz - rocket 22.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 23.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*After the space ship attacks and shoots the rocket we see a KSP image with the engines off.
**See this [http://i.imgur.com/UofvQ.png image] from KSP where the rocket engines are not on.
**After this image it turns out it was just a dream and Hairy seems to be the only one to wake from this dream.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example].
|}

===Dreams===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Walking up [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*Sometimes, Knit Cap Girl or Hairy find themselves waking from a dream, suggesting that all prior events were just them dreaming.
**Some situations will always result in a character waking up
**Others situations will only in some story lines lead to an awakening.
***In those stories there will always be another way to continue the story.
**Below are several situations, where a dream will or may occur, described (and shown with the full sequence leading up to the dream displayed).
*Often a dream loops upon itself, as a character wakes up multiple times in the same storyline
**Either from the [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:20698602-bbb1-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd same dream].
**Or from [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:5e94d028-bb7d-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd different dreams].
**Sometimes it even turns out that [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 each character] has different dreams in the same storyline
***This means that the last to wake up, has dreamt that they were the other character waking up before...
*The dream scenarios (together with the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/8/80/lorenz_-_meanwhile.png ''meanwhile'' image]) would make it possible to connect all images into one long sequence!
**This has not been seen yet though.
*As can be seen in these two images:
**Knit Cap Girl wakes up with her head to the left and the cap lying on the end of the bed.
**Hairy wakes up with his head to the right.
|-
! Falling [[Image:lorenz - hole.png]] [[Image:lorenz - falling.png]] [[Image:lorenz - aaa.png]] [[Image:lorenz - aaa 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 9.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*One of the most obvious dreams is the one about falling as in this case where both characters falls into a big hole outside the [[#Leaving the building|building they are leaving]].
**As shown here in [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:20698602-bbb1-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd this example] where first one then the other characters awake from the same falling dream.
*The hole situation will always turn out to be a dream from which one (or either as shown above) of the characters wakes up from the nightmare after falling into the hole.
**But they can wake up after any of the three black pictures shown here.
**The other two pictures (which were not included in the first example) can be seen in [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ba285dea-baa3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd this example] with only Knit Cap Girl waking.
**A situation with only Hairy waking can be seen in [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:2c6df10a-bb15-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd this example].
*The total black picture is also sometimes used at the end of the [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]].
|-
! Dinosaur [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - dinosaur 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*A Dinosaur enters the comic (see more about these same images under the [[#Dinosaur|Dinosaur theme]]).
**If the comic goes on long enough all four images with the green dinosaur will appear
**When reaching the fourth image where the dinosaur steps on the building the story will always turn out to be a nightmare from which either of the character may wake up from.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:f2b12f1e-bbae-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where Hair wakes up.
***Here are two examples where Knit Cap Girl awakes where the dinosaur dream is the second dream from which she awakes:
****After the [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:5e94d028-bb7d-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd hole dream]
****After the [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 rocket dream].
|-
! Rocket launch [[Image:lorenz - rocket 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*The [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]] will not always turn into a dream.
**And this dream is not really a nightmare, as opposed to the three above, from which the characters always wake up.
**During take-off after the rocket ignites there are two possible images.
***If the last image is black then the take-off succeeds.
***But if the last image during take off is from the flight simulator program {{w|Kerbal Space Program}} (KSP) with the rockets on - see [[#Kerbal Space Program|KSP theme]] they story always result in that either Knit Cap Girl or Hairy wakes up during.
****See [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd this example] where Knit Cap Girl wakes after she has already awoken once before from the hole dream.
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:c9cfde56-bae6-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] and this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:4e6cbc5a-bb01-11e3-8003-002590d77bdd example] where Hairy awakes from the launch.
|-
! Evil spaceship [[Image:lorenz - rocket 15.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 16.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 17.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 18.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 22.png]] [[Image:lorenz - rocket 23.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*During a space travel the rocket passes another space ship.
**If a failed communication occurs the evil space ship turns around and shoots down the rocket.
**At this point it turns out it was just a nightmare and one of the characters wake up (maybe only Hairy?).
***See [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 this example] that continues to a dinosaur dream from where Knit Cap Girl wakes up.
**In the last picture before waking we see an image from the flight simulator program Kerbal Space Program (KSP) with the rockets off - see the [[#Kerbal Space Program|KSP theme]].
***This situation will always turn out to be a dream.
|-
! Politic debate [[Image:lorenz - debate 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - debate 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - debate 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]]
|
*In this dream, that is not so much a nightmare that it will always be a dream (like the first three) Knit Cap Girl wakes up after a silly political debate
**See [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd this example].
*It is probably not possible that Hairy wakes up from this as he is not present when the debate starts.
|}

===Waking up===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Walking up [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]]
|
*Sometimes, Knit Cap Girl or Hairy find themselves waking from a dream, suggesting that all prior events were just them dreaming. (See the [[#Dreams|dream theme]]).
**After they awake they stay in bed for a while and then go out in to the world.
**These scenes will be shown here below.
*As can be seen in these two images:
**Knit Cap Girl wakes up with her head to the left and the cap lying on the end of the bed.
**Hairy wakes up with his head to the right.
|-
! In bed - Girl [[Image:lorenz - wake up 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 10.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 3.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl wakes up with a ''Gasp''.
**She sits for a while.
***Maybe he even starts to sing, see below.
***After this she may either lie down or leave the bed empty.
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:f894ceb2-bae7-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd example] where she lies back down again (and then finds a boomerang, see below).
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] where the bed is empty before moving on (twice yawning and with singing the 2nd time).
**When she does get out of bed she may either:
***Walk yawning into her office if the bed was empty (see below).
***Go out and find a [[#Boomerang|boomerang]] if she lay down again.
|-
! In bed - Guy [[Image:lorenz - wake up 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 6.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 12.png]]
|
*Hairy wakes up with a ''Gasp''.
**He sits for a while.
***Maybe he even starts to sing, see below.
***After this he may either lie down or leave the bed empty.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example] where he leaves the bed empty (and yawns and then Knit Cap Girl has another dream later).
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:f2b12f1e-bbae-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where he lies back down again (and goes to meet the salesman, see below).
****Notice that Randall forgot to draw Hairy's hairy hair as he lay down again.
****If it was a wig, it should have hung over the bed like Knit Cap Girls knit cap does.
*****Randall also forgot Hairy's hair in [[1028: Communication]], see this [[1028: Communication#Trivia|trivia]].
**When he does get out of bed he may either:
***Walk into Knit Cap Girl at her laptop while yawning if the bed was empty, see below.
***Go outside to meet White Hat the [[#Salesman|salesman]] if he lay back down again.
|-
! Singing in bed [[Image:lorenz - wake up 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 13.png]]
|
*After having sat up in bed with a gasp either character may may then begin to sing ''I woke up like this''.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] with Knit Cap Girl (walkikng twice singing second time) where the bed is empty before moving on (both times).
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:6322a5a2-ba97-11e3-8007-002590d77bdd example] with Hairy where the bed is empty before moving on .
*This is likely a reference to {{W|Beyoncé|Beyoncé's}} song ''{{W|Flawless (Beyoncé song)|Flawless}}''.
**See the [http://lyricsmusic.name/beyonce-knowles-lyrics/beyonca/flaweless.html lyrics here].
**The line ''I woke up like this'' is repeated eight times in the song, four time in each of the last to verses.
|-
!Yawning - Girl [[Image:lorenz - wake up 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - computer.png]]
|
*Yawning Knit Cap Girl gets back to her laptop and we are back to the first image.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:20698602-bbb1-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example], where both characters yawning pictures appear after two times the same dream.
|-
!Yawning - Guy [[Image:lorenz - wake up 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - wake up 9.png]]
|
*Yawning Hairy walks in where Knit Cap Girl sits at her laptop and tells her about his dream(?)
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:0bfb9832-baa7-11e3-801e-002590d77bdd example], where both pictures from this section appears and they continue to walk out after.
**See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:20698602-bbb1-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example], where both characters yawning pictures appear after two times the same dream.
|}

===Salesman===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Salesman [[Image:lorenz - wake up 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - sale 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - sale 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - sale 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - sale 4.png]]
|
*After walking up with a gasp from a nightmare and then laying down again (without hair) he has chosen not to go to Knit Cap Girl.
**Which is why the laying picture is included here.
*Hairy takes an alternative route where he meets [[White Hat]], a salesman with a small stand.
**White Hat tries to sell something to Hairy. Will he succeed?
*The last picture with the graph did not appear until much later than the rest (or was at least not found.)
**Here is an [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:f2b12f1e-bbae-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd example] where Hairy meets White Hat, but not reaching the graph picture.
**Here is an [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:2c6df10a-bb15-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example] that reaches the graph picture.
**Here is another [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:39dfd484-bb01-11e3-8003-002590d77bdd example] that reaches the graph picture.
***These two may be the only one two years after the release.
|}

===Boomerang===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" |
! To see/hide images click here:
! Description of images
|-
! Finding Boomerang [[Image:lorenz - wake up 10.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 2.png]]
|
*After Knit Cap Girl awakes from a [[#Dreams|dream]] and then lies down in bed she may (always?) go outside to find a{{w|Boomerang}} on the ground.
**She picks it up and then always expresses her feelings about it in a thought bubble when she picks it up.
***She may also pick it up following another image where she is just walking
***But then it is always longer into the story and the second time she picks up a boomerang, with the first time proceeding after the dream as mentioned above.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**The other throwing images listed below, may come more or less in any order and any number of times
***As just mentioned so may the first two boomerang images here also reappear, and hence also more than one accident can happen, even though they always stop the current run of throwing.
**She may comment on it again after catching it.
***She may also put it down and leave, but may then also find it or another boomerang again later.
****This is the cause for the longest story-lines almost always includes the boomerang.
****Since this only occurs after a dream, gives the longest stories, and never really gets on to any other stories (except a short story where Hairy walks alone), this has been placed last in this list.
*Boomerangs have been [[:Category:Boomerangs|featured in xkcd before]]. See in particular these that are clearly referenced:
**[[445: I Am Not Good with Boomerangs]].
**[[475: Further Boomerang Difficulties]].
|-
! Throwing Boomerang [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 8.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 6.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 9.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 10.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 7.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 11.png]]
|
*Knit Cap Girl throws the boomerang, and it flies back to her so she catches it.
**This can go on for a while, and she may even lay it down and walk away:
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:08896f1c-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example].
**It may also fly back and forth above her.
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:84eb4738-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example].
*However, more often than not she will end up with an accident:
|-
! Accidents [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 5.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 6.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang rocket 1.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang rocket 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang boom.png]] [[Image:lorenz - surprise.png]] [[Image:lorenz - run.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 3.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - meanwhile.png]]
|
*These accidents are:
**Either character is getting hit in the face
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example] where both are hit.
***Knit Cap Girl get hit in the face first as the boomerang rebound then lays it down only to pickup a new one later
****See [[445: I Am Not Good with Boomerangs]].
***Knit Cap Girl then fails to catch the boomerang and the rebound hit Hairy in the face off screen and he then enters the frame in the next image.
**Hitting a space rocket taking off, it very much looks like the one from [[#Rocket launch|rocket launch]]
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**The boomerang crashes into something off panel - someone may shout back - and Knit Cap Girl runs away.
***See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:fc34f46a-ba98-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd example].
****See also [[475: Further Boomerang Difficulties]]
***In some cases this last accident is followed by the ''meanwhile'' image to make the story move on with Hairy walking along which is mentioned in more detail at the bottom of the [[#Walking|Walking section]].
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example].
|-
! Leaving the boomerang [[Image:lorenz - boomerang 11.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 2.png]] [[Image:lorenz - run.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 4.png]] [[Image:lorenz - meanwhile.png]] [[Image:lorenz - boomerang accident 6.png]]
|
*The following images are the one where the boomerang story may stop (although some of them may lead back to the boomerang again):
**Leaving the boomerang on the ground without accident.
***But there seem to be no way she actually leaves the boomerang this way:
****Either the story stops before she completely leaves the image with the boomerang on the ground.
****Or she finds another and picks that up instead proceeding from there.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:08896f1c-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 example] with both situations.
**Leaving the boomerang after hitting herself in the face.
***Maybe this is similar to the one above, as can at least be seen in the example given:
***See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example]
**Running away after having destroyed the rocket
***Here she definitely gets away from the boomerang:
****See this [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example].
**Running away after having hit someone off panel.
***This image seems to belong with the ''meanwhile'' image, and the storyline goes on using that route, so for sure away from the boomerang.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd example].
**Hitting Hairy off panel who then walks into the panel.
***there seems to be no story continuing from there.
***I.e. this story-line never leaves the boomerang behind, but just stops.
****See this [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd example]
|}

==Trivia==
*Here is a picture with the fifth option that could not be included in the top image
**''Let's see if BSD is any easier to install nowadays.'':
::[[Image:lorenz.png]]
:*And there used to be a sixth option "Gravity. Lots of it." However, it no longer appears.
*In one [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/File:lorenz_-_wake_up_7.png panel] Hairy is drawn in bed ''without'' his hair - see the [[#Waking up|Waking up]] pictures.
*Some pictures are used often and some very rarely:
**The most common pictures are [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/vS9UO5cGsw1hoDrrNLMSRg.png "Not very effective"], [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/VegCGBEOFJCsFxJpbmvziQ.png Throwing], [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/zHPHozjDXmCUy66bYVSRoQ.png Waiting], [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/ZNBJOG1e-vCfzdqKFHQ21A.png Leaving the House].
**The rarest pictures that can be found via permalink are [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/VgSdMz8OAHQ8w5Ee432f5Q.png The Little Prince], [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/0RW46RaD8RJDfTyBOTqlpw.png The beach], [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/a1-2014/OZZtCeXrnU0UskVTCUQf1Q.png An exponential chart].
***As of late April there are several pictures from the complete list, that no longer seem to be available - so they are not only rare, but extinct in the comic if no one has a permalink to a comic where they appear.
***2 pictures are listed as missing two years later on April 1, 2016, and they can be seen under themes where notices has made it clear where they are.
***It is the one with Hairy walking alone seen in silhouette and the one "after arguing" where Hairy is leaving that are missing.
***The other 147 images are all accounted for.
*[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:0cd52ed0-bb15-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd This one] has Chinese characters in it. Simplified, sadly. It would roughly translate to "The sentences have no meaning. With no meanings, there is nothing to say. How to arrange it into a haiku format then?" It is arranged in haiku: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. In traditional Chinese characters it would be "句子没有意。意也没有話不話。怎麼來俳句？"
*[https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:585ff20c-baf4-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd This one] also has Chinese characters in it. It would translate to "No." or "Not good."
*And [https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:fb62f406-baa2-11e3-8015-002590d77bdd one with French].

===Record length===
====The all time longest comics by panel====
*'''Top three'''.
**Please only include '''clearly different''' storylines:
*# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels] - Tiles, space/dinosaur double dream, boomerang, and exploding rocket.
*# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 50 panels] - Tiles, double hole dream, boomerang, and exploding rocket
*# [https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b94d8be4-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 46 panels] - Tiles, hole dream, hole dream, boomerang, exploding rocket, bird passing.
**There may be no upper boundary!
**But this is then the list of the longest comics with most panels as found so far.
**If you beat a record please post the '''permalink''' here. https://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:84eb4738-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29
**Please note themes included in comic.
**Please move beaten records down and delete the fourth.

====Longest by themes====
*Click to expand:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
Include only more than one if the story is clearly different from from the record.
#Dreams (most often multiple):
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels] - Tiles, two dreams one by each character, after space and dinosaur attack.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 50 panels] - Tiles, two times hole dream, boomerang, and exploding rocket.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 41 panels] - Politic debate, one dream about hole, boomerang.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 39 panels] - Politic debate, one dream about politic, boomerang, and exploding rocket
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 36 panels] - Tiles, two dreams, hole dream, blowtorch laptop, rocket take-off dream.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:452c03fc-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 35 panels] - Tiles, two times the same dream with big hole by the same character (shovel/blowtorch and then boomerang).
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ba285dea-baa3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd 28 panels] - BSD, one dream with hole that returns to starting point - does the dream continue?
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:8440e346-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 26 panels] - Tiles, two different dreams by the same character after hole and rocket.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:5e94d028-bb7d-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd 22 panels] - Tiles, two different dreams by the same character after hole and dinosaur attack.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:20698602-bbb1-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd 21 panels] - Tiles, two times the same dream with big hole - once be each character
###More than two dreams has yet to be seen...
#Boomerang:
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels] - Tiles, two dreams one by each character, after space and dinosaur attack.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 50 panels] - Tiles, double hole dream, boomerang, and exploding rocket
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 41 panels] - Politic debate, hole dream, boomerang.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea25460c-baf3-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 39 panels] - Politic debate in a dream boomerang, and exploding rocket
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:defe5742-bb15-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 35 panels] - Political debate within a dream, then Hairy gets smacked in the face by the boomerang.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ee6b910c-bae5-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 34 panels] - Politic debate, as the 39 panel above, but here both the girl and then Hairy gets the boomerang in the face!
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:a1776988-ba41-11e3-8035-002590d77bdd 30 panels] - Tiles, rocket, dream, Boomerang hits her in the face. She then puts it down and then picks it up again
#Space:
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels] - Tiles, two dreams one by each character, after space and dinosaur attack.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:6490cc4a-b9f0-11e3-8009-002590d77bdd 30 panels] - Tiles, ending with the Little Prince and the rocket.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:25743f70-baee-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 24 panels] - Tiles, reaching the image with zoom in only on the Little Prince.
#Dinosaur:
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels] - Tiles, two dreams one by each character, after space and dinosaur attack.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:5e94d028-bb7d-11e3-8012-002590d77bdd 22 panels] - Tiles, two different dreams by the same character after hole and dinosaur attack.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:a3298c92-baa1-11e3-800e-002590d77bdd 15 panels] - Tiles, dinosaur dream, boomerang hits her in the face.
#Political debate:
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 41 panels] - Political debate, but also dream and boomerang.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:defe5742-bb15-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 35 panels] - Political debate within a dream, then Hairy gets smacked in the face by the boomerang.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aee5abf0-bb29-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 31 panels] - Political debate, politicians fighting and explosive bananas - including the ''meanwhile'' image
#Blowtorch:
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 36 panels] - Tiles, hole dream, blowtorch laptop, rocket take-off dream.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:9a86363c-bb53-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 26 panels] - BSD, blowtorch and moving past Pokémon twice
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:97cbd552-bb01-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 25 panels] - Tiles, dream of hole and then blowtorch
#Pokémon:
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:d5bba698-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 28 panels] - Tiles, quick to Pikachu, then very long fight with 9 moves none effective almost moving Pikachu talks only once.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:9a86363c-bb53-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 26 panels] - BSD, blowtorch and moving past the Pokémon not effective, Pikachu talks and they move on only to meet a second Pikachu.
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd 24 panels] - Refresh no new email, long fight very effective and Megan pokes it.
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:8737f5b4-ba92-11e3-8008-002590d77bdd 22 panels] - Tiles, moving past Pokémon very effective and Megan pokes it.
##[https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:7546a2c8-bcdc-11e3-801e-002590d77bdd 22 panels] - BSD, short fight, not very effective, Pikachu talks and they move on
#Sharks
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:3df213b4-ba4f-11e3-8037-002590d77bdd 22 panels] - Tiles, indirectly after launch dream and only one picture in the ocean at the end!
##[http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:30f53d98-bbb3-11e3-801c-002590d77bdd 13 panels] - BSD, longest going straight to the ocean (four images) and then reaching beach and walking on (i.e. directly without dream)
#Salesman
##[http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:39dfd484-bb01-11e3-8003-002590d77bdd 13 panels] - Tiles, hole dream, Hairy meets White Hat reaching the chart (last picture that way).
</div>
 

====Longest by starting point====
*Click to expand:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
Only the longest:
#These stupid tiles... I'll just play one more game: [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 77 panels].
#Oh. Hey. There's some kind of political thing going on: [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 41 panels].
#Let's see if BSD is any easier to install nowadays: [https://xkcd.com/1350/#p:aad0a152-bae6-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 29 panels].
#Refresh... No new email... Refresh... No new tweets... Refresh...: [http://www.xkcd.com/1350/#p:81c9e8c8-ba1d-11e3-8018-002590d77bdd 24 panels].
#Hurry! We're in talks with Facebook: [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:441ba2fe-bc03-11e3-8034-002590d77bdd 13 panels] and also [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ea9342a0-bc02-11e3-8034-002590d77bdd 13 panels] but two different dreams.
#Gravity. Lots of it: [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:a069f950-bb01-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 12 panels] (no longer among the starting options, so wont grow and this is the longest possible now!)
</div>
 

====Most unique images====
*Click to expand:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
In the longest sequences many images repeat several times.
*This record could be more interesting than just which uses most images.
*Could turn out to be the same though (no it was not - already in top 2 there was an upset!)
**Sadly this is rather tedious to check out but by saving the page and sorting other images from the remaining will only be there ones for every unique image.
Only the longest for clearly different images:
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 48 unique images] - 77 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 35 unique images] - 36 panels (only the very first image repeated twice).
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 33 unique images] - 50 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:452c03fc-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 29 unique images] - 35 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 26 unique images] - 41 panels.
</div>
 

====Most actual choices====
*Click to expand:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
In the longest sequences many images has no choice but just ''a Continue''.
*While other images have two choices in one.
*This record could be more interesting than just which uses most images.
**Could turn out to be the same though (no it was not - already in top 3 there was an upset!)
*Count only the used choice, not the suggest a line in the last panel!
Only the longest for clearly different routes:
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:ffa26ce0-bade-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 13 choices] - 77 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:b9575048-bb47-11e3-804b-002590d77bdd 11 choices] - 50 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:2ed958de-badf-11e3-8001-002590d77bdd 9 choices] - 36 panels
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:452c03fc-bb16-11e3-8004-002590d77bdd 8 choices] - 35 panels.
# [http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:718ad9a6-bc6e-11e3-800f-002590d77bdd 7 choices] - 41 panels.
</div>
 

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:April fools' comics]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Boomerangs]]
[[Category:BSD]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Cueball Computer Problems]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Dreams]]
[[Category:Pokémon]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:Characters with Hats]] 
[[Category:Comics with blood]]

1219: Reports

2020-02-24T19:33:28Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1219
| date = May 31, 2013
| title = Reports
| image = reports.png
| titletext = If that fails, just multiply every number by a thousand. 'The 2nd St speed limit should be set at 25,000 mph, which would likely have prevented 1,000 of the intersection's 3,000 serious accidents last month.'
}}

==Explanation==
The quoted text of the report could (and indeed probably ''would'', given the apparent contents) be stereotypically read out loud by the author, or internally by the reader, in an essentially monotonal manner, as exhibited by any number of popularised film and TV characters such as 'Arthur Pewtey' from the {{w|Marriage Guidance Counsellor|Monty Python sketch}}. But this comic asks us to imagine it instead voiced in the voice of an upset (soon-to-be-'ex-'?) spouse, presumably berating the project leader on various real or imagined infractions, and it works just as well. The jagged nature of the speech bubble indicates that the report has typed out on the computer's screen, but also helps to re-enforce the nagging internal voice.

The title text joke relates to an alternative plan, namely to proportionally exaggerate everything you read. What would have been one serious accident that would have been prevented in the previous month had the speed limit been 25 mph, out of the three that actually occurred under the current limit, now becomes one ''thousand'' people saved! And ''all'' those lives would have been saved by reducing the speed limit to a 'mere' 25,000 miles per hour. Of course, around 2000 accidents would ''not'' have been prevented because people ''still'' try to mess with vehicles that are moving at hypersonic velocities.

Note that the title text is inconsistent; if ''every'' number were to be multiplied by a thousand, then the speed limit would apply to 2000th Street. Somewhat surprisingly, there do exist streets of this name, mainly in Illinois. Although unlikely, the street may be 0.002th street, giving us 2 when multiplied per the title text. Though in this case 2nd St is a proper noun and thus should not be modified.

==Transcript==
:How to make boring technical reports more fun to read:
:Imagine they were written and sent in, unsolicited, by the estranged spouse of the head of the project.
:[Cueball is crouching alone over his computer in an empty room, typing on a laptop. He is surrounded by papers and books, apparently related to whatever project is working on. The laptop has a message on it, the text of which is displayed above the computer.]
:Computer: Six guard rails have erratic reflector placement, and one even lacks reflectors entirely, despite rule G31.02(b) clearly mandating consistent usage.
:Cueball: ...Sharon!

==Trivia==
Originally the title text proposed a speed limit of 2,500 miles per hour, which would mean the original message is about a ridiculously low speed limit of 2.5 mph. This was later corrected.

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

850: World According to Americans

2020-02-05T15:14:33Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ no need for (competition)

{{comic
| number = 850
| date = January 21, 2011
| title = World According to Americans
| image = world according to americans.png
| titletext = It's not our fault we caught a group on their way home from a geography bee. And they taught us that Uzbekistan is one of the world's two doubly-landlocked countries!
}}
*A [http://xkcd.com/850_large/ larger version] of this image can be found by clicking the image at xkcd.com - the comic's page can also be accessed by clicking on the comic number above.

==Explanation==
There's a somewhat well-circulated image on the internet entitled "[http://google.com/search?q=the+world+according+to&tbm=isch The World According to Americans]" which plays on the stereotype of the ignorant American. In it, the entirety of Eastern Europe and most of Asia are entitled "commies" and the Middle-East as "evil-doers," and so on. Later, other people created similar maps to re-do the concept. It later spread to other cultures.

This comic is an anti-joke playing on that idea. You expect to see something which plays on the stereotypes that exist in American culture of various parts of the world. However, instead, the map is remarkably well-informed, and shows how sampling bias can be used to conflate results. See below the [[#Table of items in the map|table of items in the map]].

The title text jokes that in fact the only reason that the map is fairly well annotated is that the group of people labeling it were actually on the way back from a {{w|National Geographic Bee|geography bee}}. This could add weight to the 'Ignorant American' stereotype as these individuals should know more than the common person (Although, as the illustrators wrote below Cape Horn, the reason they did not draw Antarctica or many South American, Middle Eastern and British countries and the lack of detail may be because the people who asked them to draw this map was beginning to 'look impatient' since they did not get the expected ignorant result.)

A {{w|landlocked country}} is a country that does not border any major bodies of water. Furthering the concept, a {{w|Landlocked_country#Doubly_landlocked|doubly-landlocked}} country is a country that not only has no connection to water, but is only bordered by ''other'' landlocked countries. As the title text states, there are only two such countries in the world as of 2012: {{w|Uzbekistan}} and {{w|Liechtenstein}}. This is the type of fact that may be stereotypically expected of a geography bee competitor.

===Table of items in the map===
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width: 25%;"|Annotation
! Further details
|-
| Hey so what projection should we use? I’ll aim for "Robinson".
| Any flat [[977|map projection]] of a sphere must have inaccuracies. {{w|Mercator projection}} displays shapes well at the expense of size. For example, Mercator's Greenland appears larger than South America, but is actually one eighth the size. {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} does the opposite, showing accurate surface area with distorted ("awful") shapes. {{w|Robinson projection}} compromises between shape & size for aesthetics; hence Greenland is "still too big".
|-
| Did you know Maine is actually the US state closest to Africa?
| The distance is about 5076 km (~3754 mi). Measurement points are {{w|Sail Rock (disambiguation)|Sail Rock (Maine)}}, the most eastern point of the USA, and a point which seems to be the most southern (and as such western) point of el-Beddouza Beach, {{w|Morocco}}. It's not the most western point of Morocco (or Africa), though.
|-
| Do we have to label all the Virgin Islands?
| Which are {{w|Virgin_Islands#Larger_Islands|9 larger}} and about 100 {{w|List of Caribbean islands#British Virgin Islands|smaller}} {{w|List of Caribbean islands#United States Virgin Islands|islands}} - surely a lot of labels.
|-
| French, and I think Dutch and English
| The three separated areas are (from west to east) {{w|Guyana}} (former British colony), {{w|Suriname}} (former Dutch colony) and {{w|French Guiana}} (still officially part of France). The former two often switched between French, Dutch and British colonial rule. The latter was French most times except of a short Portuguese episode.
|-
| Brazil (Portugese-speaking )
Rest of South America (Spanish-speaking)
| In green is Portuguese-speaking (misspelled) Brazil, and in blue are the Spanish speaking Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.
|-
| {{w|Greenland}} (Still too big!)
Yeah, but the Peters map is awful
| Relating back to the choice of map projection, the apparent size of Greenland is one of the most commonly known projection based inaccuracies. The {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} shows accurate surface area, but with distorted ("awful") shapes.
|-
|Scandanavia
| A typo of {{w|Scandinavia}}. The area shown includes Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, but the actual area of Scandinavia excludes Finland. The Scandinavian peninsula countries include Norway, Finland, and Sweden, and those can be collectively (and nerdily) referred to as "Fennoscandia."
|-
| Western Europe
Eastern Europe
| The line here approximately follows that of the {{w|Iron Curtain}} that separated the {{w|Warsaw Pact}} states (the Soviet Union and other Communist allies) from the {{w|NATO}} (US-allied) and neutral states. However, all of Germany is included in Western Europe (when during the Cold War it was divided into East and West Germany) while Austria (which was officially neutral in the Cold War but closely tied to the West and therefore blocked off from its Communist neighbors) is marked as Eastern Europe. Here, Eastern Europe also includes the {{w|Balkans}} (the southern peninsula east of Italy), which are usually considered separate. During the Cold War, the Balkans were divided between Soviet-allied Albania (which later left the Pact) and Bulgaria, NATO-allied Greece and Turkey, and Yugoslavia, which was a neutral Communist state. It's also worth noting that there should be a blob of Russian red in the middle of Eastern Europe, representing the Russian exclave of {{w|Kaliningrad oblast}}.
|-
| British Isles
Ireland
| Although {{w|Ireland}} belongs to the {{w|British Isles}} geographically, it does not belong to the {{w|British Islands}} politically. That may be the reason why Ireland is labeled additionally - to show it's known that Ireland does not belong to the {{w|United Kingdom}}. {{w|Northern Ireland}} does, though.
|-
| Rainforest DRC
| The area shown is actually not completely the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (DRC), but since one of the persons who made this map says he doesn't know the African map very well (see statement below), it's fairly accurate. Also the area called rainforest is somewhat larger than the area depicted as {{w|tropical rainforest}} on Wikipedia.
|-
| So this is one of those things where you point out our ignorance and stereotypes?
Yeah – I mean I freely admit I don’t know the African map very well, which speaks volumes in itself.
| Here two of the persons involved in drawing this map discusses what their lack of knowledge about Africa says about them. The African portion of the map is for sure the most poorly labeled, which lends weight to the stereotype of the 'Ignorant American'. Although it has to be mentioned, that the geography of Africa is in general not well known - at least within the Western world. So that's not really an American thing, here. The few countries which are labeled here mostly are well known because of their unstable political situation or because of their remarkable location. The labeled locations (and the presumably reasons of their "publicity") are west to east, north to south: {{w|Morocco}} ({{w|Arab Spring}}, location), {{w|Algeria}} (Arab Spring, {{w|Algerian Civil War|Civil War}}), {{w|Sahara|Sahara Desert}} (largest hot desert of the world), {{w|Sudan}} ({{w|Second Sudanese Civil War|Civil war}}, Arab Spring), {{w|West Africa}} ({{w|West Africa#Postcolonial eras|Lots of Civil wars}} and thus bad humanitarian situation, {{w|Blood diamond|Blood diamonds}}), {{w|Somalia}} ({{w|Somali Civil War|Civil war}}, {{w|Piracy in Somalia|pirates}}), {{w|Lake Victoria}} (largest lake of Africa, quite remarkable even at large scale maps (as here)), {{w|Mozambique}} ({{w|Mozambican Civil War|Civil war}}), {{w|Angola}} ({{w|Angolan Civil War|Civil War}}) and {{w|Madagascar}} (one of the worlds large island at the east coast - quite remarkable).
|-
| Cape Horn
| {{w|Cape Horn}} is the southern tip of ''South America'', not ''Africa''. The southern tip of Africa is called {{w|Cape of Good Hope}}.
|-
| Should we include {{w|Antarctica}}?
Let’s not – these guys are looking impatient
| Here it is made clear that since those who came with this assignment is getting impatient since their project of proving how little Americans know about the world failed miserably. And now they are getting impatient. It also shows that if some labels or parts are missing then it could be because of this and not for lack of knowledge. This is also a joke on the lack of labels that would be required for the map of Antarctica. Drawing Antarctica and labeling it would probably take less time than having the discussion about whether to include it, and then writing that discussion on the map.
|-
| {{w|Aral Sea}} (Gone)
| Former one of the largest fresh-water lakes of the world, now actually not completely gone, but almost.
|-
| Various former Soviet states
| Which are (west to east) {{w|Kazakhstan}}, {{w|Turkmenistan}}, {{w|Uzbekistan}}, {{w|Tajikistan}} and {{w|Kyrgyzstan}}. The former {{w|Soviet Union|Union of Soviet Socialist Republics}} was dissolved in 1991 and thus the {{w|Cold War}} had ended.
|-
| Middle East
| Drawn here to include {{w|Egypt}} and {{w|Turkey}}. Whether these should be included depends on whether you mean the phrase ''Middle East'' politically or geographically. They are both Muslim countries, but geographically Egypt is in Africa and Turkey is usually not included because of its close affiliation with Europe.
|-
| Boxing Day quake
Wait, "Boxing day"? There’s no way you’re American.
I read BBC News, OK?
| On December 26, 2004, a {{w|2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|huge earthquake}} struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing severe tsunamis. December 26, the day after {{w|Christmas Day}}, is celebrated as {{w|Boxing Day}} in the UK, Canada, Australia, and some other English-speaking countries, but not the US. As such, the earthquake became known as the Boxing Day Quake.
One of the people who came asked these people to draw this map picks up on the use of 'Boxing Day' as something no American would say and questions that this person is in fact American. But an American reader of {{w|BBC News}} (part of the British Broadcasting Corporation) may start to use the phrase "Boxing Day" about the Tsunami.
|-
| India -> Mostly Muslim
India -> Mostly Hindu
| In general {{w|India}} is separated in {{w|Religion in India|two religious groups}}. Muslims in the north-west, Hindus in the rest. As visible on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_India#/media/File:Religion_in_India.svg map] in the linked Wiki article, the area with a predominant Muslim population is way smaller than depicted in the comic.
|-
| Tibet (contested)
| The area was annexed by the {{w|People's Republic of China}} in the 1950s. Since then there are struggles to gain independence. The marked area is fairly inaccurate, though. Today's {{w|Tibet Autonomous Region}} (former {{w|Kingdom of Tibet}}) is roughly the southern half of the marked area extended a bit to the south-east.
|-
| Kamchatka Peninsula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk
|''{{w|Risk (game)|Risk}}'' is a board game played on a map of the world, where players own territories and battle each other for world domination. The person in the comic admits to knowing {{w|Kamchatka Peninsula}} only from the territory "Kamchatka" in the game. Kamchatka is notable among the territories in the game because it and Alaska are connected, despite being on opposite sides of the board- a fact that can easily be overlooked.
|-
| Koreas
| The two Koreas are the ''{{w|Democratic People's Republic of Korea}}'' (North Korea) and the ''{{w|Republic of Korea}}'' (South Korea).
|-
| Japan, duh.
| Well... {{w|Japan}}.
|-
| Taiwan (actually called "The Republic of China" – it's complicated.
| This is a reference to the complicated political history of {{w|Taiwan}}. After the {{w|Chinese Civil War}}, the Nationalists fled China for the island of Taiwan and set up a government in exile there, vowing to return. In the intervening 70 years or so, Taiwan eventually began to transform into a democracy and a country of its own, but hasn't shed the name, or the animosity with China. Taiwan and China are separate countries, but due to the name, Taiwan is often wrongly said to be part of China. The government of China also claims {{w|Political status of Taiwan|sovereignty of Taiwan}} and Taiwan is not represented by the United Nations... hence the it's complicated tag. There is also a missing end-paren here, which is either a typo or a reference to [[859]]. The tag 'it's complicated' is one of the options for relationship statuses on Facebook, and denotes two people whose relationship defies the usual labels. In this case it is the relationship between the countries which is complicated.
|-
| Sulawesi
| As a running gag, the island of {{w|Sulawesi}} (formerly known as Celebes) is depicted in several map-like drawings and charts (see [[256: Online Communities]], [[273: Electromagnetic Spectrum]], [[802: Online Communities 2]], and [[1555: Exoplanet Names 2]]). Of course, there are good reasons to show it on an actual world map like the one here.
|-
| Paupa New Guinea
| A spelling mistake of {{w|Papua New Guinea}}.
|-
| Phillipines
| A spelling mistake of the {{w|Philippines}}.
|}

==Transcript==
:THE WORLD
:According to a Group of
:'''AMERICANS'''
:who turned out to be unexpectedly good at geography, derailing our attempt to illustrate their country's attitude toward the rest of the world.

:[Left to right, up to down.]

:[North of Canada.] Hey so what projection should we use?
:I'll aim for "Robinson."

:[North America.] Alaska; Canada; Hudson Bay; Québec; United States
:Did you know Maine is actually the US state closest to Africa?; Bermuda (British!)

:[Central America.] Baja California (Mexico); Mexico; Central America; Panama Canal; Gulf of Mexico; Cuba; Hispañola; POR.; Jamaica
:Do we have to label all the Virgin Islands?

:[South America.] Rest of South America (spanish-speaking); Brazil (portugese-speaking); French, and I think Dutch and English; Tierra del Fuego

:[Greenland.] Greenland (still too big!); Yeah but the Peters map is awful; Iceland

:[Europe.] British Isles; Ireland; Gibralter; Scandanavia; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; Black sea; Middle East

:[Africa.] Morocco; Algera; Sahara Desert; West Africa; Sudan; Rainforest DRC; Lake Victoria; Somalia; Angola; Mozambique; South Africa; Cape Horn; Madagascar

:[West of DRC.] So this is one of those things where you point out our ignorance and stereotypes?
:Yeah – I mean, I freely admit I don't know the African map very well, which speaks volumes in itself.

:[West Asia.] Russia; Aral sea (Gone); Various former Soviet states; Afghanistan & Pakistan; India; Mostly Muslim; Mostly Hindu

:[Indian Ocea.] Sri Lanka; Boxing Day Quake
:Wait, "Boxing day"? There's no way you're American.
:I read BBC News, OK?

:[East Asia.] Mongolia; Tibet (contested); China; Southeast Asia

:[Pacific Ocean.] Kamchatka Pennisula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk.
:Koreas; Japan, duh.; Taiwan (actually called "The Republic of China." – it's complicated.); Phillipines; Malaysia; Indonesia; Sulawesi; Paupa New Guinea; Australia; Tasmania; New Zealand

:[South of Africa.] Should we include Antarctica?
:Let's not – these guys are looking impatient.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Maps]]

845: Modern History

2020-02-05T14:43:42Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 845
| date = January 10, 2011
| title = Modern History
| image = modern history.png
| titletext = During the week, I research my character by living in his house and raising his children.
}}

==Explanation==
War reenactment is a hobby in which people act out a battle from some previous time period. Theoretical "real-time" war reenactment takes this one step further by having someone act out a war that is actually happening at the time.

The title text refers to how someone would research the character that someone would play in a normal war reenactment in order for a more enjoyable reenactment. Once again, the title text makes a real-time version of this, having someone actually live the life of the real-time fighter.

==Transcript==
:[Warzone. A soldier in modern American combat gear holding a rifle turns to face Cueball, who is wearing an ersatz copy of the same uniform and clutching a wooden rifle.]
:Sound effect: ''BLAM BLAM''
:Sound effect: '''''KABOOM'''''
:Soldier: Will you ''please'' stop imitating everything I do?
:Cueball: Will you ''please'' stop...
:My Hobby: real time war reenactment.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

842: Mark

2020-02-05T14:27:47Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ added detail

{{comic
| number = 842
| date = January 3, 2011
| title = Mark
| image = mark.png
| titletext = I'm a solipsistic conspiracy theorist. I'm sure I must be up to something, and I will not stop until I find out what.
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic, [[Science Girl]] asks [[Cueball]] about a mark on his arm. He apparently believes he is part of a secret society, so secret that he doesn't know anything about the society. His belief in the existence of the society, and that he is a part of it, stem from one contact with an 'agent'. Most people would immediately dismiss the idea of such a secret society, especially with no evidence of its existence, and no knowledge of the goals or even whether it is inherently good or evil.

Six years after being 'chosen', Cueball finds the scrap of paper with an address on it, and the can of {{w|kerosene}}. Both of these events are not unlikely, and easily explained as simple coincidences, but Cueball somehow sees this as a command that he must burn down the house. Cueball shows that he is willing to put other peoples lives at risk, destroy property and possessions, and face the possibility of prison all because of one event six years prior.

Cueball's belief in the society, his delusional linking of the address and kerosene, and his actions in burning down the house, show how badly he wants to be part of something bigger, and to find meaning in the "Chaos of Life".

The punchline refers to an old grade school/middle school prank (Urban Dictionary: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pen15+club pen 15 club], [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pen15 Pen 15].) You'd typically walk up to an unsuspecting schoolmate and ask them if he wants to join the Pen Fifteen club. You'd tell them that to join, you merely have to write the club name on them. You'd then write "PEN15" on their hand or arm, and everyone would laugh at them because it looks like "PENIS". (In a common variant, it is simply called the Pen Club, 15 is the victim's "member number", and the pranksters write "PEN13" and "PEN14" on themselves.) In this case, [[Cueball]] fell victim to this prank as a child without ever figuring out the joke.

As for the title text, {{w|solipsism}} is the philosophical idea that only your own mind is sure to exist while other minds can't be really known and so those other minds are not proved to be real. In this context it might mean that the only one who can conspire would be you, hiding the truth from yourself.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and science girl are talking.]
:Science girl: What's that on your arm?
:Cueball: The mark of a secret society.

:Science girl: If it's secret, why tell me-
:Cueball: Because I know nothing. I can't betray them because I don't know who they are. I was chosen by an agent 20 years ago. That was my first and last direct contact. It's safer that way.

:Six years later I found a piece of paper in the street with an address on it. The next day I found a can of kerosene in my garage that I'm sure I never bought.
:[The panel represents these actions by highlighting the mentioned objects in a world of gray.]

:I didn't know whose house it was. I just knew that I'd been given my orders. And I carried them out.
:[A dark figure holding the kerosene is silhouetted against a flame.]

:Cueball: I don't know who or what we're fighting.
:Cueball: Maybe we're the bad guys.
:Cueball: It doesn't matter to me.

:Cueball: It's enough to know that there are forces working beneath the chaos of life, and I'm a ''part'' of them.

:Cueball: That whatever this "pen fifteen" club is,
:Cueball: I'm ''in'' it.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Penis]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Science Girl]]

633: Blockbuster Mining

2020-02-04T20:12:38Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ grammar

{{comic
| number = 633
| date = September 7, 2009
| title = Blockbuster Mining
| image = blockbuster mining.png
| titletext = The 2007 Bridge To Terebithia trailer put me off too much to see that particular movie, but I am cautiously optimistic about Where The Wild Things Are.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] has acquired the {{w|intellectual property}} rights to produce a movie, but is unsure of how to make it appealing to a wide audience. An off-screen character suggests hiring {{w|Michael Bay}}, a director and producer well known (and occasionally criticized) for his style of film adaptation. Cueball is unsure that the IP would be a good fit for a summer blockbuster, but is dismissed.

The following panels depict violent and gritty scenes from a spy thriller, starring an unknown and brutal female spy. In the last panel, she is revealed to be {{w|Harriet the Spy}}, the 11 year old protagonist of a bestselling children's book written by Louise Fitzhugh, as well as other spinoff books written by various other authors.

The comic references Hollywood's search for new stories to adapt to film, and how poor (not to mention {{w|Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters|violent}}) some of these adaptations can be. There is additional humor in the fact that the original novel is about school-child concerns such as friends and is not violent.

The {{w|Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)|film adaptation}} of {{w|Bridge to Terabithia (novel)|Bridge to Terabithia}} had trailers that made it appear to have very little in common with the themes and tone of the novel. The actual movie is one of Hollywood's better book adaptations {{w|Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)#Reception|[1]}} but the trailers were extremely misleading and off-putting to fans of the novel, as in the title text. Viewers who were unfamiliar with the novel and saw the movie with expectations based on the trailer were also unprepared for the actual movie {{w|Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)#Marketing_and_promotion|[2]}}. The trailer was essentially every single special-effect shot from the movie, giving the impression it was a special-effects extravaganza, which would have been very inappropriate based on the novel, and does not reflect the actual content of the movie.

The {{w|Where_the_Wild_Things_Are_(film)|film adaptation}} of {{w|Where the Wild Things Are}} was met with {{w|Where_the_Wild_Things_Are_(film)#Critical response|favorable responses from critics}}, the public, and the {{w|Maurice Sendak|book's author}}.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball holds a script in his hands.]
:Cueball: We've acquired some new rights, but I'm not sure it's in the spirit to make it a blockbuster--
:Voice: Do it anyway. Take $100 million, hire Michael Bay.
:Cueball: But--
:Voice: ''NEXT!''

:[Panel is inverted, white on black background.]
:[Two men are pointing machine guns at Harriet. Harriet points two handguns back at them.]
:Harriet: They said if I were captured I should take my own life.
:Harriet: But I'd just as soon take yours.

:[Harriet jumps off a cliff carrying a spiral notebook and a gun, while the cliff explodes behind her. In the background is a helicopter, some mountains, and the sea.]
:''BOOM''

:[Panel is inverted, white and red on black background.]
:[Man is tied to a chair. Blood is pooling on the ground below. Harriet stands in front, holding a bloody pipe.]
:Man: Stop! I'll talk!
:Harriet: No, I know everything. This is just for fun.

:[Crosshairs follow a man.]
:Harriet: I'll be watching.

:[The panel is inverted colour, white on black.]
:Harriet
:the
:[in red] ''SPY''
:[A bloody spiral notebook, with blood streaks leading from it.]

==Trivia==
Apparently, ''Harriet the Spy'' was actually adapted into [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_the_Spy_%28film%29 a film] in 1996. Presumably{{Citation needed}} it was more faithful to the novel than this xkcd.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Comics with blood]]

870: Advertising

2019-12-12T13:38:16Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 870
| date = March 9, 2011
| title = Advertising
| image = mathematically annoying.png
| titletext = I remember the exact moment in my childhood when I realized, while reading a flyer, that nobody would ever spend money solely to tell me they wanted to give me something for nothing. It's a much more vivid memory than the (related) parental Santa talk.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic pokes fun at some advertising tricks, analyzing them mathematically.

*In the first panel, "up to 15% or more" is a reference to the {{w|Geico}} car insurance commercial catchphrase: "15 minutes could save you up to 15% or more on car insurance", though some do not include the words "up to". The phrase in the comic means "less than, equal to, or more than 15%," which is true no matter whether you save anything or not (it's a {{w|Tautology (logic)|tautology}}).

:The equation at the top of the panel expresses the same thing using {{w|set theory}} notation. It reads out as: The {{w|Union (set theory)|union}} of {{w|Set (mathematics)|sets}} A and B equals the set of all x, such that x is {{w|Inequality (mathematics)|less than or equal to}} 15, or greater than 15, which equals the set of all {{w|real numbers}}.

:The same is expressed again with a {{w|number line}}; the numbers being interpreted as {{w|percentages}}. The first range, ending with a black dot, indicates that everything below, as well as the number 15, is included ("up to 15%"). The second range beginning with a white dot indicates that it only includes numbers strictly bigger than 15 ("more than 15%"). The two ranges combined clearly cover the entire number line.

:Geico's advertising is also referenced in [[42: Geico]].

*Second panel: Whatever is advertised with a big capital "FREE!" splashed over the ad, most likely does not belong to the things truly free. The small asterisk, indicates the presence of a {{w|fine print}}, ensuring that the advertisers are only technically not guilty of {{w|false advertising}}. The conditions attached in the fine typically reveals how they will (try to) make money from you.

:We are even given a little formula to calculate the average amount of money they expect to make from the readers. The assumption is that they expect to generate at least as much income from the ad as what they paid to print and publish it in the first place.

*The third panel relates to sales tactics that are based on a scaling percentage rate - for example, all items are 20% off, but if you spend more than $200, you get 30% off instead, and so on. These are almost universally proclaimed with a phrase like "The more you spend, the more you save!" In absolute dollar terms, this is of course nonsense, as "spending" is the opposite of "saving", and the deal is there to make you spend more. The graph shows this interpretation - spending zero money implies you have saved all your money (the dot where it intersects the X axis), whereas spending all your money implies you have saved none (the dot where it intersects the Y axis). There is a linear relationship between the two: the amount of money spent, plus the amount of money saved, has to add up to a constant number (your original savings).

The title text compares Randall's realization of the "FREE"-fraud to the revelation that {{w|Santa Claus}} is not real.

==Transcript==
:Mathematically Annoying Advertising:

:A ∪ B = {x:x ≤ 15 or x > 15} = ℝ
:[line graph representing the above equation.]
:When discussing real numbers, it is impossible to get more vague than "up to 15% or more".

:["'''FREE!'''*" in large text, with substantial illegible fine print.]
:If someone has paid $x to have the word "free" typeset for you and N other people to read, their expected value for the money that will move from you to them is at least $(x / (N+1))

:[Graph representing inverse relationship between "amount you spend" on the y axis and "amount you save" on the x axis.]
:It would be difficult for the phrase "the more you spend the more you save" to be more wrong.

==Trivia==
Randall changed the image name from advertising.png to mathematically_annoying.png, since adblocking extensions interpreted it as an ad and made the comic blank. He had the same problem again just three months later with [[906: Advertising Discovery]].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Line graphs]]
[[Category:Math]]

852: Local g

2019-12-12T13:16:25Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 852
| date = January 26, 2011
| title = Local g
| image = local g.png
| titletext = In Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the same jump will get an athlete 0.25% higher (>1cm) than in London four years prior.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] explains in the first panel, that the {{w|centrifugal force}} (not be confused with the {{w|centripetal force}} - which is made clear in [[123: Centrifugal Force]] - cited in the first frame of this comic) along with variations in the earth's shape causes the gravitational force to vary by half a percent between some cities. These variations could have a significant effect on certain sporting events; for example, Cueball explains that a pole vaulter might jump 2 cm higher in a city with a smaller gravitational force.

So Cueball writes an article reevaluating pole vaulting world records based on the city in which the record was accomplished. His article suggests that some athletes should not have received an award for breaking a record because they did so in a city with a below average gravitational force. These pole vaulters whose records were questioned by Cueball's article angrily stage a protest outside of Cueball's apartment.

Then Cueball proceeds to taunt them reasoning that they can't harm him because his building is locked. Cueball and [[Megan]] then hear a crash indicating that the protesters have managed to reach the apartment's balcony. When Cueball asks out loud how the pole vaulters reached the balcony, Megan stares at him for a moment and then he realizes the stupidity of that question: the pole vaulters pole-vaulted onto the balcony.

At the title text [[Randall]] explains that in fact the gravity force at the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 compared to London in 2012 will make a difference of more than one centimeter, mainly because Rio de Janeiro is much closer to equator than London resulting in an increased centrifugal, or, perhaps centripetal, if you prefer to be more contrasting, force.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: Did you know that because of centrifugal* force and the shape of the Earth, "gravity" can vary by nearly half a percent between major cities?
::<nowiki>*</nowiki>Yes, centrifugal. xkcd.com/123

:Cueball: That's not a lot, but it could affect, say, pole vaulting. In a 5m jump, it could make a difference of 2cm.

:Megan: Huh, interesting.
:Cueball: I'm going to write an article reevaluating vaulting records to take this into account.

:Three days later:
:Megan: Good job. There's an angry mob of athletes outside.

:[He looks off the balcony. The mob of athletes is out of frame.]
:Athlete: That record was mine!
:Athlete: How dare you cast doubt on our honor?
:Athlete: Have you no respect?!
:Athlete: Make him pay!
:Cueball: Hey, the math doesn't lie. Suck it, jocks.

:Megan: Dude, don't provoke them.
:Cueball: Whatever. The building's locked. Let 'em vent for a-
:''crash''
:Off-panel Athlete: GET HIM!

:Cueball: Crap!
:Cueball: How did the pole vaulters get up to our balcony?

:Megan: ...

:[Beat frame.]

:[Cueball has his hand on his face]
:Megan: That might be the stupidest question I've ever heard.
:Cueball: Right.

==Trivia==
*A similar effect on sports caused by of altitude was one of the topics of [[2153: Effects of High Altitude]].

{{comic discussion}}

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

848: 3D

2019-12-12T13:11:55Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 848
| date = January 17, 2011
| title = 3D
| image = 3d.png
| titletext = The LINACs in the glasses frames can barely manage one MeV. You should've gone to the screening at CERN.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|String theory}} hypothesizes that there are many more than 3 dimensions, it's just that we can't see the rest because they're "rolled up." A common metaphor is an ant on a tightrope — it has two degrees of freedom, one along the rope and one around it, but from far away we can only see one.

So [[Black Hat]] released his 2D movie about string theory in "3D", and claimed that the third dimension was there — just too small to see.

The title text refers to {{w|linear particle accelerators}}, or "LINACs," which are used to create high-energy particles. Incidentally, the glasses give their particles one mega-electronvolt (symbol {{w|MeV}}) of energy, which is not particularly high for a particle accelerator. The title text suggests that such moviegoers should try the accelerators at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, {{w|CERN}}, since they are widely known for producing the highest energies in the millions of MeV, and thus have the best chance of unraveling the small dimensions of string theory.

On the [http://xk3d.xkcd.com/848/ xk3d prank site] created along with [[880: Headache]], the 3D on this comic is not visible.

==Transcript==
:[People are lined up to see a movie.]
:Premiering Tonight:
:String Theory:
:An Exposé
:Presented In 3D!

:[The people are in a dark theater, fiddling with their glasses.]
:''???''

:[The people angrily approach black hat guy, who's sitting at a desk.]
:Megan: Your movie was a ripoff.
:Cueball: It wasn't 3D at all!
:Black Hat: Was too.
:Black Hat: It's just that the third dimension is tightly rolled up and too small to observe at normal energies.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

Talk:2240: Timeline of the Universe

2019-12-11T20:02:17Z

DPS2004: talked

"Cool Bug Epoch" reminds me of the last panel in 1493 and 2191, but it's probably coincidental.--[[User:GoldNinja|GoldNinja]] ([[User talk:GoldNinja|talk]]) 19:44, 11 December 2019 (UTC)
:Reminds me of [https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/455/655/ff5.png Cool Bug Fact's] [[User:DPS2004|DPS2004'); DROP TABLE users;--]] ([[User talk:DPS2004|talk]]) 20:02, 11 December 2019 (UTC)

2240: Timeline of the Universe

2019-12-11T19:41:08Z

DPS2004: made transcript

{{comic
| number = 2240
| date = December 11, 2019
| title = Timeline of the Universe
| image = timeline_of_the_universe.png
| titletext = Not actual size, except technically at one spot near the left.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by the BIG BANG. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the size of the universe, presented as a timeline. Some events on it are real, but others are jokes.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:'''Timeline of the Universe'''

:??

:Big Bang
:[The Universe comes in as a circle with action lines around it. It stays the same size for a while.]

:Planck Epoch

:Medium Bang
:[The Universe starts inflating very slowly]

:Inflation
:[The Universe briefly inflates very rapidly, and returns to its normal rate of expansion.]

:Quark Epoch

:Lepton Epoch

:Photon Epoch

:Cool Bug Epoch

:[The Universe starts inflating and deflating rapidly, as if to form a grip.]
:Molded grip

:[Stars appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating slightly faster than before.]
:Stars form

:Stagflation
:[The Universe starts deflating slowly.]

:Settling

:Rebound
:[The Universe starts inflating slowly again.]

:Someone tripped and accidentally hit the "Inflation" switch again
:[The Universe starts inflating at the same rate as the Inflation section.]

:Emergency Stop triggered
:[The Universe abruptly stops inflating, and stays level.]

:[Galaxies appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating at a medium pace.]
:Galaxies form

:Earth forms

:Present day
:[We see the edge of the Universe, with a rounded shape. Various dotted line predictions are on the edges.]
:Future Cosmological development handed over to J.J. Abrams, outcome unknown
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:Timelines]]
[[Category:Charts]]

2240: Timeline of the Universe

2019-12-11T19:17:32Z

DPS2004: +Category:Space; +Category:Timelines; +Category:Charts using HotCat

2240: Timeline of the Universe

2019-12-11T19:14:34Z

DPS2004:

831: Weather Radar

2019-12-11T19:11:39Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 831
| date = December 8, 2010
| title = Weather Radar
| image = weather_radar.png
| titletext = Ever notice how there aren't as many thunderstorms now as there were when you were a kid? Much like 'the shuffle on my MP3 player has a bias', this is occasionally true but universally believed. Brains are so interesting!
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|weather radar}} is a device which uses the reflection of radio waves from rain or snow to detect where there is rainfall. The information from the radar is then shown on a map. In this case green means light rain while red or white represent very heavy rain - possibly a {{w|thunderstorm}}. These maps can be quite beautiful and mesmerizing to look at. In this case the speaker (who is located where the black dot is) enjoys watching interesting, unexpected events on the radar and is surprised to see a massive, unexpected storm heading straight for him. A storm indeed appears but splits in half and passes either side of him. The reaction of the speaker seems to suggest that this has happened before.

The caption suggests that this happens when the people who run the radar notice you looking at the page enough they tease you by adding a fake storm coming towards you which then disappears just as it approaches the speaker.

The title text explores how our perceptions are often inaccurate - someone may think that there are fewer storms than when they were young or that certain songs come up more often on their MP3 player, even when they don't. There are lots of these {{w|List of cognitive biases|types of biases in judgement}}.

==Transcript==
:[A black dot on a pixelated weather radar screen.]
:Sigh. Just a few clouds.

:[The clouds develop into orange, to the left of the dot.]
:Whoa! Huge storm out of nowhere!

:[The orange becomes red, and the storm moves towards the dot.]
:It's ''growing!'' And headed right for me! ''Awesome!''

:[The storm splits in half.]
:Hey! What's it...

:[The two halves of the storm pass by the dot.]
:Dammit! ''Again?!''

:When the folks at the weather offices see you refreshing the radar too often, they start teasing you.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Weather]]

827: My Business Idea

2019-12-11T19:08:21Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ subliminal came out after this comic

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

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

In reality, having a great idea alone of course does not create a profitable business; there must generally be an enormous amount of work and effort (not to mention risk-taking) put in to create a business from scratch, popularize it, and keep it standing. Cueball, having done none of this, would probably not deserve close to the "30% cut" he claims even if intellectual property did work the way it is presented here.

This comic originally shared name with [[1721: Business Idea]], but then this comic was renamed. There were no other relations between the ideas for the two comics, see the trivia section below.

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

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

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

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

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

==Trivia==
*This comic was originally called "Business Idea" but Randall renamed it to fix a conflict on xkcd when he released [[1721: Business Idea]] about five years later (as in the comic).
**This comic was thus also renamed on this page.
**It gave quite some turbulence on the release day as can be seen in the [[1721: Business Idea#Trivia|trivia section]] of the new comic.
*The delivery address is to Ash Tree Lane, and as shown in [[472: House of Pancakes]], Randall knows how to mess with people who've read House of Leaves.
*20,000,000$ x 30% = 6,000,000$- a lot of cash for doing nothing but having an idea.
{{comic discussion}}

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

789: Showdown

2019-09-24T14:18:42Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ fixed spacing

{{comic
| number = 789
| date = September 8, 2010
| title = Showdown
| image = showdown.png
| titletext = The tumbleweed then tried to roll off into the sunset, but due to the Old West's placement north of the subtropical ridge, the prevailing winds were in the wrong direction.
}}

==Explanation==
Shootouts were common in many old {{w|Western (genre)|Western}} films, most famous on {{w|spaghetti Westerns}}. Commonly, to accentuate the silence and dreariness of the scene before the fight, a {{w|tumbleweed}} would roll past the fighters. In this comic, the two gunmen, as per the cliche, stand quietly. The tumbleweed then rolls past, and pulls a pair of revolvers. It then shoots both of the gunfighters simultaneously, winning the duel. This is somewhat unusual.{{Citation needed}}

The title text refers to a common trope in Westerns to have the hero (or in this case, the tumbleweed) ride (roll) into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. However, given that prevailing winds go from West to East, that means that the tumbleweed would be unable to tumble into the sunset, thus meaning it cannot reenact this trope no matter how hard it tries.

==Transcript==
:[Two cowboys face off silently in the desert, the blazing sun beating down.]

:[They exchange steely glares, hands poised to reach their guns, as a tumbleweed rolls into frame.]
:''TUMBLE''

:[Close-up on the tumbleweed. It draws two guns.]
:''CLICK CLICK''

:[The tumbleweed shoots both cowboys simultaneously, and they fall backwards.]
:''BLAM BLAM''

{{comic discussion}}

2206: Mavis Beacon

2019-09-24T13:28:02Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ oops fixed spacing

{{comic
| number = 2206
| date = September 23, 2019
| title = Mavis Beacon
| image = mavis_beacon.png
| titletext = There are actually lowercase-like 'oldstyle' forms of normal numbers with more pronounced ascenders and descenders, which is why some numbers like '5' in books sometimes dangle below the line. But the true capital numbers remain the domain of number maven Mavis Beacon.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an END BOSS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

''{{w|Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing}}'' is a computer game first released in 1987, with the goal of teaching touch-typing and improving typing speed on a computer keyboard. Unlike many video games, ''Mavis Beacon'' contains no combat and therefore does not feature any "{{w|Boss_(video_gaming)#Final_boss|end boss}}" (a very powerful enemy encountered as the final challenge of the game). In many video games, defeating major opponents "unlocks" special features, such as improved weapons. Also, playing ''Mavis Beacon'', although it may improve typing skill, has no effect on how typing works on one's computer.

However, [[Cueball]] asserts that after 30 years of playing ''Mavis Beacon'', he encountered and defeated such a boss. Playing the same game for 30 years is absurd, and probably not good for your mental health.{{Citation needed}} Regardless, Cueball claims that defeating this "end boss" unlocked an ability to type esoteric "capital numbers," which Randall depicts as more extravagant versions of the familiar numerals. (Although modern Latin letters have different capital and lower-case forms, numerals do not.)

Typing such numerals is said to require pressing the Alt, tilde (~), Scroll Lock, and numeral keys at the same time. Some keyboard layouts do not have a scroll lock key or a separate tilde key (such that pressing ~ actually requires pressing a shift key along with the ~ key), and in any event pressing four or five keys at once would be quite difficult. In addition to this, many keyboards are incapable of pressing certain combinations of keys, especially combinations of more than 3. Needless to say, pressing all those keys simultaneously does not, in fact, do anything like what the comics describes in any known computer system, though some smaller subset of those keys together (i.e. "Alt ~" or "Alt numeral-key") might activate other operating system or user-defined shortcuts.

In the title text, Randall states that [https://www.bamagazine.com/Text-type-typeface-s/105.htm lowercase numerals do exist]; however, "capital numerals" are a guarded secret of Mavis Beacon. {{w|Mavis Beacon (character)|Mavis Beacon}} was the character created as the typing instructor for the ''Mavis Beacon'' game, and does not actually exist as a real-life person. Additionally, as a typing instructor, this person (even if she actually existed) would not be able to change typographical standards. {{Citation needed}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at his desk in front of his computer.]
:Computer: Congratulations.
:Computer: Use this power wisely.
:Computer: Key Code (Secret!!): <kbd>Alt</kbd> + <kbd>Tilde</kbd> + <kbd>Scroll Lock</kbd> + Number
:[stylized versions of the Arabic numerals 0-9]

:[Caption below the panel:]
:After 30 years, I finally beat the end boss of ''Mavis Beacon'' and unlocked the ability to type capital numbers.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2206: Mavis Beacon

2019-09-24T13:27:30Z

DPS2004:

{{comic
| number = 2206
| date = September 23, 2019
| title = Mavis Beacon
| image = mavis_beacon.png
| titletext = There are actually lowercase-like 'oldstyle' forms of normal numbers with more pronounced ascenders and descenders, which is why some numbers like '5' in books sometimes dangle below the line. But the true capital numbers remain the domain of number maven Mavis Beacon.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an END BOSS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

''{{w|Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing}}'' is a computer game first released in 1987, with the goal of teaching touch-typing and improving typing speed on a computer keyboard. Unlike many video games, ''Mavis Beacon'' contains no combat and therefore does not feature any "{{w|Boss_(video_gaming)#Final_boss|end boss}}" (a very powerful enemy encountered as the final challenge of the game). In many video games, defeating major opponents "unlocks" special features, such as improved weapons. Also, playing ''Mavis Beacon'', although it may improve typing skill, has no effect on how typing works on one's computer.

However, [[Cueball]] asserts that after 30 years of playing ''Mavis Beacon'', he encountered and defeated such a boss. Playing the same game for 30 years is absurd, and probably not good for your mental health{{Citation needed}}. Regardless, Cueball claims that defeating this "end boss" unlocked an ability to type esoteric "capital numbers," which Randall depicts as more extravagant versions of the familiar numerals. (Although modern Latin letters have different capital and lower-case forms, numerals do not.)

Typing such numerals is said to require pressing the Alt, tilde (~), Scroll Lock, and numeral keys at the same time. Some keyboard layouts do not have a scroll lock key or a separate tilde key (such that pressing ~ actually requires pressing a shift key along with the ~ key), and in any event pressing four or five keys at once would be quite difficult. In addition to this, many keyboards are incapable of pressing certain combinations of keys, especially combinations of more than 3. Needless to say, pressing all those keys simultaneously does not, in fact, do anything like what the comics describes in any known computer system, though some smaller subset of those keys together (i.e. "Alt ~" or "Alt numeral-key") might activate other operating system or user-defined shortcuts.

In the title text, Randall states that [https://www.bamagazine.com/Text-type-typeface-s/105.htm lowercase numerals do exist]; however, "capital numerals" are a guarded secret of Mavis Beacon. {{w|Mavis Beacon (character)|Mavis Beacon}} was the character created as the typing instructor for the ''Mavis Beacon'' game, and does not actually exist as a real-life person. Additionally, as a typing instructor, this person (even if she actually existed) would not be able to change typographical standards. {{Citation needed}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at his desk in front of his computer.]
:Computer: Congratulations.
:Computer: Use this power wisely.
:Computer: Key Code (Secret!!): <kbd>Alt</kbd> + <kbd>Tilde</kbd> + <kbd>Scroll Lock</kbd> + Number
:[stylized versions of the Arabic numerals 0-9]

:[Caption below the panel:]
:After 30 years, I finally beat the end boss of ''Mavis Beacon'' and unlocked the ability to type capital numbers.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]

Talk:777: Pore Strips

2019-09-20T17:11:12Z

DPS2004:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq7MvLgxSB4 Cyriak reference?] --[[User:Jiří Dobrý|Jiří Dobrý]] ([[User talk:Jiří Dobrý|talk]]) 10:52, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

I'm not sure because I can't quite see, but I think the strip just pulled out his skull, leaving his skin. This also makes more sense considering the labels on the box. If this is true, someone needs to fix the explanation. [[User:Athang|Athang]] ([[User talk:Athang|talk]]) 22:29, 1 May 2014 (UTC)
:Done. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 08:19, 7 May 2014 (UTC)

Please be aware that the little dark spots on your nose (the ones that all look the same size with no obvious swelling) are supposed to be there, they aren't dirt or an infection, and using pore strips to remove them won't help, and they come back anyway. -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 04:22, 13 August 2015 (UTC)

Title text explanation? -dudinacas {{unsigned ip|198.41.239.34}}

Alas, poor Yorick! [[User:DPS2004|DPS2004'); DROP TABLE users;--]] ([[User talk:DPS2004|talk]]) 17:11, 20 September 2019 (UTC)

738: Incision

2019-09-20T16:16:41Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 738
| date = May 10, 2010
| title = Incision
| image = incision.png
| titletext = At one point, by force of childhood habit, the doctor accidentally removed three or four organs.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Operation (game)|Operation}}'' is a board game wherein one attempts to remove the organs of a patient with a pair of tweezers. A flat board has a cartoon image of a "patient", and dotted around various areas are holes inside of which contain plastic pieces representing the organs.

Additionally, each hole is lined with a metal connector, and the tweezers are made of metal, connecting via wire to the board. When the tweezers make contact with a metal connector, a buzzer sounds and a lamp on the patient's nose lights up to signal an error.

The game is notoriously difficult as the organs are quite small, and the buzzer is considered by players to be annoying, if not actually startling, particularly considering how much focus and steady hand is required to avoid the tweezers making contact with a metal connector.

In the comic, a child swallows a buzzer from such a board game, and the joke lies in the similarity between the game and actual surgery when the buzzer is brought into the mix. The title text brings this further by describing an incident where the doctor ended up removing several organs (the object of the game, but obviously not a good idea in real life{{Citation needed}}).

==Transcript==
:[Two doctors wearing surgical masks are standing over a prone patient. One of them is touching the patient's chest with a scalpel.]
:Doctor: I'm making the incision above the left—
:'''''BZZZZT!'''''
:Doctor: Augh!

:October 8th, 2004:
:A child swallows an "Operation" buzzer, leading to the single most difficult surgery ever performed.

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

734: Outbreak

2019-09-20T16:13:21Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ capitalized "blam"

{{comic
| number = 734
| date = April 30, 2010
| title = Outbreak
| image = outbreak.png
| titletext = Let's get dinner after we promptly destroy all the X-7 we've manufactured.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Index case|Patient Zero}} is the usual terminology for the first patient tested or infected with an {{w|outbreak}}-style infection, (in the comic's case, a zombie outbreak,) like in the movie ''{{w|Outbreak (film)|Outbreak}}'', which is not the main inspiration for this comic, except maybe the title.

This comic, however, serves to make fun of the stereotypical {{w|List of zombie films|zombie movie}} in which an unlikely series of events, coupled with extreme oversight on part of the staff, leave an opening for an outbreak to begin. Often, the infected find themselves lacking any restraint or containment, and freely move about in search of humans to infect.

In the comic Ryan (drawn as [[Cueball]]) tells Laura (drawn as [[Megan]]) that the patient has been exposed to ''toxin X-7''. The patient (a {{w|zombie}} version of a Cueball-like guy) can be seen through a window inside a laboratory, with Ryan trying to block the door. The patient has turned into a ''bloodthirsty monster'' that in true zombie-style calls out for brains, while walking with both arms stretched out and bits of him falling off, three typical cliches for zombie movies.

Laura then asks if the zombie has been kept in {{w|Isolation (health care)|isolation}}, a standard medical procedure that prevents the patient from coming into contact with anyone or anything not specifically approved, and thus prevents the spread of the disease. Her question serves to point out the drastic difference in real-life procedure and zombie movies.

When told that so far the zombie has been isolated her next action is to run to her car to obtain the weapon she has there to destroy the zombie, again showing contrast against the often irrational and illogical actions of medical staff in movies, whose behaviors usually lead to their deaths and to the spread of the disease, which causes the real outbreak. Because one person (or a few people) dying from a disease is not called an outbreak.

When Laura returns she kills patient zero, before he infects any other, thus the outbreak ends in the third panel five minutes after it started in the first panel.

The comic ends with a little "mock the audience" joke as romantic comedies stereotypically have a very different audience from zombie horror movies. The two characters had never been introduced before, their names are first given in the last panel. Having such an intense and life-threatening experience often causes people to fall in love. But for a zombie/disaster movie this is supposed to happen just before the end titles, so you have all the fun first, and can go home on the happy ending. Since the "fun" part only lasted for five minutes the rest of the movie will now describe Ryan and Laura's romantic relationship after this comic.

As a result, the director(s) of this movie are deliberately showing the wrong kind of film to the audience attracted by the title or teaser. This would be disastrous for a movie in real life given that audiences do not take kindly to such antics and are likely to pour hate about it online, dissuading others from going, and alienating both those audiences who enjoy romantic comedies and those who enjoy zombie films, leaving just a niche occupied by the people who enjoy both.

The title-text is included as another example of the logical real-life actions versus the illogical movie ones, as any dangerous substance in a real lab would be disposed of, preventing further harm. In zombie movies, another major trope is the medical staff thinking that they are safe after they eliminate the first zombie, only to find the remaining chemicals have been used to make more. But before Ryan and Laura have had dinner, they promptly go back and destroys both the X-7 toxin and the last hope of the zombie fans seeing the movie of any further action...

Zombies are a [[:Category:Zombies|recurring theme]] in xkcd. Though zombies are often depicted as being raised from the death they are as mentioned often created (in films) through disease or toxins as is the case here. Apart from the three typical features of zombies mentioned, the zombie in this comic is also called zombie in the [http://xkcd.com/734/info.0.json official transcript] on xkcd.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan stand outside a door into a laboratory (with the word "LAB" in large letters on the door). Cueball is leaning back against the door. A Cueball-like zombie which is clearly falling apart, walking with its hands stretched out in front of it, is visible through a window into the laboratory. At the top of the panel there is a frame around a yellow area with narration, which goes over the top of this panel's frame.]
:Narrator: The outbreak started with Patient Zero...
:Cueball: He was exposed to toxin X-7— now he's a bloodthirsty monster!
:Megan: Has he been in isolation?
:Zombie: Braaains!

:[Cueball turns towards the door, pushing on it and partly blocking the door's label ("LA"). A noise indicates the zombie banging on the door from inside. Megan runs right her head and hand already partly outside the frame.]
:Cueball: Yes, but I can't hold this door for long!
:Megan: Hang on, I've got a gun in my truck.
:Zombie (hitting the door): ''Wham''

:[In this frame-less panel Cueball opens the door a crack, leaning back with a hand in front of his face, as Megan shoots with her shotgun through the open door at the zombie inside. The word "LAB" on the door is no longer blocked.]
:Shotgun: <big>''BLAM''</big>

:[Cueball and Megan, now revealed to be called Ryan and Laura, stand together away from the laboratory door. Megan still holds shotgun down. At the top and bottom of the panel there is two more frames around a yellow areas with narration, which goes over the top and bottom of this panel's frame. As Cueball and Megan talk, their names are revealed to be Ryan and Laura.]
:Narrator: And ended with Patient Zero five minutes later.
:Ryan: So, I never got your name. I'm Ryan.
:Laura: Laura.
:Narrator: The remaining 90 minutes of the movie will be a romantic comedy.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Zombies]]
[[Category:Fiction]]

730: Circuit Diagram

2019-09-20T16:06:55Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ fixed maker culture wikilink

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

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

{|class="wikitable table-padding left-align"
!Image Fragment
!width="130px" | Image Location
!Description
|-
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=19|Y=25|W=106|H=37|image=circuit_diagram-019-025-106-037-scale.png|text=A map scale. Lists kilometers and miles as equivalent. And makes the diagram many miles wide.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=15|Y=62|W=40|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-015-062-040-085-antenna.png|text=An antenna. Typical of radio receivers or transmitters. Or the Turtle in {{w|Logo (programming language)|LOGO programming language}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=53|Y=60|W=41|H=87|image=circuit_diagram-053-060-041-087-inductor.png|text=A coil or {{w|inductor}}. Normal, but unlabeled.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=107|Y=86|W=85|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-107-086-085-093-cloverleaf.png|text=A {{w|cloverleaf interchange}} or junction is a feature of road networks that does not belong in a circuit diagram. Of course, other types of {{w|p–n junction|junction}} are important in electronics.
A cloverleaf junction has previously been used in comic: [[253: Highway Engineer Pranks]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=184|Y=12|W=87|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-184-012-087-063-battery.png|text=A battery. The voltage of square root of two is strange, but getting about 1.41412... volts is not unheard of. This could also indicate an [[wikipedia:Root_mean_square|RMS]] voltage, although this is unlikely given that this is a DC power supply and not an AC generator. The marked polarity is also the reverse of what is implied by the symbol (where the larger terminal is positive). A possible reference to [[567: Urgent Mission]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=187|Y=110|W=94|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-187-110-094-071-resister.png|text=A 120 ohm {{w|resistor}} is normal enough. "Or to taste" is odd for a circuit diagram and more like instructions from a recipe, e.g., "1 tbsp tomato purée, or to taste".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=283|Y=50|W=90|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-283-050-090-063-switch.png|text=A normal {{w|switch}}, with a notation to glue it open. Reminiscent of the [http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/magic-story.html MAGIC/MORE MAGIC] switch.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=337|Y=101|W=69|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-337-101-069-064-transisitor.png|text=A {{w|Bipolar_junction_transistor#PNP|bipolar PNP transistor}}, except that it has two emitters and no collector. It also resembles one of the schematic symbols for a {{w|DIAC}}, except the arrows are backwards.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=52|Y=141|W=79|H=107|image=circuit_diagram-052-141-079-107-compass-points.png|text=Compass points. A map feature, not a circuit feature, but possibly useful given the circuit is many miles wide.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=18|W=63|H=58|image=circuit_diagram-415-018-063-058-resister.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled with color code. Brown-Blue-Orange would be 16000 ohms. {{w|Electronic color code|Resistor color codes}} are for reading the value on the physical device itself. They would not normally be shown on the circuit diagram, where it's much easier to just write the number, e.g. 16K.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=517|Y=14|W=42|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-517-014-042-032-diode.png|text=A normal {{w|diode}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=615|Y=55|W=73|H=74|image=circuit_diagram-615-055-073-074-666timer.png|text=A chip. The normal timer is a "{{w|555_timer_IC|555}}". "666" would be the number of the beast in [http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&c=13&v=18&t=KJV#18 Rev. 13:18]. The pin connected to "?" is the CTRL pin on a normal 555 timer, which would typically be connected to ground (via a decoupling capacitor) if used at all; the implication here seems to be that it would be connected directly to Hell itself.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=632|Y=138|W=69|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-632-138-069-041-bat.png|text=A Batman logo.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=650|Y=211|W=75|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-650-211-075-071-squirrel.png|text=A squirrel, or perhaps a wire bent into the shape of a squirrel. {{w|Electrical disruptions caused by squirrels|Squirrels are among the leading causes of disruptions to electrical grids,}} so having one as part of a circuit is inviting disaster. Squirrels also appear in past and future xkcd comics.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=606|Y=165|W=54|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-606-165-054-053-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor, or a spring symbol in Physics force diagrams, probably the latter as it is labeled with an 11-kilogram mass.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=538|Y=209|W=99|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-538-209-099-059-generator.png|text=A 240-volt AC generator (or other power source).}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=483|Y=186|W=111|H=103|image=circuit_diagram-483-186-111-103-shorted-generator.png|text=A shorting wire around a generator. The label reads "Omit this if you're a '''wimp.'''" If this wire is included, it will quickly melt - or worse.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=419|Y=78|W=57|H=75|image=circuit_diagram-419-078-057-075-scarab-beetles.png|text=A jar of {{w|Scarabaeidae|scarab beetles}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=482|Y=47|W=28|H=44|image=circuit_diagram-482-047-028-044-variable-resister.png|text=A {{w|variable resistor}} with center tap. Normally, there would be an arrowhead on the center tap.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=507|Y=53|W=22|H=27|image=circuit_diagram-507-053-022-027-capacitor.png|text=A normal {{w|capacitor}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=577|Y=318|W=96|H=62|image=circuit_diagram-577-318-096-062-magic.png|text="{{w|Magic Smoke}}" is the legendary stuff that all circuit components require to function. This is why all components cease to function after releasing smoke. }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=669|Y=315|W=51|H=66|image=circuit_diagram-669-315-051-066-frayed-wires.png|text=Some frayed or dangling wires.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=567|Y=392|W=58|H=48|image=circuit_diagram-567-392-058-048-buoy.png|text=An object which is either a {{w|Fishing float|float}} used in fishing, a {{w|Tippe top}}, or perhaps a {{w|Naval mine|mine}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=458|Y=336|W=111|H=86|image=circuit_diagram-458-336-111-086-moral-rectifier.png|text=A {{w|Diode_bridge|bridge rectifier}}, which would normally turn alternating current at the top and bottom into direct current on the left and right. In this case, it is labeled as a "moral rectifier". This is presumably a play on the idea of moral rectitude – it makes your circuit more moral. Why this matters in a circuit is unclear.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=423|Y=259|W=80|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-423-259-080-085-warm-front.png|text=This resembles both the schematic symbol for part of a {{w|transformer}} and the meteorological symbol for a warm front. A {{w|warm front}} is a feature on a {{w|Surface weather analysis|synoptic weather map}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=190|Y=199|W=54|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-190-199-054-052-battery.png|text=A normal 50-volt battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=200|W=89|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-173-200-089-056-shorted-battery.png|text=A battery is grounded on both sides. Something will melt or burn out quickly, unless these are separate "earth ground"s, in which case the ground might get a bit cooked.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=259|Y=198|W=174|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-259-198-174-025-pull-wire.png|text=Text reads "Pull this wire really tight". This kind of physical-property issue may indicate a high-frequency radio device. Or, given the absurdity of the context, it's a silly reference to a "high tension wire."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=141|Y=211|W=41|H=91|image=circuit_diagram-141-211-041-091-3-8-inch.png|text=A specified 3/8-inch separation. This probably indicates a carefully controlled capacitance issue. Also contradicts the scale of the drawing, by which the distance shown would be about 0.8 miles or 0.8 km.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=309|W=92|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-173-309-092-059-eel.png|text=An {{w|electric eel}}. This may be an effective power source in the circuit, capable of producing a shock at up to 600 volts and 1 ampere of current (600 watts), but for less than 2 ms.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=266|Y=307|W=35|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-266-307-035-041-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=222|Y=358|W=34|H=29|image=circuit_diagram-222-358-034-029-capacitor.png|text=A normal capacitor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=130|Y=335|W=44|H=40|image=circuit_diagram-130-335-044-040-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled "ë". This may be a play on {{w|e (mathematical constant)|Euler's Number}}, which doesn't normally have a {{w|tréma}} or an {{w|umlaut (linguistics)|umlaut}}. Alternatively instead of being an umlaut or tréma it may indicate the second {{w|derivative}} of e with respect to time in {{w|Newton's notation}}, in which case, as e is a constant, the resistance of this element is zero.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=65|Y=249|W=61|H=92|image=circuit_diagram-065-249-061-092-blender.png|text=Our best guess is that this is a {{w|blender}}. Due to the scale, this would certainly be the worlds largest blender. Record setting blenders are not typically part of computer circuits{{Citation needed}}}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=20|Y=342|W=115|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-020-342-115-073-arduino.png|text=An {{w|arduino}}, labeled "Arduino, just for blog cred". May refer to the fact that inexpensive, easy-to-integrate single-board computers like the arduino, which have contributed to the rise of {{w|Maker culture}}, are used and discussed frequently in that culture, and the use of one might impress readers. The comment implies that an arduino is not otherwise needed in this circuit, although it is necessarily hard to tell, given the other components of the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=39|Y=423|W=118|H=82|image=circuit_diagram-039-423-118-082-meca.png|text=A chip labeled "Most expensive chip available". The small curve at the top is a part of the packaging designed to show its orientation.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=159|Y=428|W=91|H=50|image=circuit_diagram-159-428-091-050-neck-strap.png|text=Labeled "Neck Strap". Perhaps a piece of torture equipment or indicating that the circuit is part of an {{w|electric chair}}? May also be a reference to the grounded wrist straps people working with electronics commonly wear, to prevent accidental static discharges from frying the circuitry.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=147|Y=480|W=110|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-147-480-110-088-switch.png|text=A switch labeled "Hire someone to open and close switch real fast." Possibly meant to perform the function of an {{w|Electronic oscillator|oscillator}} in a more hackish manner and the reason for the neck strap. Could also be a reference to {{w|Maxwell's Demon}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=273|Y=498|W=61|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-273-498-061-064-resistor.png|text=A 5 ohm resistor labeled "(decoy)". One end is not attached to anything. Perhaps this indicates wishful thinking that electrons might be tricked into entering this part of the circuit despite the fact that there's nowhere for them to go?}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=307|Y=453|W=103|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-307-453-103-056-tongue.png|text=A pair of contacts, labeled "Touch Tongue Here". Could be referring to the practice of daring someone to touch their tongue to the contacts of a 9V battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=301|Y=270|W=45|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-301-270-045-045-frown.png|text=A frowny-face. See the float/mine.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=294|Y=311|W=128|H=124|image=circuit_diagram-294-311-128-124-IC.png|text=A small integrated circuit. The lower gate is an {{w|Inverter (logic gate)|inverter}}, wired as a free-running oscillator. The upper gate is an {{w|XOR gate|XOR}} wired to act as either a free-running oscillator or a latch. Since the XOR will be slower than the inverter, the overall output of the upper gate is probably very chaotic. Two "input" wires are not connected at all. An additional wire is attached to the top with hot glue. This last wire probably acts to control static electricity and leakage.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=302|Y=235|W=91|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-302-235-091-025-curve.png|text=A caution sign at a curve. Another road feature in the circuit. This is a play on the notion that 90-degree corners on printed circuit board traces can disrupt signal integrity.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=401|Y=455|W=67|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-401-455-067-068-CH3.png|text=A {{w|methyl group}} (chemistry) attached to a corner. If the circuit were an organic chemical, it would be reasonable to find a number of these.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=453|Y=167|W=43|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-453-167-043-093-baloon.png|text=A balloon, possibly blowing in a breeze.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=572|Y=68|W=22|H=43|image=circuit_diagram-572-068-022-043-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=508|Y=96|W=42|H=20|image=circuit_diagram-508-096-042-020-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=534|Y=61|W=22|H=31|image=circuit_diagram-534-061-022-031-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=472|Y=49|W=134|H=140|image=circuit_diagram-472-049-134-140-solderr-blob.png|text=A {{w|Soldering#Soldering_defects|solder blob}} covering a portion of the circuit. Normally, this would not be part of the circuit diagram, but a mistake in building the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=493|Y=443|W=207|H=158|image=circuit_diagram-493-443-207-158-res-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of 1 ohm resistors. It is labeled "Oh, so you think you're such a whiz at EE201?" The name EE201 (Electrical Engineering 201) follows US course naming conventions for what appears to be a basic level course in electrical engineering (compare the term {{w|101 (term)|101}}), which would include being taught how to [http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Series-and-Parallel-Resistance calculate the effective resistance of various resistor networks]. Performing the calculation on a network this complex would probably be extremely difficult. It appears to work out to 0.75800964845 ohms.
A grid of 1 ohm resistors has appeared earlier in [[356: Nerd Sniping]], a comic also referred to in the title text.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=315|Y=533|W=232|H=200|image=circuit_diagram-362-531-151-167-arena.png|text=An {{w|arena}}, with a few bodies in it. Note the direction of movement enforced by the surrounding diodes, {{w|Mad_Max_Beyond_Thunderdome|"two men enter, one man leaves"}}, a film reference.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=569|Y=653|W=47|H=51|image=circuit_diagram-569-653-047-051-resistor.png|text=A "{{w|pi}}" ohm resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=610|Y=655|W=75|H=70|image=circuit_diagram-610-655-075-070-generator.png|text=A 500-volt AC generator. The wiring to the right shorts out this generator.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=481|Y=682|W=85|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-481-682-085-064-ground.png|text=A ground connection, labeled "Bury deep, but not too deep". This type of ground connection is called an "earth ground" The "too deep" part might be a reference to {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Moria}} in Lord of Rings. The dwarves dug too deeply and disturbed a Balrog. See also comic [[760]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=17|Y=610|W=75|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-017-610-075-073-fishhook.png|text=A ground connection at the end of a curve, looking like a fishhook. Means perhaps "earthed down under", i.e., Australia or the southern hemisphere.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=206|Y=662|W=66|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-206-662-066-045-yarn.png|text=A length of "wire" is labeled "yarn". This probably makes it a terrible conductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=102|Y=590|W=93|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-102-590-093-088-fluxcapacitor.png|text=The {{w|DeLorean time machine#Flux capacitor|flux capacitor}} from {{w|Back to the Future}}. This may be difficult to implement, since flux capacitors are not available to most people{{Citation needed}},}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=138|Y=685|W=54|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-138-685-054-024-I95.png|text=A road sign for "I-95". {{w|Interstate 95}} is the main north-south highway on the east coast of the United States, running from Maine to Florida.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=12|Y=713|W=134|H=36|image=circuit_diagram-012-713-134-036-tothesun.png|text=A connection labeled "To center of Sun". A 93-million-mile or 150-million-km circuit is rather large, but...}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=31|Y=753|W=144|H=177|image=circuit_diagram-031-753-144-177-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of wires. Everything winds up being connected. May also be a parody diagram of an [http://i.stack.imgur.com/np2p9.png undirected graph], from graph theory.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=22|Y=513|W=97|H=61|image=circuit_diagram-022-513-097-061-esf.png|text=A label reading "Electrons Single File". If this happens, the resistance in this section of wire would be rather high.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=256|Y=619|W=29|H=39|image=circuit_diagram-256-619-029-039-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=589|Y=600|W=58|H=46|image=circuit_diagram-589-600-058-046-vibrator.png|text=A vibrator, which would be a motor with an off-center weight attached to it.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=532|Y=779|W=74|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-532-779-074-052-motor.png|text=A motor, labeled "To Scale". This indicates that the physical size and shape of the motor must match the size of the parts around it, or is consistent with the specified scale of the drawing. }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=662|Y=822|W=73|H=109|image=circuit_diagram-662-822-073-109-holy-ground.png|text=A ground connection, in a beaker labeled "{{w|Holy Water}}", possibly creating {{w|Holy ground (religion)|holy ground}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=197|Y=740|W=48|H=55|image=circuit_diagram-197-740-048-055-speed.png|text=A sign indicating a speed limit of 55 MPH. This is a rather typical road sign, but inappropriate for a circuit diagram.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=238|Y=706|W=100|H=116|image=circuit_diagram-238-706-100-116-flipflop.png|text=A pair of {{w|NOR gate}}s wired as a SR (set-reset) {{w|Flip-flop (electronics)|flip-flop}}. The label reads "May use an actual sandal instead", which is a play on the meanings of the term "{{w|Flip-flops|flip-flop}}".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=322|Y=708|W=70|H=54|image=circuit_diagram-322-708-070-054-holdingpen.png|text=Something that could be the side view of a fence, labeled "Holding Pen".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=339|Y=777|W=42|H=49|image=circuit_diagram-339-777-042-049-knot.png|text=A simple {{w|overhand knot}}. Also looks like a pretzel, which would have pretty high resistance.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=191|Y=889|W=149|H=33|image=circuit_diagram-191-889-149-033-ecg.png|text=This appears to be an {{w|Electrocardiography|electrocardiograph}} (ECG) trace, but not the sort that would be seen in a healthy person. If this were a real ECG trace, the absence of large, clear {{w|P wave (electrocardiography)|P waves}} might indicate {{w|Atrial Fibrillation|fine atrial fibrillation}}, but in some recording configurations, P waves are sometimes lost in the noise anyway. Additionally, without a time scale to tell us the ventricular heart rate, it is impossible to make a strong educated diagnosis of any hypothetical disease at all. If we assume it is atrial fibrillation, is not clear if Randall intended this, or if he is just not familiar with how a normal ECG should look. Lastly, it does not appear that this is an actual ECG machine, but simply a bent wire, much like the "Not a resistor" label nearby.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=223|Y=826|W=82|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-223-826-082-068-photodiode.png|text=A {{w|photodiode}}, labeled "Tear Collector". A photodiode is a light-sensing device.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=373|Y=859|W=49|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-373-859-049-068-lamp.png|text=A lamp. This is not [http://electronicsclub.info/circuitsymbols.htm the symbol used in electrical circuits], but a drawing of a lightbulb.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=450|Y=887|W=65|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-450-887-065-032-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=537|Y=847|W=120|H=72|image=circuit_diagram-537-847-120-072-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor, labeled "Take off shirt while wiring this part. Ooh, yeah, I like that."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=504|Y=860|W=34|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-504-860-034-041-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "?". Presumably this means the resistance is unknown.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=459|Y=828|W=55|H=38|image=circuit_diagram-459-828-055-038-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "YES". Likely another improper unit - a reference to boolean values YES (TRUE) and NO (FALSE). Depending on the limits of a circuit, a resistor would still have a YES boolean value. Possibly indicating that this is a real resistor, as opposed to the one above it in the circuit, labeled "not a resistor."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=389|Y=774|W=58|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-389-774-058-053-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "8 mm". Resistance is measured in ohms, so 8 millimeters seems nonsensical.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=443|Y=747|W=93|H=84|image=circuit_diagram-443-747-093-084-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "Not a resistor; wire just does this". Apparently the wire is or must be physically bent into a zig-zag shape, which would not serve much useful purpose in a low frequency or DC circuit, or perhaps it reflects the fact that any wire has a certain (small) amount of resistance just by being a wire. In a {{w|Radio frequency|high frequency circuit}} this can be actually useful, as the shape and length of the {{w|Transmission line|transmission line}} alters the {{w|Electrical impedance|impedance}} of the line. ([https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phaseshifter2.png Example])}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=863|W=82|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-415-863-082-024-unsure.png|text=A symbol for a feedthrough capacitor, labeled "3 Liters". Probable word-play on "capacity/capacitor." Also similar to the symbol for an orifice or flow restriction used on plumbing or hydraulic diagrams, in which case the "3 Liters" might mean 3 liters per minute or per second.}}
|}

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

==Trivia==

*This is one of the [[:Category:Footer comics|five footer comics]] linked at the bottom part of the {{xkcd}} website.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Footer comics]]
[[Category:Squirrels]]

730: Circuit Diagram

2019-09-20T16:04:40Z

DPS2004: /* Explanation */ grammar fixed on squirrel section

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

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

{|class="wikitable table-padding left-align"
!Image Fragment
!width="130px" | Image Location
!Description
|-
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=19|Y=25|W=106|H=37|image=circuit_diagram-019-025-106-037-scale.png|text=A map scale. Lists kilometers and miles as equivalent. And makes the diagram many miles wide.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=15|Y=62|W=40|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-015-062-040-085-antenna.png|text=An antenna. Typical of radio receivers or transmitters. Or the Turtle in {{w|Logo (programming language)|LOGO programming language}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=53|Y=60|W=41|H=87|image=circuit_diagram-053-060-041-087-inductor.png|text=A coil or {{w|inductor}}. Normal, but unlabeled.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=107|Y=86|W=85|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-107-086-085-093-cloverleaf.png|text=A {{w|cloverleaf interchange}} or junction is a feature of road networks that does not belong in a circuit diagram. Of course, other types of {{w|p–n junction|junction}} are important in electronics.
A cloverleaf junction has previously been used in comic: [[253: Highway Engineer Pranks]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=184|Y=12|W=87|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-184-012-087-063-battery.png|text=A battery. The voltage of square root of two is strange, but getting about 1.41412... volts is not unheard of. This could also indicate an [[wikipedia:Root_mean_square|RMS]] voltage, although this is unlikely given that this is a DC power supply and not an AC generator. The marked polarity is also the reverse of what is implied by the symbol (where the larger terminal is positive). A possible reference to [[567: Urgent Mission]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=187|Y=110|W=94|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-187-110-094-071-resister.png|text=A 120 ohm {{w|resistor}} is normal enough. "Or to taste" is odd for a circuit diagram and more like instructions from a recipe, e.g., "1 tbsp tomato purée, or to taste".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=283|Y=50|W=90|H=63|image=circuit_diagram-283-050-090-063-switch.png|text=A normal {{w|switch}}, with a notation to glue it open. Reminiscent of the [http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/magic-story.html MAGIC/MORE MAGIC] switch.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=337|Y=101|W=69|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-337-101-069-064-transisitor.png|text=A {{w|Bipolar_junction_transistor#PNP|bipolar PNP transistor}}, except that it has two emitters and no collector. It also resembles one of the schematic symbols for a {{w|DIAC}}, except the arrows are backwards.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=52|Y=141|W=79|H=107|image=circuit_diagram-052-141-079-107-compass-points.png|text=Compass points. A map feature, not a circuit feature, but possibly useful given the circuit is many miles wide.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=18|W=63|H=58|image=circuit_diagram-415-018-063-058-resister.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled with color code. Brown-Blue-Orange would be 16000 ohms. {{w|Electronic color code|Resistor color codes}} are for reading the value on the physical device itself. They would not normally be shown on the circuit diagram, where it's much easier to just write the number, e.g. 16K.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=517|Y=14|W=42|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-517-014-042-032-diode.png|text=A normal {{w|diode}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=615|Y=55|W=73|H=74|image=circuit_diagram-615-055-073-074-666timer.png|text=A chip. The normal timer is a "{{w|555_timer_IC|555}}". "666" would be the number of the beast in [http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&c=13&v=18&t=KJV#18 Rev. 13:18]. The pin connected to "?" is the CTRL pin on a normal 555 timer, which would typically be connected to ground (via a decoupling capacitor) if used at all; the implication here seems to be that it would be connected directly to Hell itself.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=632|Y=138|W=69|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-632-138-069-041-bat.png|text=A Batman logo.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=650|Y=211|W=75|H=71|image=circuit_diagram-650-211-075-071-squirrel.png|text=A squirrel, or perhaps a wire bent into the shape of a squirrel. {{w|Electrical disruptions caused by squirrels|Squirrels are among the leading causes of disruptions to electrical grids,}} so having one as part of a circuit is inviting disaster. Squirrels also appear in past and future xkcd comics.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=606|Y=165|W=54|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-606-165-054-053-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor, or a spring symbol in Physics force diagrams, probably the latter as it is labeled with an 11-kilogram mass.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=538|Y=209|W=99|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-538-209-099-059-generator.png|text=A 240-volt AC generator (or other power source).}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=483|Y=186|W=111|H=103|image=circuit_diagram-483-186-111-103-shorted-generator.png|text=A shorting wire around a generator. The label reads "Omit this if you're a '''wimp.'''" If this wire is included, it will quickly melt - or worse.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=419|Y=78|W=57|H=75|image=circuit_diagram-419-078-057-075-scarab-beetles.png|text=A jar of {{w|Scarabaeidae|scarab beetles}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=482|Y=47|W=28|H=44|image=circuit_diagram-482-047-028-044-variable-resister.png|text=A {{w|variable resistor}} with center tap. Normally, there would be an arrowhead on the center tap.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=507|Y=53|W=22|H=27|image=circuit_diagram-507-053-022-027-capacitor.png|text=A normal {{w|capacitor}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=577|Y=318|W=96|H=62|image=circuit_diagram-577-318-096-062-magic.png|text="{{w|Magic Smoke}}" is the legendary stuff that all circuit components require to function. This is why all components cease to function after releasing smoke. }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=669|Y=315|W=51|H=66|image=circuit_diagram-669-315-051-066-frayed-wires.png|text=Some frayed or dangling wires.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=567|Y=392|W=58|H=48|image=circuit_diagram-567-392-058-048-buoy.png|text=An object which is either a {{w|Fishing float|float}} used in fishing, a {{w|Tippe top}}, or perhaps a {{w|Naval mine|mine}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=458|Y=336|W=111|H=86|image=circuit_diagram-458-336-111-086-moral-rectifier.png|text=A {{w|Diode_bridge|bridge rectifier}}, which would normally turn alternating current at the top and bottom into direct current on the left and right. In this case, it is labeled as a "moral rectifier". This is presumably a play on the idea of moral rectitude – it makes your circuit more moral. Why this matters in a circuit is unclear.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=423|Y=259|W=80|H=85|image=circuit_diagram-423-259-080-085-warm-front.png|text=This resembles both the schematic symbol for part of a {{w|transformer}} and the meteorological symbol for a warm front. A {{w|warm front}} is a feature on a {{w|Surface weather analysis|synoptic weather map}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=190|Y=199|W=54|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-190-199-054-052-battery.png|text=A normal 50-volt battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=200|W=89|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-173-200-089-056-shorted-battery.png|text=A battery is grounded on both sides. Something will melt or burn out quickly, unless these are separate "earth ground"s, in which case the ground might get a bit cooked.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=259|Y=198|W=174|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-259-198-174-025-pull-wire.png|text=Text reads "Pull this wire really tight". This kind of physical-property issue may indicate a high-frequency radio device. Or, given the absurdity of the context, it's a silly reference to a "high tension wire."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=141|Y=211|W=41|H=91|image=circuit_diagram-141-211-041-091-3-8-inch.png|text=A specified 3/8-inch separation. This probably indicates a carefully controlled capacitance issue. Also contradicts the scale of the drawing, by which the distance shown would be about 0.8 miles or 0.8 km.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=173|Y=309|W=92|H=59|image=circuit_diagram-173-309-092-059-eel.png|text=An {{w|electric eel}}. This may be an effective power source in the circuit, capable of producing a shock at up to 600 volts and 1 ampere of current (600 watts), but for less than 2 ms.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=266|Y=307|W=35|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-266-307-035-041-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=222|Y=358|W=34|H=29|image=circuit_diagram-222-358-034-029-capacitor.png|text=A normal capacitor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=130|Y=335|W=44|H=40|image=circuit_diagram-130-335-044-040-resistor.png|text=A normal resistor, labeled "ë". This may be a play on {{w|e (mathematical constant)|Euler's Number}}, which doesn't normally have a {{w|tréma}} or an {{w|umlaut (linguistics)|umlaut}}. Alternatively instead of being an umlaut or tréma it may indicate the second {{w|derivative}} of e with respect to time in {{w|Newton's notation}}, in which case, as e is a constant, the resistance of this element is zero.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=65|Y=249|W=61|H=92|image=circuit_diagram-065-249-061-092-blender.png|text=Our best guess is that this is a {{w|blender}}. Due to the scale, this would certainly be the worlds largest blender. Record setting blenders are not typically part of computer circuits{{Citation needed}}}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=20|Y=342|W=115|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-020-342-115-073-arduino.png|text=An {{w|arduino}}, labeled "Arduino, just for blog cred". May refer to the fact that inexpensive, easy-to-integrate single-board computers like the arduino, which have contributed to the rise of {{w|Maker_culture}}, are used and discussed frequently in that culture, and the use of one might impress readers. The comment implies that an arduino is not otherwise needed in this circuit, although it is necessarily hard to tell, given the other components of the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=39|Y=423|W=118|H=82|image=circuit_diagram-039-423-118-082-meca.png|text=A chip labeled "Most expensive chip available". The small curve at the top is a part of the packaging designed to show its orientation.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=159|Y=428|W=91|H=50|image=circuit_diagram-159-428-091-050-neck-strap.png|text=Labeled "Neck Strap". Perhaps a piece of torture equipment or indicating that the circuit is part of an {{w|electric chair}}? May also be a reference to the grounded wrist straps people working with electronics commonly wear, to prevent accidental static discharges from frying the circuitry.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=147|Y=480|W=110|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-147-480-110-088-switch.png|text=A switch labeled "Hire someone to open and close switch real fast." Possibly meant to perform the function of an {{w|Electronic oscillator|oscillator}} in a more hackish manner and the reason for the neck strap. Could also be a reference to {{w|Maxwell's Demon}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=273|Y=498|W=61|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-273-498-061-064-resistor.png|text=A 5 ohm resistor labeled "(decoy)". One end is not attached to anything. Perhaps this indicates wishful thinking that electrons might be tricked into entering this part of the circuit despite the fact that there's nowhere for them to go?}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=307|Y=453|W=103|H=56|image=circuit_diagram-307-453-103-056-tongue.png|text=A pair of contacts, labeled "Touch Tongue Here". Could be referring to the practice of daring someone to touch their tongue to the contacts of a 9V battery.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=301|Y=270|W=45|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-301-270-045-045-frown.png|text=A frowny-face. See the float/mine.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=294|Y=311|W=128|H=124|image=circuit_diagram-294-311-128-124-IC.png|text=A small integrated circuit. The lower gate is an {{w|Inverter (logic gate)|inverter}}, wired as a free-running oscillator. The upper gate is an {{w|XOR gate|XOR}} wired to act as either a free-running oscillator or a latch. Since the XOR will be slower than the inverter, the overall output of the upper gate is probably very chaotic. Two "input" wires are not connected at all. An additional wire is attached to the top with hot glue. This last wire probably acts to control static electricity and leakage.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=302|Y=235|W=91|H=25|image=circuit_diagram-302-235-091-025-curve.png|text=A caution sign at a curve. Another road feature in the circuit. This is a play on the notion that 90-degree corners on printed circuit board traces can disrupt signal integrity.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=401|Y=455|W=67|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-401-455-067-068-CH3.png|text=A {{w|methyl group}} (chemistry) attached to a corner. If the circuit were an organic chemical, it would be reasonable to find a number of these.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=453|Y=167|W=43|H=93|image=circuit_diagram-453-167-043-093-baloon.png|text=A balloon, possibly blowing in a breeze.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=572|Y=68|W=22|H=43|image=circuit_diagram-572-068-022-043-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=508|Y=96|W=42|H=20|image=circuit_diagram-508-096-042-020-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=534|Y=61|W=22|H=31|image=circuit_diagram-534-061-022-031-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=472|Y=49|W=134|H=140|image=circuit_diagram-472-049-134-140-solderr-blob.png|text=A {{w|Soldering#Soldering_defects|solder blob}} covering a portion of the circuit. Normally, this would not be part of the circuit diagram, but a mistake in building the circuit.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=493|Y=443|W=207|H=158|image=circuit_diagram-493-443-207-158-res-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of 1 ohm resistors. It is labeled "Oh, so you think you're such a whiz at EE201?" The name EE201 (Electrical Engineering 201) follows US course naming conventions for what appears to be a basic level course in electrical engineering (compare the term {{w|101 (term)|101}}), which would include being taught how to [http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Series-and-Parallel-Resistance calculate the effective resistance of various resistor networks]. Performing the calculation on a network this complex would probably be extremely difficult. It appears to work out to 0.75800964845 ohms.
A grid of 1 ohm resistors has appeared earlier in [[356: Nerd Sniping]], a comic also referred to in the title text.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=315|Y=533|W=232|H=200|image=circuit_diagram-362-531-151-167-arena.png|text=An {{w|arena}}, with a few bodies in it. Note the direction of movement enforced by the surrounding diodes, {{w|Mad_Max_Beyond_Thunderdome|"two men enter, one man leaves"}}, a film reference.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=569|Y=653|W=47|H=51|image=circuit_diagram-569-653-047-051-resistor.png|text=A "{{w|pi}}" ohm resistor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=610|Y=655|W=75|H=70|image=circuit_diagram-610-655-075-070-generator.png|text=A 500-volt AC generator. The wiring to the right shorts out this generator.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=481|Y=682|W=85|H=64|image=circuit_diagram-481-682-085-064-ground.png|text=A ground connection, labeled "Bury deep, but not too deep". This type of ground connection is called an "earth ground" The "too deep" part might be a reference to {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Moria}} in Lord of Rings. The dwarves dug too deeply and disturbed a Balrog. See also comic [[760]].}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=17|Y=610|W=75|H=73|image=circuit_diagram-017-610-075-073-fishhook.png|text=A ground connection at the end of a curve, looking like a fishhook. Means perhaps "earthed down under", i.e., Australia or the southern hemisphere.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=206|Y=662|W=66|H=45|image=circuit_diagram-206-662-066-045-yarn.png|text=A length of "wire" is labeled "yarn". This probably makes it a terrible conductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=102|Y=590|W=93|H=88|image=circuit_diagram-102-590-093-088-fluxcapacitor.png|text=The {{w|DeLorean time machine#Flux capacitor|flux capacitor}} from {{w|Back to the Future}}. This may be difficult to implement, since flux capacitors are not available to most people{{Citation needed}},}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=138|Y=685|W=54|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-138-685-054-024-I95.png|text=A road sign for "I-95". {{w|Interstate 95}} is the main north-south highway on the east coast of the United States, running from Maine to Florida.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=12|Y=713|W=134|H=36|image=circuit_diagram-012-713-134-036-tothesun.png|text=A connection labeled "To center of Sun". A 93-million-mile or 150-million-km circuit is rather large, but...}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=31|Y=753|W=144|H=177|image=circuit_diagram-031-753-144-177-rats-nest.png|text=A rat's nest of wires. Everything winds up being connected. May also be a parody diagram of an [http://i.stack.imgur.com/np2p9.png undirected graph], from graph theory.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=22|Y=513|W=97|H=61|image=circuit_diagram-022-513-097-061-esf.png|text=A label reading "Electrons Single File". If this happens, the resistance in this section of wire would be rather high.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=256|Y=619|W=29|H=39|image=circuit_diagram-256-619-029-039-ground.png|text=A ground connection.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=589|Y=600|W=58|H=46|image=circuit_diagram-589-600-058-046-vibrator.png|text=A vibrator, which would be a motor with an off-center weight attached to it.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=532|Y=779|W=74|H=52|image=circuit_diagram-532-779-074-052-motor.png|text=A motor, labeled "To Scale". This indicates that the physical size and shape of the motor must match the size of the parts around it, or is consistent with the specified scale of the drawing. }}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=662|Y=822|W=73|H=109|image=circuit_diagram-662-822-073-109-holy-ground.png|text=A ground connection, in a beaker labeled "{{w|Holy Water}}", possibly creating {{w|Holy ground (religion)|holy ground}}.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=197|Y=740|W=48|H=55|image=circuit_diagram-197-740-048-055-speed.png|text=A sign indicating a speed limit of 55 MPH. This is a rather typical road sign, but inappropriate for a circuit diagram.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=238|Y=706|W=100|H=116|image=circuit_diagram-238-706-100-116-flipflop.png|text=A pair of {{w|NOR gate}}s wired as a SR (set-reset) {{w|Flip-flop (electronics)|flip-flop}}. The label reads "May use an actual sandal instead", which is a play on the meanings of the term "{{w|Flip-flops|flip-flop}}".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=322|Y=708|W=70|H=54|image=circuit_diagram-322-708-070-054-holdingpen.png|text=Something that could be the side view of a fence, labeled "Holding Pen".}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=339|Y=777|W=42|H=49|image=circuit_diagram-339-777-042-049-knot.png|text=A simple {{w|overhand knot}}. Also looks like a pretzel, which would have pretty high resistance.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=191|Y=889|W=149|H=33|image=circuit_diagram-191-889-149-033-ecg.png|text=This appears to be an {{w|Electrocardiography|electrocardiograph}} (ECG) trace, but not the sort that would be seen in a healthy person. If this were a real ECG trace, the absence of large, clear {{w|P wave (electrocardiography)|P waves}} might indicate {{w|Atrial Fibrillation|fine atrial fibrillation}}, but in some recording configurations, P waves are sometimes lost in the noise anyway. Additionally, without a time scale to tell us the ventricular heart rate, it is impossible to make a strong educated diagnosis of any hypothetical disease at all. If we assume it is atrial fibrillation, is not clear if Randall intended this, or if he is just not familiar with how a normal ECG should look. Lastly, it does not appear that this is an actual ECG machine, but simply a bent wire, much like the "Not a resistor" label nearby.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=223|Y=826|W=82|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-223-826-082-068-photodiode.png|text=A {{w|photodiode}}, labeled "Tear Collector". A photodiode is a light-sensing device.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=373|Y=859|W=49|H=68|image=circuit_diagram-373-859-049-068-lamp.png|text=A lamp. This is not [http://electronicsclub.info/circuitsymbols.htm the symbol used in electrical circuits], but a drawing of a lightbulb.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=450|Y=887|W=65|H=32|image=circuit_diagram-450-887-065-032-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=537|Y=847|W=120|H=72|image=circuit_diagram-537-847-120-072-inductor.png|text=A coil or inductor, labeled "Take off shirt while wiring this part. Ooh, yeah, I like that."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=504|Y=860|W=34|H=41|image=circuit_diagram-504-860-034-041-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "?". Presumably this means the resistance is unknown.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=459|Y=828|W=55|H=38|image=circuit_diagram-459-828-055-038-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "YES". Likely another improper unit - a reference to boolean values YES (TRUE) and NO (FALSE). Depending on the limits of a circuit, a resistor would still have a YES boolean value. Possibly indicating that this is a real resistor, as opposed to the one above it in the circuit, labeled "not a resistor."}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=389|Y=774|W=58|H=53|image=circuit_diagram-389-774-058-053-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "8 mm". Resistance is measured in ohms, so 8 millimeters seems nonsensical.}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=443|Y=747|W=93|H=84|image=circuit_diagram-443-747-093-084-resistor.png|text=A resistor labeled "Not a resistor; wire just does this". Apparently the wire is or must be physically bent into a zig-zag shape, which would not serve much useful purpose in a low frequency or DC circuit, or perhaps it reflects the fact that any wire has a certain (small) amount of resistance just by being a wire. In a {{w|Radio frequency|high frequency circuit}} this can be actually useful, as the shape and length of the {{w|Transmission line|transmission line}} alters the {{w|Electrical impedance|impedance}} of the line. ([https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phaseshifter2.png Example])}}
{{circuit-diagram-part|X=415|Y=863|W=82|H=24|image=circuit_diagram-415-863-082-024-unsure.png|text=A symbol for a feedthrough capacitor, labeled "3 Liters". Probable word-play on "capacity/capacitor." Also similar to the symbol for an orifice or flow restriction used on plumbing or hydraulic diagrams, in which case the "3 Liters" might mean 3 liters per minute or per second.}}
|}

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

==Trivia==

*This is one of the [[:Category:Footer comics|five footer comics]] linked at the bottom part of the {{xkcd}} website.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Footer comics]]
[[Category:Squirrels]]

729: Laser Pointer

2019-09-20T15:56:37Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ added ?

{{comic
| number = 729
| date = April 19, 2010
| title = Laser Pointer
| image = laser_pointer.png
| titletext = It's a lasing cat-vity!
}}

==Explanation==
It is common to use a {{w|laser pointer}} as a cat toy because cats are attracted to the dot and attempt in vain to catch it in their paws. They will chase the dot as it moves around, sometimes pouncing on it or swiping at it with its claws, however they will never be able to catch it. This is very frustrating for cats(and dogs), because it triggers a hunting instinct, but removes the satisfaction of actually catching their prey{{Citation needed}}

Cueball is messing with his cat with a laser pointer, however, he is unprepared when his cat pounces and successfully grabs the laser dot. As Cueball looks around and tries to figure out what happened to the laser, his cat licks it, before eating it and starting to glow with a red light.

By this point, the best choice would be to run away screaming, as normal cats cannot eat lasers and start to glow.{{Citation needed}} However, before he can run, the cat shoots lasers from its eyes and disintegrates a surprised Cueball on the spot.

It is then revealed that everything that happened was, disappointingly (for cats deserve this moral victory over their owners with their large amount of morals), just a cat's dream. Only in its dreams can a cat successfully catch and consume the dot. Also, it is only in a dream that this will give it power to shoot laser light from its eyes, and vaporize the human in revenge for taunting it with the laser pointer.{{Citation needed}}

The title text makes a pun on the chamber in which lasers are formed, known as a {{w|laser cavity}}.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball points a laser pointer at the floor. A black cat crouches, staring at the red dot.]

:[The cat pounces.]

:[The cat lands with its paw on the dot, claws out.]

:[The cat tugs on the dot.]
:''tug tug''

:[Cueball tries to use the laser pointer, which is no longer emitting a beam.]
:Cueball: ??? ''click click''

:[The cat nibbles on the red laser dot.]
:Cat: ''lick? nom nom''

:[The cat arches, emitting red shock lines.]

:[The cat shoots lasers out of its eyes at Cueball, who is covered in a bright red glow.]
:''FWOOSH''
:Cueball: AUGH!
:[The right side of the panel is the end of a thought bubble.]

:[The black cat, sleeping, has dreamed the entire strip.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

719: Brain Worms

2019-09-20T15:26:48Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number =719
| date =March 26, 2010
| title =Brain Worms
| image =brain_worms.png
| titletext =Hey, it says here that if you dream about your teeth falling out, it means they're spreading.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is tricking [[Megan]] by pretending to read from a book about a parasitic brain worm, describing the apparent symptoms caused by an infection. The dreams described sound very specific, which leads Megan to believe that since she has been having these types of dream, she must be infected. The comic text asserts that these types of dream are fairly common however, and this knowledge can be leveraged to trick people who aren't aware of this.

Dream contents are likely to be affected by many factors, however because people share common thoughts, feelings and experiences in waking life, it is unsurprising that our dreams share common features. In the case of the comic, cars are a ubiquitous feature of life for most people, and for many driving or being a passenger in a car is a regular experience. It is therefore to be expected that cars are likely to feature in dreams. What is less logical, but still common is there being something strange about the situation. The car may be huge, tiny, backwards, upside-down, flying, underwater, non-descript, etc. The examples given in the comic are typical of the 'unusual factor' reported in dreams.

Some people believe (to varying degrees) that dreams may be interpreted as a representation of a persons thoughts, emotions, or their subconscious. One of the more generally accepted interpretations of dreams involving driving or riding in a car, is that it expresses how you feel about your control over your own life. A dream about not fitting or not being comfortable in a car might be interpretted as the dreamer feeling out-of-place or uncomfortable in their own life, while dreams about losing control of a car might indicate the dreamer feels their life is out of control.

Megan of course does not have an infection from these fictional brain worms. Cueball is taking a "shot in the dark", with the success of his trick relying on Megan recognising these dream types as ones she has experienced. He may be playing on fears possibly carried by many people that these types of dreams hold a deeper significance which they can't identify. In the comic, Megan appears not to realize that he is pulling a prank on her and begins to get scared.

The title text continues the joke with another common dream, this time about teeth falling out. One commonly-accepted meaning of teeth falling out is a loss of confidence or power in one's life.

Common dreams are also discussed in [[1943: Universal Dreams]].

==Transcript==
:[Megan sits at a computer desk, and Cueball stands near her holding a book.]
:Cueball: Weird-this parasitic worm infects the brain, damaging the areas responsible for spatial reasoning in dreams. Signs of infection include dreams about not fitting in your car comfortably, driving from the backseat, or veering all over the road.
:Megan (thinking): Oh God.

:My Hobby: Taking advantage of the fact that some specific dreams are weirdly common, but not everyone who has them realizes this.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Dreams]]

711: Seismograph

2019-09-20T14:35:16Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 711
| date = March 8, 2010
| title = Seismograph
| image = seismograph.png
| titletext = The reverse only works if the subject has a nervous twitch.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|polygraph}} (popularly referred to as a lie detector) measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions. The belief underpinning the use of the polygraph is that deceptive answers will produce physiological responses that can be differentiated from those associated with non-deceptive answers. Polygraphs are generally considered to be pseudoscientific and are not admissible as evidence. (They've been described as worse than coin toss to determine whether as individual is a trained double agent, for instance. The reasoning is that while the coin toss is [also] randomly incorrect about half the time, at least you can't train to beat the coin toss every time). However, they can be an effective prop to convince suspects that interrogators will know if they lie.

A {{w|seismograph}} is a machine which measures and records the ground's motion during e.g. an earthquake. Older seismographs held a pen against a slowly turning roll of paper, and ground motions were amplified and recorded as spikes in the pen line.

The lie detector works by measuring physiological signals which could presumably be visualized by drawing a line on paper like a seismograph. It is assumed that when someone is lying, their physiological signatures will be sharper and more stressed. In the comic, the character on the right is hooked up to the lie detector, and apparently must answer "No" to the question of the earthquake. As long as there is no earthquake, then the subject will be telling the truth, and the polygraph signal will be more stable. But if there is really an earthquake happening, then the subject is lying, and so the polygraph will show sharper signals. This mimics the effect of an actual seismograph. It is not clear why the two characters seem to be upset with each other, other than because the scene mimics a polygraph test where the subject is trying to hide something.

The title text considers the idea of using a seismograph as a lie detector. If the subject has a nervous twitch, presumably they will twitch in some way when they are telling a lie. If they are connected to a seismograph somehow, it might pick up the twitch and thus reveal that the subject is lying.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing over another man, who is strapped into a chair with wires attached to his head and arms. The wires lead to a large lie detector on a stand next to him, which has jagged lines drawn across it.]
:Cueball: ''IS THERE AN EARTHQUAKE HAPPENING?!''
:Sitting man: No!
:Lie detector: ''scritch scritch''

:Pro tip: In a pinch, a lie detector can double as a seismograph.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Protip]]

693: Children's Fantasy

2019-09-19T18:17:09Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 693
| date = January 25, 2010
| title = Children's Fantasy
| image = childrens_fantasy.png
| titletext = I was going to be a scientist, but that seems silly now. Magical worlds exist. I've learned a huge truth about our place in the universe. I'm supposed to care about college? I mean, FUCK.
}}

==Explanation==
Children's fantasy stories such as {{w|The Chronicles of Narnia}} and {{w|The Phantom Tollbooth}} involve a kid who is magically transported out of their time to some fantastic realm, goes through trials and becomes a hero, and then is returned to their own mundane world at about the same time they left with no one else realizing or believing what happened to them. The growth of the protagonist often involves learning self-confidence.

The comic illustrates this type of story and considers what the rest of the child's life would really be like as they reach adulthood. If they tell their friends, spouse, and family what happened to them, no one will believe them and these loved ones will think them a bit crazy. If they don't tell anyone, they are pretending that the episode never happened. Either way, it seems this would not be an enjoyable experience to live with for their entire adult life.

The title text continues the thought by pointing out the impossibility of contributing anything to the scientific world after visiting a magical world, as the child would know many scientific baselines, and, indeed, most regularly practiced scientific theory to be false, but would be unable to say anything or convince anyone of what they knew.

==Transcript==
:[Kid is sitting on the ground with his chin in his hand.]
:Kid: I'm such a loser-
:''POP''
:[Princess sticks her head through a portal.]
:Princess: Come quickly, young one!
:Kid: Holy crap, a portal!
:Princess: My kingdom needs you!

:[He falls through.]
:Kid: AAAAAA

:[We see him on horseback, helmeted wielding a sword. There's a castle on the horizon and two moons in the sky. There are a few other riders as well.]

:[Kid, with helmet and sword, stands before King, Princess, and another warrior. Princess is holding out a ring.]
:King: You've saved our kingdom and found your self-confidence. Now it's time to return home. Goodbye, young hero!
:Princess: Take this ring to remember us!

:[Kid stands alone, holding the ring.]
:Kid: Well, I guess I spend the rest of my life pretending that didn't happen or knowing that everyone I love suspects I'm crazy.
:Kid: This'll be a fun 70 years.

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

661: Two-Party System

2019-09-19T15:29:37Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 661
| date = November 11, 2009
| title = Two-Party System
| image = two_party_system.png
| titletext = I favor approval voting or IRV chiefly because they mean we might get to bring back The Bull Moose party.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Ponytail]] is running for {{w|class president}}, but gets shouted down by Billy the Political Activist (or at least, he thinks he might become one some day). Someone on the Internet must have told Billy that all he has to know about politics is that America's two-party system is broken. Because we all know the problem with [http://cheezburger.com/4419432960 believing what you read on the Internet].

The United States uses {{w|Plurality voting}}, where each voter may make one vote per office. In most democratic countries, this system tends to reinforce the top two political parties and marginalize smaller ones (such as the {{w|Bull Moose Party}}, which only lasted from 1912 to 1916) though this is greatly pronounced in the United States, where the Democratic and Republican parties have passed {{w|Third_party_(United_States)#Barriers_to_third_party_success|many barriers to entry}}, making things much more difficult for parties other than themselves to gain any traction.

{{w|Approval voting}} (AV) and {{w|Instant-runoff voting}} (IRV) are alternative voting schemes that allow support for multiple candidates. Such systems might make it easier for 3rd parties to field viable candidates. AV is a simple extension of plurality voting where each voter "approves" as many of the candidates as they wish. The winner is the candidate with the most votes. Approval voting tends to favor moderate candidates with broad appeal. IRV is a form of {{w|Ranked voting systems|Ranked choice voting}} where a voter is allowed to select multiple choices, but must assign a rank or weight to each choice. If a candidate receives more than 50% of all 1st choice votes, they win as in a traditional election. If no candidate has a majority of 1st choice votes, the candidate with the fewest 1st choice votes is eliminated, and those 1st choice votes are replaced by their respective 2nd choice option and the resulting totals are compared for a 50%+ winner. This process is repeated until a winner is determined.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail stands at a podium behind a lectern, giving a speech.]
:Ponytail: And if I'm elected, I'll try to fix some of these problems.
:Billy, off-panel: Yeah, right!

:[A boy in the audience is standing on his chair.]
:Billy: The ''real'' problem is the corporate-run two-party system. Until we fix ''that'', we'll have no real change!

:Ponytail: Billy, I'm running for class president. We don't even have political parties.
:Billy: That's because the two-party, uh... estab... uh.

:Ponytail: Billy, did you learn about politics from the internet?
:Billy: I thought that one reply was all I ever needed!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Politics]]

659: Lego

2019-09-19T15:26:45Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ clarification

{{comic
| number = 659
| date = November 6, 2009
| title = Lego
| image = lego.png
| titletext = Dad, where is Grandpa right now?
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Lego}} blocks are a popular building toy, which [[Cueball]] here uses to describe a philosophical conundrum: the distinction between a composition, and the collection of parts that make up that composition. For example, the Lego blocks he and his daughter, [[Ponytail]], used to make a house are still around; they were put back into the bin, and can be used on future designs. However, the house itself, as a specific combination of those blocks, is gone. It ceased to exist when they took it apart. In essence, they "killed" the house. Those blocks could be used to build a car or an airplane, so if there is still a house in the box after it has been dismantled, then there is also a car in the box and a plane in the box, and a large number of other objects in the box: making it a very crowded box. Thus, it is more logical to consider the house to be one possible arrangement of the lego blocks that only exists when the blocks are put in that arrangement.

Later in her life, Ponytail extends this thinking to humans and {{w|organ donation}}. The US has an opt-in system for organ donation; in the event that you die, any of your organs or tissues that remain functional after your death can be donated for transplantation or medical research, provided you've opted into the organ donor registry. Ponytail compares her organs to the Lego blocks she's carrying - even if she (the composition) dies, her organs (the pieces) can continue to serve another. As such, she is compelled to register as an organ donor.

The title text is the same question asked in the first panel, from this new perspective - instead of asking where the Lego house went, the questioner (presumably a young child, possibly still Ponytail) is asking where his/her Grandpa went. Humans are a composition of many parts; the parts are usually buried or cremated when we die, but the composition is something else entirely. What exactly happens to a human composition after death is a question for religious debate, but we know for sure it doesn't stay ''here''.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail and her father Cueball are putting away Lego bricks.]
:Cueball: When you take apart a Lego house and mix the pieces into the bin, where does the house go?
:Ponytail: It's in the bin.

:Cueball: No, those are just pieces. They could become spaceships or trains. The house was an arrangement. The arrangement doesn't stay with the pieces and it doesn't go anywhere else. It's just gone.

:[Ponytail, older, is standing at a desk. She's holding a couple of Lego bricks.]

:[She looks at the bricks.]

:[She checks off a box next to the words "Organ Donor" on a paper on the desk.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

652: More Accurate

2019-09-19T15:17:09Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ shotgun

{{comic
| number = 652
| date = October 21, 2009
| title = More Accurate
| image = more_accurate.png
| titletext = We live in a world where there are actual fleets of robot assassins patrolling the skies. At some point there, we left the present and entered the future.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic spoofs the {{w|Terminator (franchise)|Terminator}} series, in which a super-intelligent machine from the future time travels back in time to kill {{w|Sarah Connor (Terminator)|Sarah Connor}}. As could be expected from a movie, the antagonistic robot is a human-like android.

However, we currently have military "robots" (actually vehicles controlled remotely by people) that are completely unlike anything in the movie. Originally, {{w|Unmanned aerial vehicle|UAV}} were only used for surveillance and reconnaissance. But, now more than ever, they are used for attacks. And most importantly, they are not walking humanoids but flying machines. They are not restricted to carrying human-intended guns as in the movie but are armed with powerful explosives and long-range missiles. Thus the name of the comic: Randall points out being attacked by a flying plane-like drone -- such as the {{w|General Atomics MQ-1 Predator|Predator drone}} shown in the last panel (heavily used for offensive operations by the USAF and the CIA in Afghanistan and Pakistan) -- is a much more accurate outcome should the robots rise up against humans.

One thing that keeps us short of a Terminator scenario is that most of the unmanned aerial vehicles are either pre-programmed or flown remotely by members of the military, and are not left to their own devices.

The title text emphasizes this by pointing out that we have entire fleets of these drones, and notes that at some point, we entered the future.

Similar buildup and Terminator reference are to be found in [[1177: Time Robot]].

==Transcript==
:[Cueball with a shotgun approaches a woman carrying a tray with glasses.]
:Cueball: Sarah! Come with me if you want to live! A robot assassin has been sent here to kill you!

:[Sarah holds her hands over her mouth. She has presumably dropped the tray, as it lies on the floor.]
:Cueball: I'm here to save you. I may not be as strong or fast as a machine, but I'll fight to keep you-

:[There's a huge orange and yellow explosion. The two are disintegrated and Cueball's shotgun goes flying.]
:''BOOM''

:[A flying robot assassin is above the bomb site.]
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Robots]]
[[Category:Time travel]]
[[Category:Drones]]

2204: Ksp 2

2019-09-19T15:06:12Z

DPS2004: basic cleanup

{{comic
| number = 2204
| date = September 18, 2019
| title = Ksp 2
| image = ksp_2.png
| titletext = "The committee appreciates that your 2020 launch is on track, but the 'human capital/personnel retention' budget includes a lot more unmarked cash payments than usual. What are th--" "Public outreach."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a KERBAL. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[[Cueball]], a programmer, is sitting at his computer while four other persons from {{w|NASA}}, [[Hairy]], [[Ponytail]], [[Hairbun]] and another Cueball-like guy try to convince him to delay the release of Ksp 2.

''{{w|Kerbal Space Program}}'' (Ksp for short) is a space flight simulation video game with a realistic orbital physics engine, allowing for real-life orbital maneuvers. Ksp is a [[:Category:Kerbal Space Program|recurring theme]] in xkcd. A sequel, abbreviated here as Ksp 2, is planned to be released in 2020.

Also planned for 2020 is a [[:Category:Mars rovers|Mars rover]] mission, {{w|Mars 2020}}. The joke in the comic comes as engineers are likely to want to extensively play with Ksp 2 to the exclusion of other things, and NASA is worried about the Mars 2020 mission being delayed, or failing, because the engineers are too focused on playing Ksp 2, including taking extensive vacation and "sick" days off.

Cueball, sitting at a desk in front of a computer, is represented here as being in charge of Ksp 2, and the other characters standing around him are pleading with him to delay the release of Ksp 2 until the Mars rover program is complete, even being willing to "give [him] a moon".

Literally giving a moon to Cueball is impossible, but it is possible to {{w|Naming of moons|name a moon}} after Cueball, so that may be what is implied instead.

Perhaps this could also be a reference to Kerbal Space Program's mascots, the Kerbals, and their resemblance to the Minions from Despicable Me. The plot of the first film revolves around Gru and his Minions trying to literally steal the Moon.

The title text is a sentence said by someone from a committee in NASA that oversees the progress and budget of the Mars 2020 mission. They are satisfied that the launch in 2020 is still on track, but has a question regarding the 'human capital/personnel retention' budget, which has several unmarked cash payments, more than they would expect. As they begin to ask what they are, someone from the Mars 2020 project interrupts, having probably foreseen this question, stating that it is Public outreach...

Thus the title text seems to claim that NASA is paying Squad, the developers of Kerbal Space Program, money to delay their release until after the Mars mission. NASA has dabbled in game physics engines for "public outreach," with the same mixed record of success as any promising R&D endeavor. Notable projects included a series of collaboration laboratories on various forms of social media including {{w|Second Life}} which hosted a "NASA CoLab" region active from 2007 to around 2013. While the unrealistic constraints imposed by real time physics engine simulation prevent much actual engineering, such shared 3D {{w|computer aided design}} (CAD) systems provided a measure of drafting training inside a play sandbox system outside of a formal work environment.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at his desk in front of a computer. He is surrounded by four people, and is looking over his shoulder on the ones standing behind him, Hairy - holding his palms up - and Ponytail stretching her arms out towards him. On the other side of the desk is another Cueball-like guy holding his arms out palms up and Hairbun who stretches her arms out to the side.]
:Hairy: Please hold off until the end of summer. We can't afford the personnel hit right before the late July launch window.
:Ponytail: People have ''already'' started calling in sick!
:Hairbun: Do you want a moon? '''''We'll give you a moon!'''''

:[Caption below the panel:]
:NASA tries desperately to get the Kerbal Space Program team to delay '''''KSP 2''''' until after the '''''Mars 2020''''' mission launches.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Mars rovers]]
[[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]

537: Ducklings

2019-09-17T13:00:09Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ clarification

{{comic
| number = 537
| date = January 30, 2009
| title = Ducklings
| image = ducklings.png
| titletext = DUCKLOOP'D?
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows an elaborate, albeit useless, plan. The mother and her ducklings will always walk in a line. The ducklings will either follow their mother, or the duckling in front of them.

[[Cueball]] scares the mother duck, so she starts running away, her children following her in a line. Then [[Megan]] snatches the mother duck, leaving the first duckling to start following the last duckling, causing the ducklings to walk in a loop. Hence the caption at the end - "Operation: Duckling Loop." However, eventually the ducklings will probably realize something has gone wrong, and break the loop.

This behavior occurs naturally in real life with creatures that are less smart than ducks, such as sheep and ants (the phenomenon is called an {{w|ant mill}}).

The title text refers to a meme called "Duckrolled", where one would post a link to [http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9ZqD3N_DuAvMnN9Pl5k4Km6HCdCFXCLs3Gi4uJhge1ytfG3_qUgNU4To a picture of a duck on wheels.] It became much more famous in its later incarnation as the {{w|Rickroll}}.

==Transcript==
:[A mother duck and her six ducklings.]
:[Cueball is in front of the line of ducks, and Megan is behind.]
:Megan: Ready?
:Cueball: Ready.

:[The duck and ducklings move.]

:Cueball: ROAR! BOO!

:[The mother duck is frightened, and turns back. Her six children follow.]

:[Megan snatches the mother duck with a yoink.]
:Duck: QUACK!

:[The six ducklings are now trapped in a circle of sorts.]

:OPERATION: DUCKLING LOOP

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

2203: Prescience

2019-09-17T11:50:24Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ fixed typo

{{comic
| number = 2203
| date = September 16, 2019
| title = Prescience
| image = prescience.png
| titletext = Lots of people called their ships unsinkable before the Titanic. Voicing your hubris doesn't make failure more likely, just more memorable.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Prescient METEORITE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Cueball]] states that it's been a long time since there's been a really big {{w|Impact event|meteor impact}}. Due to the {{w|Gambler's Fallacy}}, this is taken to be Cueball implying that a big meteor impact is coming soon. The off-panel voice is annoyed about his statement, but whether from fear of it happening or because he does this all the time is unclear, see more below. The joke is that Cueball does this often, also with other types of major random events, just in case they do actually happen soon. For instance if there does happen to be an impact soon after he made the statement, it makes him look incredibly {{w|prescient}}, whereas if there isn't one, no one really cares or remembers.

It is also unclear how big an impact he refers to. It has been 60 million years since the {{w|Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event|impact that killed the dinosaurs}}, but that if that is the type of event he refers too, then maybe no one will be there to remember what he said. So it is most like much smaller impacts he is talking about.

Prescience means to predict the future. It is clear from this comic that [[Randall]] makes fun both of those that claim to have prescience and of those that have superstition against talking about something happening could cause it to happen.

Although only one method is scientifically recognized, there are at least three possible sources of prescience recognized by people.

The first of the two main ways of predicting the future involves a mix of common sense and historical knowledge. By understanding the past, the direction of the future can be guessed at with varying levels of accuracy. This type of prescience is also known sometimes as future modelling, statistical prediction, and even wisdom to name a few.

The second way to predict the future is not scientifically recognized, but remains popular in culture and fiction. It can involve magic, psychic power, higher powers (gods), and other such methods. Collectively, they are labeled supernatural; any method to predict the future using this class of method cannot be easily measured by science.

Although not technically a way to predict the future, the third way to predict the future is through superstition. The method involved in this comic effectively boils down to "speak the name of evil, and you will summon it." This superstition can have surprising power in people's lives, however. A woman planning her outdoor wedding may feel the urge to hit her friend if they say "Gosh, I hope it doesn't rain on that day." A doctor working in the Emergency Room may feel the need to kick anyone who says "Wow, it's really quiet around here." Such thoughts spoken aloud do not have the power to control the weather or cause people to seriously injure themselves. Yet people often react emotionally as if not speaking the name of 'evil' will keep it away.

This comic may reflect that emotional reaction when the off-screen character yells at Cueball: "Will you stop that?!". Alternatively it is one, like [[Megan]], who knows Cueball well enough to know that which is stated in the caption, that he only does this to look good if said thing happens. And the person is so tired of it! Maybe Cueball does it at least once a week, and obviously from the caption, it is not only about meteor impact, but any major random event, that he could then be remembered as having predicted.

The title, Prescience, has a double meaning. The first meaning is about the prescience that would appear if one actually predicts a natural disaster this way. The second meaning involves the fact that it is spelled pre-science - since there are many more scientific ways to predict meteor impacts, even though they aren't entirely accurate.

The title text refers to the {{w|RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic''}}, a ship which was claimed to be unsinkable by those promoting its maiden voyage. But then it struck an iceberg in an unfortunate way so more compartments would be filled with water that it could survive, and of course it could sink. But with all the new stories that had just been published hailing this unsinkable ship as a modern wonder of the world, this ship wreck was particularly ironic. The story of the sinking of the ''Titanic'' has been memorialized in popular culture, most memorably in the 1997 film {{w|Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic}}.

In the title text Randall thus suggests that lots of ships had been called unsinkable before Titanic. But saying such {{w|hubris}} out load doesn't make any ship more likely to sink. But when such a ship, like Titanic, then sinks it does however, increase the value of the story ensuring it will be remembered.

It should be noted that few among the ship's builders or crew boasted the ''Titanic'' to be unsinkable. Most of the boasting came from the owners that used the news media to create hype and promote the ship, just when the ship was finished and dedicated (the ship's builders did, however, boast that the ship exceeded all safety standards of the time). In addition the hubris was only one small part of the fame of the sinking of the ''Titanic''; the ''Titanic'''s status as a world record setter for most massive ship ever built, the incredible wealth of most of its passengers, and the fact it sank on its maiden voyage all contributed to the fame and hype behind the great maritime tragedy. Ironically part of what caused this disaster was hubris since those that was interested in promoting the ship also wished it to make another record, reaching New York a day before expected. Thus the captain, even though he for sure knew that the ship could sink took some fateful decisions of running on full speed through waters with icebergs during a night with very calm waters, which is known to make spotting icebergs more difficult as there will be no waves with foam around the icebergs base as there would have been in less calm waters..

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an armchair holding a book. He seems to be looking off as he talks to an off-panel person behind him. This person replies.]
:Cueball: You know, it's been a while since there's been a really big meteor impact.
:Off-panel voice: '''''Will you stop that?!'''''

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I say this kind of thing every so often, because I don't believe it affects the outcome and it has a slim chance of looking ''incredibly'' prescient.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

511: Sleet

2019-09-16T13:48:36Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ fixed grammar

{{comic
| number = 511
| date = December 1, 2008
| title = Sleet
| image = sleet.png
| titletext = I mean, I can barely hear myself complaining about Battlestar Galactica.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Megan]] is seen leaving an apartment, trudging through freezing temperatures and {{w|Sleet|foul weather}}, when she could be in a warm, cozy bed. The dialog is likely her thoughts, rather than speech. She is fed up with the second person's endless discussion of {{w|Digital rights management}} (DRM). She probably agrees with his position, but would rather face the weather than his endless rehashing of the issue.

The words in the first panel are the opening lyrics of the Christmas standard, {{w|Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!}}.

In the last panel, ''{{w|Free Culture (book)|Free Culture}}'' refers to a book by {{w|Lawrence Lessig}}, who advocates for fewer restrictions in many areas. Randall had previously advocated this title himself in [[86: Digital Rights Management]] and [[129: Content Protection]], and mentioned Lessig in [[343: 1337: Part 3]].

In the title text, it is revealed that Megan herself is also guilty of droning on about 'boring' subjects, likely to the annoyance of those around her. In this case complaining about science-fiction TV series ''{{w|Battlestar Galactica}}'' which tends to produce strong reactions among {{w|Geek|geeks}}. She has gone outside to avoid the boring rant, however given the opportunity, it is she that would be doing the ranting.

==Transcript==
:[The comic is set on a rainy, cold, windy street; Megan is walking along said street with a scarf; narration is from Megan's point-of-view.]
:The weather outside is frightful.
:I hate trudging through the icy slush and biting sleet.
:But it beats lying in our warm, cozy bed
:Listening to you talk about DRM for hours on end.
:Offscreen: Come back! Just listen to this one quote from ''Free Culture!''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Weather]]

499: Scantron

2019-09-16T13:29:10Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ oops typo

{{comic
| number = 499
| date = November 3, 2008
| title = Scantron
| image = scantron.png
| titletext = Also, after all the warnings about filling in the bubbles completely, I spent like 30 seconds on each one.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a take on the instructions "Remember to use a #2 pencil on the Scantron" that most modern students in the US have heard many, '''''many''''' times, a warning that seems unnecessary to many because #2 pencils are the most common type of pencil, and most students wouldn't have any other kind. {{w|Scantron}}s are standardized {{w|Machine-readable data|machine-readable papers}} used by students to answer multiple-choice tests. Often, the instructor will remind students to use a #2 pencil, which is the US term for the {{w|pencil hardness}} HB. HB pencils use a medium-hardness graphite considered ideal for Scantron use because the graphite is soft enough to leave a dark mark but hard enough to not smudge, both aspects that improve the performance of machine-readable paper. [[Miss Lenhart]] seems to have given her class one of these tests.

The joke is that the student used a #3 pencil, which has a slightly harder graphite rating, on the Scantron as opposed to a #2 pencil. Instructors and examiners usually place great emphasis on using a #2 pencil, as if not using one would lead to dire consequences, but without explaining why. The comic jokingly suggests that these consequences would include causing the grading machine to explode, harming people nearby and leaving a bloody mess.

The title text refers to the instruction to "fill in all the bubbles completely." This again improves the performance of machine-readable paper. The student states that he spent an inordinate amount of time making sure his markings were perfect because he had been warned so many times to do so, but five seconds are usually enough.

This is the first of only two comics where Miss Lenhart is both drawn and named, the second being [[1050: Forgot Algebra]].

==Transcript==
:[A classroom scene. There are two desks, and the front one is occupied by the student. Miss Lenhart stands panel right facing the student.]
:Miss Lenhart: Okay class, I've turned in your exams for grading. Now—
:Student: Miss Lenhart?

:[View is now simply student in desk and teacher. The student is holding a pencil. Miss Lenhart looks horrified.]
:Student: I used a #3 pencil instead of a #2. Will that mess anything up?
:Miss Lenhart: You '''WHAT?'''

:[Miss Lenhart stands, covering her face, in front of an off-panel right explosion. The unseen speaker is off-panel right.]
:''AIEEE''
:'''''BLAM'''''
:Unseen speaker: OH GOD!

:[The student and Miss Lenhart are left-panel. The student looks shocked, and Miss Lenhart is still covering her face. The unseen speaker is still off-panel right.]
:Unseen speaker: Oh god! I've never seen so much blood!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]

499: Scantron

2019-09-16T13:28:12Z

DPS2004: /* Transcript */ clarification

{{comic
| number = 499
| date = November 3, 2008
| title = Scantron
| image = scantron.png
| titletext = Also, after all the warnings about filling in the bubbles completely, I spent like 30 seconds on each one.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a take on the instructions "Remember to use a #2 pencil on the Scantron" that most modern students in the US have heard many, '''''many''''' times, a warning that seems unnecessary to many because #2 pencils are the most common type of pencil, and most students wouldn't have any other kind. {{w|Scantron}}s are standardized {{w|Machine-readable data|machine-readable papers}} used by students to answer multiple-choice tests. Often, the instructor will remind students to use a #2 pencil, which is the US term for the {{w|pencil hardness}} HB. HB pencils use a medium-hardness graphite considered ideal for Scantron use because the graphite is soft enough to leave a dark mark but hard enough to not smudge, both aspects that improve the performance of machine-readable paper. [[Miss Lenhart]] seems to have given her class one of these tests.

The joke is that the student used a #3 pencil, which has a slightly harder graphite rating, on the Scantron as opposed to a #2 pencil. Instructors and examiners usually place great emphasis on using a #2 pencil, as if not using one would lead to dire consequences, but without explaining why. The comic jokingly suggests that these consequences would include causing the grading machine to explode, harming people nearby and leaving a bloody mess.

The title text refers to the instruction to "fill in all the bubbles completely." This again improves the performance of machine-readable paper. The student states that he spent an inordinate amount of time making sure his markings were perfect because he had been warned so many times to do so, but five seconds are usually enough.

This is the first of only two comics where Miss Lenhart is both drawn and named, the second being [[1050: Forgot Algebra]].

==Transcript==
:[A classroom scene. There are two desks, and the front one is occupied by the student. Miss Lenhart stands panel right facing the student.]
:Miss Lenhart: Okay class, I've turned in your exams for grading. Now—
:Student: Miss Lenhart?

:[View is now simply student in desk and teacher. The student is holding a pencil. Miss Lenhart looks horrified.]
:Student: I used a #3 pencil instead of a #2. Will that mess anything up?
:Miss Lenhart: You '''WHAT?'''

:[Miss Lenhart stands, covering her face, in front of an off-panel right explosion. The unseen speaker is off-panel right.]
:''AIEEE''
:'''''BLAM'''''
:Unseen speaker: OH GOD!

:[The student and Miss Lenhart are left-panel> The student looks shocked, and Miss Lenhart is still covering her face. The unseen speaker is still off-panel right.]
:Unseen speaker: Oh god! I've never seen so much blood!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]