explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:Countdown in header text

2022-01-28T02:41:10Z

Eebop: /* Countdown not appearing on certain comics (most notably 980: Money) */ new section

The talk on from [[2565: Latency]] and [[2566: Decorative Constants]] has been moved here by me when I created this page --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:01, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

;From Latency:
What is happening around Feb 1st, there is a countdown that appeared a few hours ago in the upper right corner of the xkcd index. There is also the directory xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef which might be an acronym, if it isnt a countdown package? {{unsigned ip|172.70.130.57}}
:Damn you beat me to it ;-). But I have made a [[2565:_Latency#Trivia|Trivia]] here on this comics page and links to more detail on the [[xkcd Header text]] page. I belie you are a day of, but someone will likely correct me if I'm wrong. As I can see it will be January 31st, 9:59 in Randall's home town Boston.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:06, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
::But damned if I can wait. Sure millions will watch the page when it goes to zero! At least it is no April 1st. :-D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:10, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

;From Decorative Constants
Any idea what's going on with the clock that's counting downwards in the banner? Currently counting down from 20 days 16 hours? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.214.95|172.70.214.95]] 22:08, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:(Simultaneous edit) What is the days-hours-minutes in the box above the comic referring to? The image itself is dated yesterday, as you can see by saving it. Worst-case-scenario, is this a countdown to the end of XKCD? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.223|108.162.245.223]] 22:11, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:: It's going to hit zero at around midnight on Jan 31st 2022 CST? [[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 22:16, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:::'''Posted this on the previous comics discussion. But lets take it here where there will be more traffic:''' --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:44, 10 January 2022 (UTC) -- Copy paste from previous comics discussion:
::::Damn you beat me to it ;-). But I have made a [[2565:_Latency#Trivia|Trivia]] here on this comics page and links to more detail on the [[xkcd Header text]] page. I believe you are a day of, but someone will likely correct me if I'm wrong. As I can see it will be January 31st, 9:59 in Randall's home town Boston.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:06, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::But damned if I can wait. Sure millions will watch the page when it goes to zero! At least it is no April 1st. :-D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:10, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
::::Yeah - you're right - I messed up. So as I type this, it's Jan 10th 2022 at 4pm - 1600 hrs Mountain time - which is 1800 hours EST. At this moment, the countdown reads 20d 16h 0m - so Jan 30th + (18+16) hours = which is Jan 30th + 34 hours - which is Jan 31st + 10am in Boston (EST). [[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 23:05, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::Hey great, can see they agree in the link to reddit below. So happy I got it right both in UTC and Boston. It will be 15:59 here in DK. Not 16:00. ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 23:44, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

Counting down to Backwards Day? --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.88|162.158.91.88]] 23:28, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:There's a reddit thread discussing it: https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/s0oynl/xkcd_countdown_timer_20d_21h_49m_remaining_until/ I think the most likely guess is that Randall has a new book coming out. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 23:40, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
::Would still seem strange if it came out that day with only promotion before being a count down. But then again, he will have the xkcd communities boiling if he gives no other hint. So every one will see if he promotes a book. Also as they wrote at the time I looked at reddit I do not think it is the end of xkcd, or Webb related. Although Webb was the first I thought about. But I mean even if it came to L2 at that day, it is not going to any specific point but just in orbit. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 23:47, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

::The date fits the idea of it being Backwards Day (https://nationaldaycalendar.com/backward-day-january-31) but what about the choice of time? [[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 03:38, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:::Backwards day... Never head of it until now. Is it big in the US. I mean when looking after dates so obscure they are not mentioned on wikipedia then there are probably lots of things happening on that day? But maybe it is a think in the US? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:48, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:::: I haven't heard of it until now either, so it is probably one of the bajillions of holidays no one actually cares about, and is unrelated to the countdown. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.163|108.162.221.163]] 13:22, 11 January 2022 (UTC)Bumpf

Someone has noticed the image is changing with pixels added at the bottom left corner and is keeping track of it here: https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.107|198.41.238.107]] 05:49, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:Looks like an image is "moving" into the frame because at the moment you can see some white pixel in the lower left, i.e. the black part might end up as a line as part of some comic. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.8|162.158.89.8]] 08:31, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
::Thanks used that to pinpoint the start of the countdown. Have added this info to the header text page, and the original trivia. Also just added a line of trivia to this explanation with the link. This was when this comic came out most people noticed the count down. But it did came out while [[Latency]] was up. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:43, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:::Speculating on what it could be, the only thing that makes sense at that angle is a character's arm. 04:47, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
:As of 7 PM PST, the two lines appear to be disconnected from anything else, which rules out a lot of the theories put forth here. Hmmm… I can’t really think of anything it could be other than the wing of an airplane. Maybe it’ll zoom out after it moves into view?[[User:Szeth Pancakes|Szeth Pancakes]] ([[User talk:Szeth Pancakes|talk]]) 03:17, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

The header changes page says that it's forcing "Friday" to move down to the next line. Not for me. Did he fix it, or is it browser-specific? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 14:58, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:It must be browser specific. But i have tried bot the old Internet Explorer, Edge, Chrome and Firefox, and it does it in all cases and zooming does nothing.. Which browser do you use? I have corrected to in some browsers though, in the [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|explanation]] you refer to. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:31, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

This is much more likely a count down related to the James Webb Space Telescope. At approximately the day the count down indicates the telescope will be orbiting the L2 gravitational spot.Perhaps most of the mirrors will be approximate place to allow for months of fine tuning. An example of a slightly similar idea is https://www.space.com/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-next-steps
[[User:Punchcard|Punchcard]] ([[User talk:Punchcard|talk]]) 15:35, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:I really do not think so. There is nothing special about a specific moment for reaching L2. It will go in orbit around it, but when to day it is there or in orbit is hard to pinpoint. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:13, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
::And after I looked at it, it seems it will reach L2 several days before the countdown. See [[Countdown in header text#Theories]]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:31, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

I think the Countdown should get its own entry. What do we think? [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 16:25, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
: I think it should! What with the count itself, the speculation about what it could mean, and now the slowly arriving image (?) this seems like something beyond either of the two comics since it started! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.49|108.162.219.49]] 18:00, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
: I'm surprised it doesn't have one already. This is one of the more unique situations in a long while, more speculation could happen. [[User:Thisfox|Thisfox]] ([[User talk:Thisfox|talk]]) 22:26, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
::I have now created this page and talk page for us to continue the discussion and make dedicated changes about this countdown here. And have moved all discussion from the two pages that had some already (except a few on the first talk page that was also mentioned here. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:13, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

If you take a look at this [[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/state|link]] it displays this: '''{"img":"72cb154b23f959f908f5dc8eb03069c6df3f0f54aae896a0e7ed27befb2ee639.png","start":"2022-01-10T17:00:00Z","target":"2022-01-31T15:00:00Z","until":"2022-01-11T20:55:38.205303701Z"}''' [[User:Hoodiesandboba|Hoodiesandboba]] ([[User talk:Hoodiesandboba|talk]]) 20:58, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
:To correct your link:
:"...If you take a look at this [https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/state link] it displays..."
:As to where the "72cb154b23f959f908f5dc8eb03069c6df3f0f54aae896a0e7ed27befb2ee639.png" is rooted, I haven't dug into that (or what transforms might be being applied), but it looks like a manipulation of browser states might be able to prematurely reveal it. (I'm on mobile at the moment, and it's significantly more fiddly to poke into the page-scripting and markup than I can be bothered with this moment, but I know what I'd do with a good acreage of screen, mouse control and a proper keyboard to rattle away at. And the combined minds here surely can do even better than myself.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.116|172.70.91.116]] 22:38, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
::The filename is a random number long enough to prevent brute force guessing to find future images. The state-file looks like some information for the javascript script where this URL comes from. I haven't looked into the script that much but from the values I'd say that it's telling when to start doing refreshs (2022-01-10T17:00:00Z) and when to stop doing that (2022-01-31T15:00:00Z). While these values are constant, the third value changes and is ten minutes after the time the page has been requested. I suppose this is telling the script, when to do a refresh of the image load. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.16|141.101.77.16]] 11:05, 13 January 2022 (UTC)
:::After some fiddeling, I've found the origin of the filename: It's the SHA-256 hash of the image [[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.16|141.101.77.16]] 11:05, 13 January 2022 (UTC)
::::There's already a note that it would be impossible to brute-force the filenames. But as the images are very similar to each other, would it be feasible to programmatically generate images similar to the last one (extending up and to the right, different variations of the line shape), hash those files, and test to see if they match images on the server? I'd expect it to reduce the number of possibilities by orders of magnitude, but not sure if that's enough to make brute-force attempts feasible and non-destructive. (Also don't know the PNG format well enough to know if an image with the same pixels in it is guaranteed to produce the same bytes in the file across different implementations) -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 11:16, 14 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::Hmm… if it was pure black and white, the total number of possible images would be within the realms of sanity to brute force. But add antialiasing and the numbers rapidly become silly. Even if you only allow pixels to change within a certain distance of the previous image, and restrict greys to places between a black and a white, the numbers quickly become absurd. Although that makes me think about making 1-bit versions of all the images so far, predicting a set of "next frame" possibilities at each step, and training a CNN to pick the correct next one; and if it gets accurate enough by the time we get to the present… hmm. How predictable is antialiasing? Do we know the software he's using to create the images; and if so is there a relatively predictable algorithm applied along the edges? [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 11:41, 14 January 2022 (UTC)

I think it counts down to Lunar New Year (the Year of the Tiger), as measured in Korea (the earliest timezone where that is celebrated). Actually, it reaches 0 one minute before the New Year, so maybe it will switch to seconds for the last minute. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.98.75|172.70.98.75]] 05:10, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
:Could be, but why. Randall has never to rarely? mentioned this new year... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:13, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

I think we are seeing a zoom out of some image. Perhaps it is the arm of Cueball? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:36, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
:It looks like there's a little curve at the top left of the line entering the frame! This makes the Cueball arm hypothesis more likely. [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 14:18, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
::I also noticed that (and moved your comment up here, as it is kind of a reply to that). Seems like the picture updates every four hours, and that it happened last time at noon UTC today. And thus it will also be at midnight. So 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24. But it is not certain yet and not sure it happened like that the first day or two. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:46, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

I have added the first 12 images on this page: [[Countdown in header text/images]] - anyone may help uploading the new ones there. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:43, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
: Thank you! [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.194|173.245.52.194]] 12:44, 12 January 2022 (UTC)

Does anyone mind if I make a few spelling/grammar corrections to the article? It feels like the kind of thing that could be interpreted as rude, so I wanted to ask first. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.167|172.70.114.167]] 13:00, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
:No no please help me with my poor spelling. I'm Danish and not very good at spelling in English. Also anything I write is up for debate and can be changed. Just because I started this page do not give me ownership over it. As long as relevant info is not deleted the entire layout maybe changed. But better to get the page going sooner rather than later.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:46, 12 January 2022 (UTC)
::Alright!! Thank you so much for all your great work on this page! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.151|172.70.110.151]] 18:02, 13 January 2022 (UTC)

I originally put this (without realising it wasn't the Talk page) in the Images sub-page, in response to the revelation it was (very probably) the SHA256 of the image data that was used to name the file:
*When I first looked at it and decided it was an obvious hash (yes SHA256 sounds about right, but nice to know someone's tried it) I personally had hoped it would be a hash of the datetime (plus a salt, maybe, to give it that extra little frisson of difficulty in reverse engineering... ;) ). But if it's as you say I think I'll refrain from getting any rainbow-tables set up and bashing through the possibilities in the rather huge phase-space it could represent. Of course, there must be a look-up table used by the server. It'd be too much to hope for that it's publically exposed though, and totally a rookie-error if it is. (That Randall, and maybe anyone he actually drafted in to implement it to save himself the worry, is surely not going to commit.)
...anyway, bringing it here, as being more conversational than informative. Still thought I should say it, but stupidly long as a comment so maybe I needn't have repasted it again! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.79|172.70.85.79]] 03:39, 13 January 2022 (UTC)

(Put this in here as it was before in the explanation --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:02, 13 January 2022 (UTC):)
Was going to say it's Hangman, but it looks like it's zooming in on the diagonal instead of continuing to make a gibbet. [[User:Thisfox|Thisfox]] ([[User talk:Thisfox|talk]]) 06:37, 13 January 2022 (UTC)

I read the javascript of the countdown and noticed one thing that i didn't see mentioned anywhere on this page: the countdown text is moving upwards. When the countdown started the text was exactly in the middle of the image and at the end of the countdown the text will be at the top (you can see how it will look by changing the time in your system). The code will also make the text disappear and leave only the image after the countdown goes to zero. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.90.41|162.158.90.41]] 23:52, 13 January 2022 (UTC)
:Uuuh thanks that was interesting. Maybe to make more room for the image? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:09, 14 January 2022 (UTC)

The Greensboro sit-ins started on Feb 1, though the time is different.. But black history month? {{unsigned ip|172.70.135.48}}

Thanks to [[User:Theusaf|Theusaf]] for helping with putting the images up on the image page. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:09, 14 January 2022 (UTC)

Anyone here that can make an animation out of the images and put it in the explanation? If it is "easy" could it be updated some times on the way towards the final image on January 31st... Like the one on [[Time]]. That would be really nice. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:02, 14 January 2022 (UTC)
:I made an animation: [https://imgur.com/a/INh77nL] (Now i realize it wasn't needed because there already is automatically updating animation linked from the page...) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.105|162.158.159.105]] 18:18, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
::Not if you would let us use it here on xkcd. I have no contact to munvoseli. But if you made one we could upload here on xkcd on this page and then update it a few times, until we have a final version, then that would be much better than having one on a private persons page. Which may be deleted at any time. So cool you made one. If it is possible I would like to have one like the one at [[Time]]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:41, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

There's something else moving into the frame... We'll have to see what it is. [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 19:12, 14 January 2022 (UTC)

To even find this page, I had to page backward through the comic to get to Decorative Constants, go to the discussion, and come across the link to this page from there. I suggest that there be a direct link to this page from the explanation of every comic that existed while the countdown was in progress. A second question: has anyone determined for sure whether the ‘camera’ is zooming out from a blank spot in the final image, in which case we can expect other stuff to come into view from above and right, OR is it panning onto an image that is not changing size, in which case nothing will appear except from the direction it’s moving toward? And if it’s panning, has anyone tried estimating where the current stuff will end up?[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.76|108.162.246.76]] 07:42, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
:I agree with you and have now changed the four comics that was active while the count down was active so far, so the link to this page is above their explanations. If people keep updating like this for new comics, there will be a link to the countdown page from the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page front page]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:40, 15 January 2022 (UTC)

Does Randall already have kids? If not, maybe his wife is expecting? That's something you'd announce and the last two comics are about kids. Another idea: he's going to space 🚀. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.233.115|162.158.233.115]] 20:47, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
:I’m sure he would have a birth announcement afterward, but I doubt he would try to predict it to the exact second, 21 days in advance.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.105|162.158.106.105]] 22:36, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
::Maybe it's a C section? Those are usually scheduled. lol but yeah that's unlikely.Wouldn't rule it out though.[[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 13:58, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

I noticed that it almost appears to be the tail fin of an airplane. I don’t know if it is, or if an airplane even makes sense? --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.57|172.70.230.57]] 22:11, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
:There's not enough time for it to make the several passes necessary, before the big 'reveal', but I'd have suspected Randall capable of parodying the {{w|Airplane!}} in-title parody of {{w|Jaws}}. Would have somewhat been a {{w|Shaggy dog story|shaggy}}-{{tvtropes|Brick_Joke|brick}} joke, but wouldn't put it past him... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.79|172.70.85.79]] 00:18, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
:: I actually think, after watching the animation so far on musoveli’s page, it looks more like a main wing of a swept wing commercial aircraft. If it is, and the pattern continues, we should be able to see the main body or an engine nacelle at least. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.108|162.158.62.108]] 13:39, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
:::I agree now. First I was sure it was the tail of an airplane, but the way it moves into the image now, makes me think of the wing, with the plane body soon coming into view. That was at image 59... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:48, 19 January 2022 (UTC)
::::I think at the time of posting the body has just come into view! I may be wrong, as it is only a tiny sliver, but I am hopeful!--[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.151|172.70.110.151]] 01:59, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::I'm still more mentally-prepared for it being a tailfin (seen from the side, the 'new' line being the mid-dorsal surface of the main aircraft hull) than the port wing (the new bit being of the lateral airframe surface forward of the wings and perhaps just behind the cockpit point). But this POV will doubtless be overturned by the revelation of the next frame(s), which will make many of us look just as misdirectedly creduluous as each other. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.22|172.70.86.22]] 02:50, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::::::I can see the tailfin too, but because I am a human, and we dont shift our opinons easily, i still think its a plane. We might all be wrong though! This makes me think of a game from elementary school where on kid would draw a line, we would guess what it was, then the would draw another, and so on, until we guessed it. (I just realized that I wasnt logged in for my previous few posts here). --[[User:BlackBeret|BlackBeret]] ([[User talk:BlackBeret|talk]]) 13:34, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::::::(Me again, 172.70.86.22, whatever this signs as.) In case you read me wrong, I was meaning a tailfin ''of a plane'' (rudder surface, vertical stabiliser, whatever), so I think we have agreement. Or had. Not seen the latest picture update(s), so my views may imminently change in a few moments when I actually do, and/or yours also will by the time you read this. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.173|172.70.90.173]] 16:18, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::::I understood what you meant by tail fin. I also now think you are right, becuase I think I can see a tiny little line poking out from the bottom corner that could be the vertical tail fin. (Is there a better word for it?)--[[User:BlackBeret|BlackBeret]] ([[User talk:BlackBeret|talk]]) 00:46, 21 January 2022 (UTC)
::::::::Once again, my opinion has changed. I now once more believe that it is a wing, now that we can see the windows of the plane. It almost looks like spaceshiptwo, which in my opinion is the coolest rocket in the industry right now. But it isn’t, because it doesn’t have the right wings. That was unrelated.--[[User:BlackBeret|BlackBeret]] ([[User talk:BlackBeret|talk]]) 02:54, 21 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::::::On a second look, it could be SpaceShipTwo in “shuttlecock” formation for reentry. Wouldn’t it be cool to see Randall in space? --[[User:BlackBeret|BlackBeret]] ([[User talk:BlackBeret|talk]]) 15:23, 21 January 2022 (UTC)
::::::::::{{w|SpaceShipTwo}} is not really looking at all like this commercial plane I believe it is. A passenger plane is my idea of how it looks now. I cannot tell if it is the wing or tail we see, but is inclined to sat that the thin line is the top of the passenger hull, and thus it is a wing, as the tailfin would not need this extra line as it is fused with the planes body. I also now begins to think the plane will land somewhere we can recognize (sky line) when the counter ends, and Randall is going there. But if he can actually land somewhere that precise seems farfetched. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:07, 21 January 2022 (UTC)

I believe it looks like he would draw the arm and upper "body" of a person running to the left. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.107|172.68.50.107]] 01:11, 16 January 2022 (UTC)

Am I the only one thinking it'll be another extra long comic like 1190? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.91|108.162.241.91]] 02:52, 16 January 2022 (UTC)

Randall is secretly in space, having launched a few days after JWST, and the countdown is to when NASA will see the fruits of his elaborate plan to create the most epic photo bomb of all time. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.187.220|162.158.187.220]] 20:59, 16 January 2022 (UTC)

Surprised no one has linked to the xkcd comic called Countdown. It centers on the problem of having a countdown to something and people not knowing what it is (and also not being able to see all relevant information). Seems relevant in a couple ways. https://xkcd.com/1159/ {{unsigned ip|172.70.230.157}}
:Yes but there we don't know when the count ends, but we know what it is about. So kind of the reverse of this countdown. But I think I will add a line about it in the explanation. Also a search for [[Countdown]] goes there so maybe I also add a link here from that comic. (Remember to sign you comment) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:32, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Did anyone calculate the speed/acceleration of the object moving in the frame? We can predict future positions if nothing changes {{unsigned ip|172.70.162.155}}
:It just changed direction so nothing will come from that now. (Remember to sign you comment) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:32, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Randall's new comic is about [[Hypothesis Generation|hyposthesis genration]] (Sound familiar?), and the title text makes a lot of sense if you think about it from his perspective. [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 13:06, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
:I really do not think this comic is a comment on the countdown. But I can see why it could be funny for us here at explain. But I'm quite sure that Randall stays away from all these fora discussing his comics. We put way to much importance to this site if we think he actually comes here... ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:14, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

What do the comments in the explanation above that say "the timer may be using EST" mean? The timer is just counting down days, hours, and minutes. We should all see the timer reach zero at the same time even though that may be morning for some readers, afternoon for others, and night for other readers. Randall's living on Eastern Standard Time isn't going to make the countdown run any faster or slower than it would if he lived in a different time zone. --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.87|172.70.126.87]] 16:00, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
:Agreed have removed all ref to EST. It is UTZ that is interesting and of course Randall's local time zone in Boston. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:29, 18 January 2022 (UTC) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.115.20|172.70.115.20]] 03:54, 19 January 2022 (UTC)
::Guys put that back! It's referring to comic 1061! Not that I think it's likely, butlet's not dismiss that out of hand. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.115.20|172.70.115.20]] 03:54, 19 January 2022 (UTC)
:::That is ridiculous! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:42, 19 January 2022 (UTC)

I think the image entering the frame is a boomerang! [[User:Sure|Sure]] ([[User talk:Sure|talk]]) 12:53, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Well Randall has sure been fond enough of those that we have the [[:Category:Boomerangs]]. However, in none of those have he drawn that extra line that have appeared before you suggested this. So I would say, it is not!--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:24, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Yay, started by the new development with the counter in the [[xkcd Header text]], I was inspired to continue the work I started back in [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=xkcd_Header_text&oldid=175813 June 2019] when I created the page regarding changes in the header. When I began adding the [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] at the top I became aware that I had left a period of more than a year with [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=xkcd_Header_text&oldid=224089#Changes_not_documented_yet_2 Changes not documented yet 2] from September 2015 to November 2016 ([[xkcd_Header_text#Changes_not_documented_yet_1|Changes not documented yet 1]] is anything earlier than March 2014). And today I finished documenting the gap so now [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|Protip on Garden]] is suddenly also here, just below where the undocumented section was, which I deleted today. And thus the protip is now not just mentioned in the trivia on the [[1663: Garden]] page. Of course it would be great to continue backwards, but it is a hughe project. But there where some important changes in the now closed gap, among other the longest running book promotion for [[Thing Explainer]]. Of course I cannot say it is complete back to march 2014, but anything staying longer than two weeks in the front page header I believe I would have found. But I have not walked through every archived version ;-) They load terribly slow. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:39, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I guess when more windows come into view, we’ll finally know whether the windows continue far to the left of the wing, or stop well short of the tail fin (which the two currently showing already seem to me to be too close to). {{unsigned ip|162.158.107.188}}
:That is true. Wonder if the plane will land in a city that can be recognized when the counter runs out? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:07, 21 January 2022 (UTC)

<s>That new bottom-left line worries me. [...]</s> [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.68|172.70.86.68]] 15:50, 22 January 2022 (UTC)
:Retracted. I was still thinking a viewpoint mildly downward, or exactly level with the aircraft, but a very slight upward view (and from slightly forward?) onto the underside of the HS surface would conceivably produce that profile.
:Note that I'm commenting on xkcd.com directly, as the frames in the /images page have been left fallow for a while now. I presume someone is going to catch us up again when they have the wherewithall (unfortunately, I don't right now, hard to edit complex things on this device, and I wouldn't be able to upload the frames to the wiki anyway). ...no rush, we have... 8d 0h 23m left, at least, to be thorough about this. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.121|172.70.90.121]] 14:37, 23 January 2022 (UTC)
::I have now uploaded up to the current on xkcd nr. 85. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:09, 23 January 2022 (UTC)

I wondered if there was anything else interesting in the js file that updates the countdown. [https://gist.github.com/Toby222/bff2734e98efadd9e9c3b2dc64902c43 So I de-minified it.] (There is nothing noteworthy.) [[User:Toby|Toby]] ([[User talk:Toby|talk]]) 17:20, 23 January 2022 (UTC)

The new parachute theory could be a possibility. I have added this and two others to the top of the image theories and moved all else into an Early theory section. For sure it is a plane. And also added the parachute idea to the countdown theory section. Not my theory, but moved it to two other places than where it was first stated. (Left it there though!). Not special certain it will be, but could be. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:09, 23 January 2022 (UTC)

Maybe Randall found D.B. Cooper? ;D [[User:256.256.256.256|256.256.256.256]] ([[User talk:256.256.256.256|talk about me behind my]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ/ back]) 13:49, 24 January 2022 (UTC)
:Maybe he's going to announce he ''is'' D.B. Cooper..! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.121|172.70.90.121]] 14:01, 24 January 2022 (UTC)
:: :o [[User:256.256.256.256|surprised pikachu]] ([[User talk:256.256.256.256|talk about me behind my]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ/ back]) 11:50, 25 January 2022 (UTC)

I've been checking the possible aircraft used for Zero-G (parabolic) flights, and currently - in the US at least - none of the models used have 'standard' hull-mounted horizontal stabilisers, as in the picture. They're either T-tails or cruciform (midway up the vertical stabiliser), possibly for very good reasons. (i.e., at the most crucial part of the flight envelope, it keeps the control surfaces out of the immediate wake of the wings. Handy feature, more than overcoming the engineering compromises needed to mount things that way.) Assuming any attempt at accuracy{{fact}} this might rule that option out. (And skydiving is usually high-winged non-jets, and this seems to be a low-winged jet.) Though A300-ranged planes have been used in Europe and conceivably loosely fit the given profile. But it looks like a smaller plane than many of the Vomit Comets (and larger than most parachute-party planes). Unfortunately, it still rules far too many other options in, never mind artistic <s>innacuracy</s> drift. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.79|172.70.85.79]] 15:14, 24 January 2022 (UTC)

suggestion: make a bot that uploads the newest image with https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/current .[[Special:Contributions/162.158.187.92|162.158.187.92]] 18:20, 25 January 2022 (UTC)Bumpf
:With just five days left it is not worth the bother... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:50, 27 January 2022 (UTC)

Actually, this started to get a little boring a few days ago. https://xkcd.com/1951/ Just sayin’ [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.98|108.162.246.98]] 12:52, 26 January 2022 (UTC)

First the airplane image...now two alien-themed comics in a row...Of course!!! It seems so obvious! Randall is an alien! The countdown is to the big reveal! /j [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.99|172.70.114.99]]
:Unless he keeps up alien themed jokes through the week I do not think they will be related to the count down. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:50, 27 January 2022 (UTC)

The new development makes me think it is a plane like {{w|Boeing E-3 Sentry}}. With a radar on top. If not another plane is above, holding this one, which could make it something with a going into space plane? Not sure if those that exist would look like this though. But the radar would probably look like this. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:50, 27 January 2022 (UTC)

(based on 110 frames available): The upper black "arc" can be some hair and the ellipse on the right look like the right glass of a pair of glasses. The latter I think because the upper line of the plane's main body gets refracted a bit. So this might become a picture with a glasses-wearing person in front and a plane in the background. If somebody more web-comic-savy than me recognizes a character we might see the start of Randall's vacation and his vacation replacement.[[User:Kimmerin|Kimmerin]] ([[User talk:Kimmerin|talk]]) 15:43, 27 January 2022 (UTC)

The line below the windows is a fairly common place to switch from a dark to light color with a commercial airline livery, or a line of color, etc. The floor of the passenger compartment is generally a little below the middle of the fuselage, the windows are above. The fuselage looks much more typical if that line is just paint than if it's demarking the fuselage from something else. The curved object in the upper right would be the right place for a winglet if the plane were banking slightly, particularly a winglet like the A350's.

== Countdown not appearing on certain comics (most notably 980: Money) ==

I have not checked every comic, and this may be a bug or nerd sniping, but this could mean... something? Idk [[User:Eebop|Eebop]] ([[User talk:Eebop|talk]]) 02:41, 28 January 2022 (UTC)

Talk:670: Spinal Tap Amps

2021-08-26T20:07:06Z

Eebop:

Specifically, it's $166.66 recurring per unit of loud. [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 22:49, 29 September 2013 (UTC)

I vote we start using "units of loud" instead of "decibels" {{unsigned ip|149.152.191.2}}
:Aye! [[User:BK201|BK201]] ([[User talk:BK201|talk]]) 16:52, 12 December 2013 (UTC)BK201
:Aye! [[User:Danish|Danish]] ([[User talk:Danish|talk]]) 00:27, 8 January 2021 (UTC)
:Aye! [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] ([[User talk:Beanie|talk]]) 11:16, 21 April 2021 (UTC)
:Aye! [[User:Eebop|Eebop]] ([[User talk:Eebop|talk]]) 20:07, 26 August 2021 (UTC)
I read somewhere that the amps used to have settings up to 10, but then people found ways to turn the knob past 10. It became culturally known as the 11 setting. In response, manufacturers made amps that went to 11, and this predated the movie. The movie just greatly increased the popularity of the idea. Can't find it anymore though. Maybe it was only urban legend [[User:Cflare|Cflare]] ([[User talk:Cflare|talk]]) 17:14, 16 June 2014 (UTC)
:Most likely something to do with the fact that guitarists were still lighting up in the national grid into the 1980's. Check out the health and safety at music festivals act 198011.
:OK most musicians die of heart attacks or cerebral haemorrhage but there is an history of electrical malfunctions at music gigs.
[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 01:17, 28 January 2015 (UTC)
:: Is it possible this story is a bit like the stories of the left-handed hammer that newbies on construction sites get sent to retrieve? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.155|108.162.249.155]] 04:33, 10 March 2016 (UTC)
:::Replying to 108.162.249.155. I actually own a real right-handed hammer that I bought in a Miami Home Depot shortly after Hurricane Andrew. At the time, they were also stocking some left-handed versions of the same hammer. And, yes, before you ask, there was a difference—in the way the grip was moulded.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.202|108.162.245.202]] 18:41, 23 May 2017 (UTC)

2445: Checkbox

2021-08-07T18:15:01Z

Eebop:

{{comic
| number = 2445
| date = April 1, 2021
| title = Checkbox
| image = checkbox.gif
| titletext = Check check check ... chhecck chhecck chhecck ... check check check
}}
{{TOC}}
*To experience the interactivity of this game, visit the {{xkcd|2445|original comic}}.
==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHECKBOX. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This was the 11th [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] released by [[Randall]]. The previous fools comic was [[2288: Collector's Edition]], which was delayed two days and released on Friday April 3, 2020.

As of Aug 7 2021, it seems that the comic does not work anymore (due to a 503 certificate expired error for part of the source code).

The comic looks similar to a loading screen. The actual comic (this “loading screen”) consists of a gif of a checkbox (hence the name).

The frame is replaced with an interactive panel. In the center is a check box, which clears itself immediately when checked. In the bottom right is a mute button, which begins muted. By unmuting, sounds are played when the check box is checked.

Under the checkbox is a scrolling visual representation of the timing and duration of clicks in the check box, which also produce matching beeping sounds when unmuted. The representation consists of a dot for a short press, or a bar for a longer press. All long presses are represented by a bar of a pre-determined length; in other words, a longer press does not result in a longer bar.

By varying between brief and long presses, and brief and long intervals between presses, it is possible to enter characters in Morse Code.

The check box then begins operating by itself, producing sounds which can be decoded as Morse Code. These responses are also printed in the browser's JavaScript console in both plain text and a textual representation of Morse code. If left without any initial input for 30 seconds it would send the message CQ (meaning "Seek You").

The title text hints at the use of Morse Code in the comic; interpreting the "check" as a Morse Code dot and the "chhecck" (a long check) as a Morse Code dash gives ...---..., which is the Morse Code for "SOS", the international distress signal. Incidentally, inputting the SOS signal gives "YOU TOO?".

For the majority of inputs, the check box responds with a random selection from the following list:
* COME AGAIN
* HUH
* NOT FOLLOWING
* SAY AGAIN
* TRY THAT AGAIN
* WHAT

Some keywords, however, have [[#Special Responses´|special responses]].

This comic has a [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]], see [[xkcd_Header_text#Checkbox|the details here]]. The header states that "This comic was put together byMax Goodhart, Patrick, Amber, Benjamin Staffin, Kevin Cotrone, and Michael Leuchtenburg. Read Max's [https://chromakode.com/post/checkbox blog post] on development of the comic.

==Special Responses==
[.s are short presses, -s are long presses, and /s are spaces (just for readability)]

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|XKCD -> FILE NOT FOUND
|[-..- -.- -.-. -..] -> [..-. .. .-.. . / -. --- - / ..-. --- ..- -. -..]
|
|-
|XKCD -> A CROSS THREE LETTERS
|[-..- -.- -.-. -..] -> [.- / -.-. .-. --- ... ... / - .... .-. . . / .-.. . - - . .-. ...]
|A pun on "across three letters", how clues are sometimes given in crossword puzzles. Instead, the word "xkcd" is literally a cross (x), followed by three letters (kcd).
|-
|HI -> HELLO! ANYBODY OUT THERE?
|[.... ..] -> [.... . .-.. .-.. --- -.-.-- / .- -. -.-- -... --- -.. -.-- / --- ..- - / - .... . .-. . ..--..]
|
|-
|HELLO -> HELLO TO YOU TOO!
|[.... . .-.. .-.. ---] -> [.... . .-.. .-.. --- / - --- / -.-- --- ..- / - --- --- -.-.--]
|
|-
|HELP -> ENTER IMAGE NUMBER
|[.... . .-.. .--.] -> [. -. - . .-. / .. -- .- --. . / -. ..- -- -... . .-.]
|See below; if you enter any number ≤ 2445 you will be linked to the corresponding xkcd comic.
|-
|HELP -> YES PLEASE
|[.... . .-.. .--.] -> [-.-- . ... / .--. .-.. . .- ... .]
|This joke is based around the misinterpretation of asking for help as offering help to Sojourner (who is operating the checkbox)
|-
|ES -> QUE
|[. ...] -> [--.- ..- .]
|"Es" means "is" in Spanish, and "Qué" is "what".
|-
|WHAT -> ECHO
|[.-- .... .- -] -> [. -.-. .... ---]
|
|-
|ECHO -> ECHO
|[. -.-. .... ---] -> [. -.-. .... ---]
|
|-
|CHECK -> MATE
|[-.-. .... . -.-. -.-] -> [-- .- - .]
|Checkmate is the winning move in chess.
|-
|CHECKBOX -> RADIO BUTTON
|[-.-. .... . -.-. -.- -... --- -..-] -> [.-. .- -.. .. --- / -... ..- - - --- -.]
|This also works the other way around.
|-
|E (''repeat n times'') -> E (''repeat n times'')
|[.]
|This only applies for n < 7. Also, n=6 returns 'AAAAAA' instead.
|-
|T (''repeat n times'') -> T (''repeat n times'')
|[-]
|This only applies for n < 7.
|-
|E -> E ''pause'' I -> EIEIO
|[.] -> [.] ''pause'' [..] -> [. .. . .. ---]
|
|-
|I (''repeat n times'') -> I (''repeat n times'')
|[..] -> [..] ''or'' [.. ...-] (IV) ''or'' [...-] (V)
|This only applies for n < 4. n=4 returns 'IV' and n=5 returns 'V', the Roman numerals for 4 and 5, respectively.
|-
|FLIPCOIN -> HEADS ''or'' TAILS
|[..-. .-.. .. .--. -.-. --- .. -.] -> [.... . .- -.. ...] ''or'' [- .- .. .-.. ...]
|
|-
|LOOK AROUND -> NOT ENOUGH POWER
|[.-.. --- --- -.- / .- .-. --- ..- -. -..] -> [-. --- - / . -. --- ..- --. .... / .--. --- .-- . .-.]
|
|-
|SEE -> RED SOIL
|[... . .] -> [.-. . -.. / ... --- .. .-..]
|This indicates that Sojourner, the "operator" of the morse code, is on Mars. Mars is covered in red soil.
|-
|WHO ARE YOU ''or'' WHAT IS YOUR NAME -> SOJOURNER
|[.-- .... --- / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..-] ''or'' [.-- .... .- - / .. ... / -.-- --- ..- .-. / -. .- -- .] -> [... --- .--- --- ..- .-. -. . .-.]
|
|-
|SOJOURNER -> CFM
|[... --- .--- --- ..- .-. -. . .-.] -> [-.-. ..-. --]
|CFM is short for confirm.
|-
|ET -> PHONE HOME
|[. -] -> [.--. .... --- -. . / .... --- -- .]
|This is a reference to the movie ET.
|-
|LS -> DID YOU MEAN DIR
|[.-.. ...] -> [-.. .. -.. / -.-- --- ..- / -- . .- -. / -.. .. .-.]
|These are both commands for viewing the files in a directory. LS is the traditional method in UNIX, whereas DIR is more associated with MS-DOS/Windows (although it also exists in UNIX).
|-
|DIR -> ENTER IMAGE NUMBER
|[-.. .. .-.] -> [. -. - . .-. / .. -- .- --. . / -. ..- -- -... . .-.]
|This references to the next input. DIR stands for directory.
|-
|(''any number ≤ 2445'') -> (''loads xkcd comic in new tab'')
|
|
|-
|MAKE ME A SANDWICH -> NOT A CHANCE
|[-- .- -.- . / -- . / .- / ... .- -. -.. .-- .. -.-. ....] -> [-. --- - / .- / -.-. .... .- -. -.-. .]
|A reference to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/149:_Sandwich this comic]
|-
|SUDO MAKE ME A SANDWICH -> NOT POSSIBLE HERE
|[... ..- -.. --- / -- .- -.- . / -- . / .- / ... .- -. -.. .-- .. -.-. ....] -> [-. --- - / .--. --- ... ... .. -... .-.. . / .... . .-. .]
|Another reference to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/149:_Sandwich this comic]
|-
|I LOVE YOU -> LESS THAN THREE
|[.. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-] -> [.-.. . ... ... / - .... .- -. / - .... .-. . .]
|"Less than three" represents the less than (<) symbol followed by the number three (3), which together form <3. This is commonly used to represent a heart.
|-
|<nowiki />:) -> :D
|[---... -.--.-] -> [---... -..]
|
|-
|<nowiki />:( -> :C
|[---... -.--.] -> [---... -.-.]
|
|-
|<nowiki />;) -> :O
|[-.-.-. -.--.-] -> [---... ---]
|
|-
|<nowiki />:O -> :X
|[---... ---] -> [---... -..-]
|
|-
|UWU -> OWO
|[..- .-- ..-] -> [--- .-- ---]
|
|-
|OWO -> UWU
|[--- .-- ---] -> [..- .-- ..-]
|
|-
|POG -> YEET
|[.--. --- --.] -> [-.-- . . -]
|
|-
|UNIX -> (''Opens [https://uni.xkcd.com uni.xkcd.com]'')
|[..- -. .. -..-]
|[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/UniXKCD April Fools' Day in 2010]
|-
|GET YE FLASK -> YE WISH! IF THERE WAS A FLASK IN THIS GAME, WE'D KNOW ABOUT IT.
|[--. . - / -.-- . / ..-. .-.. .- ... -.-] -> [-.-- . / .-- .. ... .... -.-.-- / .. ..-. / - .... . .-. . / .-- .- ... / .- / ..-. .-.. .- ... -.- / .. -. / - .... .. ... / --. .- -- . --..-- / .-- . .----. -.. / -.- -. --- .-- / .- -... --- ..- - / .. - .-.-.-]
|
|-
|GET YE FLASK -> YOU CANNOT GET YE FLASK
|[--. . - / -.-- . / ..-. .-.. .- ... -.-] -> [-.-- --- ..- / -.-. .- -. -. --- - / --. . - / -.-- . / ..-. .-.. .- ... -.-]
|This response, as well as the previous one, are references to a recurring joke from {{w|Homestar Runner}}.
|-
|YO -> YO
|[-.-- ---] -> [-.-- ---]
|
|-
|DROP TABLE -> HAHA NO
|[.... .- .... .- / -. ---] -> [.... .- .... .- / -. ---]
| reference to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/327:_Exploits_of_a_Mom this comic]
|-
|WHY -> TO STUDY THE RED PLANET
|[.-- .... -.--] -> [- --- / ... - ..- -.. -.-- / - .... . / .-. . -.. / .--. .-.. .- -. . -]
|
|-
|EAT -> I PHOTOSYNTHESIZE
|[. .- -] -> [.. / .--. .... --- - --- ... -.-- -. - .... . ... .. --.. .]
|
|-
|BATTLE ''or'' FIGHT -> THROW
|[-... .- - - .-.. .] ''or'' [..-. .. --. .... -] -> [- .... .-. --- .--]
|
|-
|START -> DID YOU MEAN START GAME?
|[... - .- .-. -] -> [-.. .. -.. / -.-- --- ..- / -- . .- -. / ... - .- .-. - / --. .- -- . ..--..]
|
|-
|STARTGAME -> CHECK BACK LATER
|[... - .- .-. - --. .- -- .] -> [-.-. .... . -.-. -.- / -... .- -.-. -.- / .-.. .- - . .-.]
|
|}
===Controls===

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|QUIET -> (turns the volume off)
|[--.- ..- .. . -]
|
|-
|MUTE -> (turns the volume off)
|[-- ..- - .]
|
|-
|BEEP -> (turns the volume on)
|[-... . . .--.]
|
|}
See also QRS and QRQ.

===Q codes and radio shorthand===
An explanation of Q codes can be found {{w|Q code|here}}.

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|CQ -> CQD DE SOJ
|[-.-. --.-] -> [-.-. --.- -.. / -.. . / ... --- .---]
|
|-
|SOS -> YOU TOO?
|[... --- ...] -> [-.-- --- ..- / - --- --- ..--..]
|
|-
|SOS -> OH NO
|[... --- ...] -> [--- .... / -. ---]
|
|-
|QRS -> (reduces playback speed)
|[--.- .-. ...]
|
|-
|QRQ -> (increases playback speed)
|[--.- .-. --.-]
|
|-
|QRA -> QRA SOJOURNER
|[--.- .-. .-] -> [--.- .-. .- / ... --- .--- --- ..- .-. -. . .-.]
|
|-
|QRB -> QRB 264 MILLION KM
|[--.- .-. -...] -> [--.- .-. -... /..--- -.... ....- / -- .. .-.. .-.. .. --- -. / -.- --]
|
|-
|QRH -> QRH 0.652 METERS
|[--.- .-. ....] -> [--.- .-. .... / ----- .-.-.- -.... ..... ..--- / -- . - . .-. ...]
|
|-
|QRG -> QRG PATHFINDER
|[--.- .-. --.] -> [--.- .-. --. / .--. .- - .... ..-. .. -. -.. . .-.]
|
|-
|QRZ -> QRZ SOJOURNER
|[--.- .-. --..] -> [--.- .-. --.. / ... --- .--- --- ..- .-. -. . .-.]
|
|-
|QRT -> PLEASE DON'T GO
|[--.- .-. -] -> [.--. .-.. . .- ... . / -.. --- -. .----. - / --. ---]
|
|-
|QTH -> QTH ARES VALLIS
|[--.- - ....] -> [--.- - .... / .- .-. . ... / ...- .- .-.. .-.. .. ...]
|
|-
|QSL -> QSL
|[--.- ... .-..] -> [--.- ... .-..]
|
|-
|73 -> 73 KN
|[--... ...--] -> [--... ...-- / -.- -.]
|
|-
|CL -> BYE
|[-.-. .-..] -> [-... -.-- .]
|
|}

===FORTUNE===

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|F -> DID YOU MEAN FORTUNE
|[..-.] -> [-.. .. -.. / -.-- --- ..- / -- . .- -. / ..-. --- .-. - ..- -. .]
|
|-
|FORTUNE -> OPEN ME
|[..-. --- .-. - ..- -. .]
|
|-
|OPEN -> ''returns one of the following fortunes''

1. A BEAUTIFUL SMART AND LOVING PERSON WILL BE COMING INTO YOUR LIFE

2. CHANGE IS HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE SO GO WITH THE FLOW

3. COURTESY BEGINS IN THE HOME

4. DILIGENCE AND MODESTY CAN RAISE YOUR SOCIAL STATUS

5. EVERYWHERE YOU CHOOSE TO GO FRIENDLY FACES WILL GREET YOU

6. FOLLOW THE MIDDLE PATH NEITHER EXTREME WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY

7. FOR THE THINGS WE HAVE TO LEARN BEFORE WE CAN DO THEM WE LEARN BY DOING THEM

8. HELP IM BEING HELD PRISONER IN A CHINESE BAKERY

9. LIKE THE RIVER FLOW INTO THE SEA SOMETHING ARE JUST MEANT TO BE

10. MANS MIND ONCE STRETCHED BY A NEW IDEA NEVER REGAINS ITS ORIGINAL DIMENSIONS

11. MEDITATION WITH AN OLD ENEMY IS ADVISED

12. NEVER FEAR THE END OF SOMETHING MARKS THE START OF SOMETHING NEW

13. PERHAPS YOUVE BEEN FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON SAVING

14. SAVOR YOUR FREEDOM IT IS PRECIOUS

15. STAYING CLOSE TO HOME IS GOING TO BE BEST FOR YOUR MORALE TODAY

16. YOU ARE GENEROUS TO AN EXTREME AND ALWAYS THINK OF THE OTHER FELLOW

17. YOU HAVE AN UNUSUAL EQUIPMENT FOR SUCCESS USE IT PROPERLY

18. YOU SHOULD PAY FOR THIS CHECK BE GENEROUS

19. YOU WILL BE A GREAT SUCCESS BOTH IN THE BUSINESS WORLD AND SOCIETY

20. YOUR DREAMS ARE NEVER SILLY DEPEND ON THEM TO GUIDE YOU

21. YOUR INFINITE CAPACITY FOR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED SOONER OR LATER

22. YOUR MENTALITY IS ALERT PRACTICAL AND ANALYTICAL

23. YOUR MOODS SIGNAL A PERIOD OF CHANGE

24. FIRST THINK OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THEN DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

25. ADVENTURE CAN BE REAL HAPPINESS

|[--- .--. . -.]

1. [.- / -... . .- ..- - .. ..-. ..- .-.. / ... -- .- .-. - / .- -. -.. / .-.. --- ...- .. -. --. / .--. . .-. ... --- -. / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / -.-. --- -- .. -. --. / .. -. - --- / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-.. .. ..-. .]

2. [-.-. .... .- -. --. . / .. ... / .... .- .--. .--. . -. .. -. --. / .. -. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-.. .. ..-. . / ... --- / --. --- / .-- .. - .... / - .... . / ..-. .-.. --- .--]

3. [-.-. --- ..- .-. - . ... -.-- / -... . --. .. -. ... / .. -. / - .... . / .... --- -- .]

4. [-.. .. .-.. .. --. . -. -.-. . / .- -. -.. / -- --- -.. . ... - -.-- / -.-. .- -. / .-. .- .. ... . / -.-- --- ..- .-. / ... --- -.-. .. .- .-.. / ... - .- - ..- ...]

5. [. ...- . .-. -.-- .-- .... . .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / -.-. .... --- --- ... . / - --- / --. --- / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. .-.. -.-- / ..-. .- -.-. . ... / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / --. .-. . . - / -.-- --- ..-]

6. [. ...- . .-. -.-- .-- .... . .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / -.-. .... --- --- ... . / - --- / --. --- / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. .-.. -.-- / ..-. .- -.-. . ... / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / --. .-. . . - / -.-- --- ..-]

7. [..-. --- .-. / - .... . / - .... .. -. --. ... / .-- . / .... .- ...- . / - --- / .-.. . .- .-. -. / -... . ..-. --- .-. . / .-- . / -.-. .- -. / -.. --- / - .... . -- / .-- . / .-.. . .- .-. -. / -... -.-- / -.. --- .. -. --. / - .... . --]

8. [.... . .-.. .--. / .. -- / -... . .. -. --. / .... . .-.. -.. / .--. .-. .. ... --- -. . .-. / .. -. / .- / -.-. .... .. -. . ... . / -... .- -.- . .-. -.--]

9. [.-.. .. -.- . / - .... . / .-. .. ...- . .-. / ..-. .-.. --- .-- / .. -. - --- / - .... . / ... . .- / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / .- .-. . / .--- ..- ... - / -- . .- -. - / - --- / -... .]

10. [-- .- -. ... / -- .. -. -.. / --- -. -.-. . / ... - .-. . - -.-. .... . -.. / -... -.-- / .- / -. . .-- / .. -.. . .- / -. . ...- . .-. / .-. . --. .- .. -. ... / .. - ... / --- .-. .. --. .. -. .- .-.. / -.. .. -- . -. ... .. --- -. ...]

11. [-- . -.. .. - .- - .. --- -. / .-- .. - .... / .- -. / --- .-.. -.. / . -. . -- -.-- / .. ... / .- -.. ...- .. ... . -..]

12. [-. . ...- . .-. / ..-. . .- .-. / - .... . / . -. -.. / --- ..-. / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / -- .- .-. -.- ... / - .... . / ... - .- .-. - / --- ..-. / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / -. . .--]

13. [.--. . .-. .... .- .--. ... / -.-- --- ..- ...- . / -... . . -. / ..-. --- -.-. ..- ... .. -. --. / - --- --- / -- ..- -.-. .... / --- -. / ... .- ...- .. -. --.]

14. [... .- ...- --- .-. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / ..-. .-. . . -.. --- -- / .. - / .. ... / .--. .-. . -.-. .. --- ..- ...]

15. [... - .- -.-- .. -. --. / -.-. .-.. --- ... . / - --- / .... --- -- . / .. ... / --. --- .. -. --. / - --- / -... . / -... . ... - / ..-. --- .-. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / -- --- .-. .- .-.. . / - --- -.. .- -.--]

16. [-.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / --. . -. . .-. --- ..- ... / - --- / .- -. / . -..- - .-. . -- . / .- -. -.. / .- .-.. .-- .- -.-- ... / - .... .. -. -.- / --- ..-. / - .... . / --- - .... . .-. / ..-. . .-.. .-.. --- .--]

17. [-.-- --- ..- / .... .- ...- . / .- -. / ..- -. ..- ... ..- .- .-.. / . --.- ..- .. .--. -- . -. - / ..-. --- .-. / ... ..- -.-. -.-. . ... ... / ..- ... . / .. - / .--. .-. --- .--. . .-. .-.. -.--]

18. [-.-- --- ..- / ... .... --- ..- .-.. -.. / .--. .- -.-- / ..-. --- .-. / - .... .. ... / -.-. .... . -.-. -.- / -... . / --. . -. . .-. --- ..- ...]

19. [-.-- --- ..- / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / .- / --. .-. . .- - / ... ..- -.-. -.-. . ... ... / -... --- - .... / .. -. / - .... . / -... ..- ... .. -. . ... ... / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. / .- -. -.. / ... --- -.-. .. . - -.--]

20. [-.-- --- ..- .-. / -.. .-. . .- -- ... / .- .-. . / -. . ...- . .-. / ... .. .-.. .-.. -.-- / -.. . .--. . -. -.. / --- -. / - .... . -- / - --- / --. ..- .. -.. . / -.-- --- ..-]

21. [-.-- --- ..- .-. / .. -. ..-. .. -. .. - . / -.-. .- .--. .- -.-. .. - -.-- / ..-. --- .-. / .--. .- - .. . -. -.-. . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / .-. . .-- .- .-. -.. . -.. / ... --- --- -. . .-. / --- .-. / .-.. .- - . .-.]

22. [-.-- --- ..- .-. / -- . -. - .- .-.. .. - -.-- / .. ... / .- .-.. . .-. - / .--. .-. .- -.-. - .. -.-. .- .-.. / .- -. -.. / .- -. .- .-.. -.-- - .. -.-. .- .-..]

23. [-.-- --- ..- .-. / -- --- --- -.. ... / ... .. --. -. .- .-.. / .- / .--. . .-. .. --- -.. / --- ..-. / -.-. .... .- -. --. .]

24. [..-. .. .-. ... - / - .... .. -. -.- / --- ..-. / .-- .... .- - / -.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. - / - --- / -.. --- / - .... . -. / -.. --- / .-- .... .- - / -.-- --- ..- / .... .- ...- . / - --- / -.. ---]

25. [.- -.. ...- . -. - ..- .-. . / -.-. .- -. / -... . / .-. . .- .-.. / .... .- .--. .--. .. -. . ... ...]

|
|-
|OPEN -> HUH (if after something other than "FORTUNE")
|[--- .--. . -.] -> [.... ..- ....]
|}

===ENCABULATOR===

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|STATUS -> RADIO ONLINE, MOTOR ONLINE, UNILATERAL PHASE DETRACTOR UNPOWERED, CARDINAL GRAMMETER UNSYNCHRONIZED
|[... - .- - ..- ...] -> [.-. .- -.. .. --- / --- -. .-.. .. -. . --..-- / -- --- - --- .-. / --- -. .-.. .. -. . --..-- / ..- -. .. .-.. .- - . .-. .- .-.. / .--. .... .- ... . / -.. . - .-. .- -.-. - --- .-. / ..- -. .--. --- .-- . .-. . -.. --..-- / -.-. .- .-. -.. .. -. .- .-.. / --. .-. .- -- -- . - . .-. / ..- -. ... -.-- -. -.-. .... .-. --- -. .. --.. . -..]
|
|-
|YOUTUBE -> RXJKDH1KZ0W
|[-.-- --- ..- - ..- -... .]
|This represents the video ID for [https://youtu.be/RXJKdh1KZ0w Rockwell Retro Encabulator]
|-
|REPAIR ''or'' ENCABULATOR ''or'' FIX ''or'' SYSTEM -> ENTERING ENCABULATOR RECOVERY SYSTEM. OPTIONS 1 INITIATE SIDE FUMBLING 2 ALIGN SPURVING BEARINGS 3 REVERSE TREMIE PIPE
:1 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
:2 -> MODIAL INTERACTION INITIATED. OPTIONS 1 UNWIND LOTUS O DELTOID 2 INCREASE DEPLENERATION 3 CONNECT GIRDLESPRING ON DOWN END OF GRAMMETER 4 CONNECT SEVENTH CONDUCTOR TO GIRDLESPRING
::1 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
::2 -> DEPLENERATION PREVENTED BY DINGLE ARM
::3 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
::4 -> PANAMETRIC FAN ACTIVATED. MODIAL INTERACTION STABLE. DEFAULT CONFIGURATION MISSING. MANUALLY ENTER MARZELVANE TYPE TO COMPLETE RECOVERY
:::HYDROCOPTIC -> RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL. REBOOT Y N?
::::Y -> (''Opens [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/sojourner_repaired.png sojourner_repaired.png]'')
:3 -> ERROR TREMIE PIPE NONREVERSIBLE
|[.-. . .--. .- .. .-.] ''or'' [. -. -.-. .- -... ..- .-.. .- - --- .-.] ''or'' [..-. .. -..-] ''or'' [... -.-- ... - . --] -> [. -. - . .-. .. -. --. / . -. -.-. .- -... ..- .-.. .- - --- .-. / .-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.-- / ... -.-- ... - . -- .-.-.- / --- .--. - .. --- -. ... / .---- / .. -. .. - .. .- - . / ... .. -.. . / ..-. ..- -- -... .-.. .. -. --. / ..--- / .- .-.. .. --. -. / ... .--. ..- .-. ...- .. -. --. / -... . .- .-. .. -. --. ... / ...-- / .-. . ...- . .-. ... . / - .-. . -- .. . / .--. .. .--. .]
:[.----] -> [... .. -.. . / ..-. ..- -- -... .-.. .. -. --. / -.. . - . -.-. - . -.. .-.-.- / -- --- -.. .. .- .-.. / .. -. - . .-. .- -.-. - .. --- -. / ..- -. ... - .- -... .-.. . .-.-.- / .-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.-- / - . .-. -- .. -. .- - . -.. .-.-.-]
:[..---] -> [-- --- -.. .. .- .-.. / .. -. - . .-. .- -.-. - .. --- -. / .. -. .. - .. .- - . -.. .-.-.- / --- .--. - .. --- -. ... / .---- / ..- -. .-- .. -. -.. / .-.. --- - ..- ... / --- / -.. . .-.. - --- .. -.. / ..--- / .. -. -.-. .-. . .- ... . / -.. . .--. .-.. . -. . .-. .- - .. --- -. / ...-- / -.-. --- -. -. . -.-. - / --. .. .-. -.. .-.. . ... .--. .-. .. -. --. / --- -. / -.. --- .-- -. / . -. -.. / --- ..-. / --. .-. .- -- -- . - . .-. / ....- / -.-. --- -. -. . -.-. - / ... . ...- . -. - .... / -.-. --- -. -.. ..- -.-. - --- .-. / - --- / --. .. .-. -.. .-.. . ... .--. .-. .. -. --.]
::[.----] -> [... .. -.. . / ..-. ..- -- -... .-.. .. -. --. / -.. . - . -.-. - . -.. .-.-.- / -- --- -.. .. .- .-.. / .. -. - . .-. .- -.-. - .. --- -. / ..- -. ... - .- -... .-.. . .-.-.- / .-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.-- / - . .-. -- .. -. .- - . -.. .-.-.-]
::[..---] -> [-.. . .--. .-.. . -. . .-. .- - .. --- -. / .--. .-. . ...- . -. - . -.. / -... -.-- / -.. .. -. --. .-.. . / .- .-. --]
::[...--] -> [... .. -.. . / ..-. ..- -- -... .-.. .. -. --. / -.. . - . -.-. - . -.. .-.-.- / -- --- -.. .. .- .-.. / .. -. - . .-. .- -.-. - .. --- -. / ..- -. ... - .- -... .-.. . .-.-.- / .-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.-- / - . .-. -- .. -. .- - . -.. .-.-.-]
::[....-] -> [.--. .- -. .- -- . - .-. .. -.-. / ..-. .- -. / .- -.-. - .. ...- .- - . -.. .-.-.- / -- --- -.. .. .- .-.. / .. -. - . .-. .- -.-. - .. --- -. / ... - .- -... .-.. . .-.-.- / -.. . ..-. .- ..- .-.. - / -.-. --- -. ..-. .. --. ..- .-. .- - .. --- -. / -- .. ... ... .. -. --. .-.-.- / -- .- -. ..- .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / . -. - . .-. / -- .- .-. --.. . .-.. ...- .- -. . / - -.-- .--. . / - --- / -.-. --- -- .--. .-.. . - . / .-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.--]
:::[.... -.-- -.. .-. --- -.-. --- .--. - .. -.-.] -> [.-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.-- / ... ..- -.-. -.-. . ... ... ..-. ..- .-.. .-.-.- / .-. . -... --- --- - / -.-- / -. ..--..]
::::[-.--]
:[...--] -> [. .-. .-. --- .-. / - .-. . -- .. . / .--. .. .--. . / -. --- -. .-. . ...- . .-. ... .. -... .-.. .]
|
|-
|}

===MAZE===

{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|RETURN -> DID YOU MEAN ENTER
|[.-. . - ..- .-. -.]
|
|-
|ENTER -> DID YOU MEAN ENTER MAZE
|[. -. - . .-.]
|
|-
|ENTER MAZE -> AN EMPTY ROOM
:LOOK -> AN EMPTY ROOM
:HELP -> NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST GET
:EXIT -> CFM (''Exits the maze'')
|[. -. - . .-. / -- .- --.. .] -> [.- -. / . -- .--. - -.-- / .-. --- --- --]
:[.-.. --- --- -.-] -> [.- -. / . -- .--. - -.-- / .-. --- --- --]
:[.... . .-.. .--.] -> [-. --- .-. - .... / . .- ... - / ... --- ..- - .... / .-- . ... - / --. . -]
:[. -..- .. -] -> [-.-. ..-. --]
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Maze
|-
|an open flame || a candle on a table || style="background-color: black;" |
|-
| style="background-color: black;" | || an empty room (start) || style="background-color: black;" |
|-
| style="background-color: black;" | || a hanging bell || an open book on a table (locked door)
|-
|}

Steps to complete (directions can be abbreviated as their first letter):
# NORTH
# GET CANDLE -> TAKEN
# WEST
# LIGHT CANDLE
# EAST
# SOUTH
# SOUTH
# RING BELL -> A DOOR OPENS
# EAST
# CLOSE BOOK -> CONGRATULATIONS YOU ESCAPE

===CROSSWORD===
{| class="wikitable"
! Message & response
! Morse Code
! Explanation
|-
|CROSSWORD -> NUMBER AND DIRECTION
|[-.-. .-. --- ... ... .-- --- .-. -..] -> [-. ..- -- -... . .-. / .- -. -.. / -.. .. .-. . -.-. - .. --- -.]
|This starts a crossword. You can ask for hints like "1 down" or "2 across". It appears to be the [https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2021/04/libertarian-politico-johnson-thu-4-1-21.html New York Times Crossword] from the day this comic was written (2021-04-01).
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Solved Crossword
|-
| m || y || g || o || d || style="background-color: black; | || d || e || v || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || e || l || f
|-
| b || u || o || n || o || style="background-color: black; | || e || y || e || s || style="background-color: black; | || s || l || u || r
|-
| a || m || o || c || o || style="background-color: black; | || c || r || a || p || style="background-color: black; | || l || m || a || o
|-
| style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || v || e || r || y || r || e || l || i || g || i || o || u || s
|-
| s || e || e || style="background-color: black; | || m || u || y || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || r || a || m || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; |
|-
| h || a || r || h || a || r || style="background-color: black; | || s || c || a || r || e || d || o || f
|-
| e || s || s || e || n || t || i || a || l || l || y || style="background-color: black; | || a || r || i
|-
| b || t || e || n || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || m || m || i || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || t || v || a || d
|-
| o || l || a || style="background-color: black; | || b || a || d || m || o || u || t || h || i || n || g
|-
| p || a || s || s || e || d || b || y || style="background-color: black; | || n || o || o || d || g || e
|-
| style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || o || a || r || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || s || u || n || style="background-color: black; | || l || e || t
|-
| b || l || e || n || d || e || d || f || a || m || i || l || y || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; |
|-
| b || o || r || g || style="background-color: black; | || p || e || l || t || style="background-color: black; | || g || e || n || r || e
|-
| q || u || i || z || style="background-color: black; | || s || p || a || y || style="background-color: black; | || h || i || c || k || s
|-
| s || t || e || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || p || b || r || style="background-color: black; | || t || a || h || o || e
|}

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ Words
! index !! down word !! across word
|-
| 1 || MBA || MYGOD
|-
| 2 || YUM ||
|-
| 3 || GOOVERSEAS ||
|-
| 4 || ONCE ||
|-
| 5 || DOORMAN ||
|-
| 6 || DECRY || DEV
|-
| 7 || EYRE ||
|-
| 8 || VEAL ||
|-
| 9 || ELMO || ELF
|-
| 10 || LUAU ||
|-
| 11 || FROS ||
|-
| 12 || || BUONO
|-
| 13 || || EYES
|-
| 14 || SPIRAL ||
|-
| 15 || SLIME || SLUR
|-
| 16 || || AMOCO
|-
| 17 || || CRAP
|-
| 18 || || LMAO
|-
| 19 || || VERYRELIGIOUS
|-
| 20 || YURT ||
|-
| 21 || GARY ||
|-
| 22 || SHEBOP || SEE
|-
| 23 || EASTLA ||
|-
| 24 || || MUY
|-
| 25 || || RAM
|-
| 26 || || HARHAR
|-
| 27 || HEN ||
|-
| 28 || SAMMY || SCAREDOF
|-
| 29 || CLIO ||
|-
| 30 || DAVIDLYNCH ||
|-
| 31 || ORANGE ||
|-
| 32 || FIDGET ||
|-
| 33 || || ESSENTIALLY
|-
| 34 || IMDB ||
|-
| 35 || || ARI
|-
| 36 || || BTEN
|-
| 37 || || MMI
|-
| 38 || THO || TVAD
|-
| 39 || || OLA
|-
| 40 || BEAD || BADMOUTHING
|-
| 41 || ADREPS ||
|-
| 42 || UNUM ||
|-
| 43 || TONIGHT ||
|-
| 44 || || PASSEDBY
|-
| 45 || SONGZ ||
|-
| 46 || || NOODGE
|-
| 47 || || OAR
|-
| 48 || SATYR || SUN
|-
| 49 || || LET
|-
| 50 || BBQS || BLENDEDFAMILY
|-
| 51 || LOUT ||
|-
| 52 || ERIE ||
|-
| 53 || DEPP ||
|-
| 54 || FLAB ||
|-
| 55 || LEIA ||
|-
| 56 || || BORG
|-
| 57 || || PELT
|-
| 58 || || GENRE
|-
| 59 || RKO ||
|-
| 60 || ESE ||
|-
| 61 || || QUIZ
|-
| 62 || || SPAY
|-
| 63 || || HICKS
|-
| 64 || || STE
|-
| 65 || || PBR
|-
| 66 || || TAHOE
|}

===Rover Scene===
After successfully repairing and rebooting Sojourner, a comic is opened which depicts it seeking out and finding its friends, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Ingenuity. Curiosity and Perseverance are locked in a swordfight, and either Spirit or Opportunity is carried off by Ingenuity while the other speeds off a small mound of dirt. Ingenuity carrying a rover is a reference to the previous comic.

==Special Console Commands==
The page's JavaScript creates a global object <code>morse</code> with <code>encode</code> and <code>decode</code> methods. From the developer console, it is possible to write <code>morse.encode("A PHRASE")</code>, which will print the Morse code corresponding to the text provided, or <code>morse.decode("... --- ...")</code> which will translate the Morse code to text.

<code>BeepComic.hurryUp()</code> to get the reply immediately in the console.
<code>BeepComic.send(...)</code> to send directly to SOJOURNER.

==Transcript==
:[A small box is in the middle of a large white frame. The box can have a check-mark, but it is alternating between being checked or unchecked. At the bottom right there is a muted speaker (which can be unmuted). If the user press the checkbox gray dots or lines will appear below depending on the length of the press. These will move from right to left and then disappear.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics with animation]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:April fools' comics]]

2288: Collector's Edition/Stickers

2021-08-07T18:07:59Z

Eebop: finished

The comic [[2288|2288: Collector’s Edition]] featured a number of stickers which could be placed anywhere on the comic itself by a player. A list of these stickers is collected below.

A few notes:
*Some stickers are from the book ''What If?'', not from the website (https://what-if.xkcd.com).
**They are noted by 'What If '''Chapter''' XX'
**This label is applied if and only if the image comes from a chapter not featured on the website.
*Before each list, there is a link format. Unless otherwise specified, the first column of any entry can be substituted for the part of the link X’ed out to show the image.
*There is word miniloot as well; to view it, simply change the ‘loot’ in ‘loot-words-XXXX’ in the entry’s URL to ‘miniloot’.

===List of Stickers===
List of Numbered Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot_XXX.png):

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Sticker description
! Comic/What If? #
|-
| 001 || Parallel universe Cueball || 105
|-
| 002 || Kid’s balloon caught on fan || 121
|-
| 003 || Cueball in hamster ball || 152
|-
| 004 || Genie from a lamp || 152
|-
| 005 || Cueball outside ball pit || 150
|-
| 006 || Cueball on electric skateboard || 139
|-
| 007 || Red spider on block || 442
|-
| 008 || Black Hat using Care Bear Stare || 146
|-
| 009 || Black Hat at computer || 278
|-
| 010 || Cueball driving + Katamari Danacy || 83
|-
| 011 || Black Hat’s commenting feature || 156
|-
| 012 || Megan outside reality || 266
|-
| 013 || Physics textbook spacecraft || 265
|-
| 014 || Physics student's bag || 265
|-
| 015 || Hole in reality || 264
|-
| 016 || Cat with glued caption || 262
|-
| 017 || The rotary supercollider highway prank || 253
|-
| 018 || Chess photo || 249
|-
| 019 || Cory Doctorow || 239
|-
| 020 || Book version of RHR || 199
|-
| 021 || Fractal mapping || 195
|-
| 022 || Jimmy Page performing "Stairway to Heaven" || 339
|-
| 023 || Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots || 335
|-
| 024 || Sentient gyroscope || 332
|-
| 025 || Black Hat taping package || 325
|-
| 026 || Joanna with laser || 322
|-
| 027 || Future Megan || 318
|-
| 028 || Elliptical reflector dish || 316
|-
| 029 || Galaxy || 312
|-
| 030 || Swordfighting Cueballs || 303
|-
| 031 || Man carrying parentheses || 297
|-
| 032 || Toaster with arm || 293
|-
| 033 || Computer Cueball attacked by velociraptor || 292
|-
| 034 || Zeppelin elevator button || 288
|-
| 035 || Wikipedian protestor || 285
|-
| 036 || Cueball popping wheelie || 272
|-
| 037 || Merlin watching TV || 270
|-
| 038 || The Ring || 396
|-
| 039 || Potted plant || 393
|-
| 040 || Pineapple || 388
|-
| 041 || Trebuchet || 382
|-
| 042 || Assembled Mobius Battle || 381
|-
| 043 || Eye of the basilisk || 380
|-
| 044 || Censored curse word || 357
|-
| 045 || Diet Coke and Mentos || 346
|-
| 046 || MPAA & RIAA swordsmen || 344
|-
| 047 || Tron Paul || 497
|-
| 048 || Ron Paul Revolution zeppelin || 495
|-
| 049 || Megan with a kite || 471
|-
| 050 || Quantum/regular teleporter || 465
|-
| 051 || Ghostbuster || 459
|-
| 052 || Rubik’s cube bra || 457
|-
| 053 || Potted plant 2 || 454
|-
| 054 || Boomerang-turned-shark || 445
|-
| 055 || Multi-boomerangs || 445
|-
| 056 || “PIE!” sign || 442
|-
| 057 || M. C. Hammer slide Megan || 108
|-
| 058 || Luigi in a kart || 423
|-
| 059 || “Lan Party in Formal Attire” sign || 422
|-
| 060 || Sack of potatoes || 421
|-
| 061 || Flaming tennis racket || 421
|-
| 062 || PC in a hamster ball || 413
|-
| 063 || Scooching black hat || 412
|-
| 064 || Balloon shark || 585
|-
| 065 || Jumping sheep || 571
|-
| 066 || Time-travelling Cueball || 567
|-
| 067 || “The Uncomfortable Truths Well” sign || 561
|-
| 068 || Toy airplane in box || 560
|-
| 069 || Duckling loop || 537
|-
| 070 || Cuttlefish zap Cueball and Megan || 520
|-
| 071 || Cuttlefish || 520
|-
| 072 || Magic portal || 693
|-
| 073 || Egg drop container || 510
|-
| 074 || FIRST robot || 689
|-
| 075 || Beret Guy in a crane || 677
|-
| 076 || Unprepared baby || 674
|-
| 077 || Sagan-Man || 663
|-
| 078 || Cueball rock-climbing || 655
|-
| 079 || Reverse Polish sausage || 645
|-
| 080 || Ants discussing humans || 638
|-
| 081 || Cueball Icarus || 620
|-
| 082 || Bottle of tequila || 617
|-
| 083 || Bird with power drill || 614
|-
| 084 || Locusts attack computer Cueball || 797
|-
| 085 || Tumbleweed dual-wielding guns || 789
|-
| 086 || Cueball’s skull sucked out || 777
|-
| 087 || Talking squirrel || 776
|-
| 088 || Air horn || 757
|-
| 089 || Blank “Dyslexics of the world, unite!” shirt || 745
|-
| 090 || Cat chewing laser pointer || 729
|-
| 091 || Jumping cat || 729
|-
| 092 || Tetris pieces of hell || 724
|-
| 093 || Dejected Sauron || 712
|-
| 094 || A ‘five’ and a ‘breasts’ || 708
|-
| 095 || “I am a turtle” turtle || 889
|-
| 096 || ADHD server || 869
|-
| 097 || Serious putty || 840
|-
| 098 || Cueball spinning in chair || 815
|-
| 099 || Pumpkin carved in a pumpkin || 804
|-
| 100 || Laplace transform of love || [https://store.xkcd.com/products/useless]
|-
| 101 || Cueball shaking computer || 979
|-
| 102 || A globe || 977
|-
| 103 || Cueball giving everything || 968
|-
| 104 || A battery staple || 936
|-
| 105 || Ms. Frizzle || 911
|-
| 106 || Enter hostname || 910
|-
| 107 || Beret Guy’s endless wings (1) || 1099
|-
| 108 || Beret Guy’s endless wings (2) || 1099
|-
| 109 || Eye of the sheeple || 1013
|-
| 110 || The universal label || 1123
|-
| 111 || No forward or turning sign || 1116
|-
| 112 || Tasks floating away || 1106
|-
| 113 || Soup outlet || 1293
|-
| 114 || ‘Line break after every sentence’ protestor || 1285
|-
| 115 || Beret Guy walking a goat || 1282
|-
| 116 || Person in flying car || 1262
|-
| 117 || ‘World’s Greatest Daughter’ mug || 1261
|-
| 118 || Messenger owl || 1254
|-
| 119 || Dog with a soul || 1240
|-
| 120 || Balloon Internet || 1226
|-
| 121 || Stegosaurus fossil || 1211
|-
| 122 || AirAware drone || 1207
|-
| 123 || Time machine || 1203
|-
| 124 || Baby Superman’s pod || 1384
|-
| 125 || Windmill || 1378
|-
| 126 || Space signpost || 1375
|-
| 127 || Cosmologist on a tire swing || 1352
|-
| 128 || Reflecting puddle || 1352
|-
| 129 || A red violet || 1351
|-
| 130 || Crash and Burn in a swimming pool || 1337
|-
| 131 || Transformer in a cocoon || 1336
|-https://xkcd.com/98/
| 132 || Laptop strapped to a deer || 1329
|-
| 133 || Christmas tree spectrum || 1308
|-
| 134 || Bolt through a basketball || 929
|-
| 135 || Cat attacking Earth || 1515
|-
| 136 || Plane banner || 1965
|-
| 137 || Megan in an autogyro || 1972
|-
| 138 || Free chips || 1499
|-
| 139 || Superintelligent AI || 1450
|-
| 140 || Adjective foods || 1774
|-
| 141 || Curiosity lowered by a sky crane || 1091
|-
| 142 || The Spider || 2275
|-
| 143 || Bun || 1871
|-
| 144 || xkcd cake || 1581
|-
| 145 || Radioactive high-voltage laser-emitting slippery biohazard symbol || 2038
|-
| 146 || Is It Christmas? service || 2236
|-
| 147 || Two small dogs as one big one || 1922
|-
| 148 || Glass repair kit || 1634
|-
| 149 || Use the bowl of the toilet || 1715
|-
| 150 || Apology || 1917
|-
| 151 || Satellite girl || 2264
|-
| 152 || Large container of rice || 1598
|-
| 153 || Review of Earth || 2192
|-
| 154 || Eight-legged reindeer || 1776
|-
| 155 || Record scratch || 1745
|-
| 156 || Chess vs. Go || 1287
|-
| 157 || Sword in the stone || 1521
|-
| 158 || Phishing license sign || 1694
|-
| 159 || First Annual Award for Excellence in Being Very Smart (1) || 1386
|-
| 160 || Earth, not to scale || 2262
|-
| 161 || Opportunity rover || 2111
|-
| 162 || Bags of money || 1827
|-
| 163 || Sleeping cat || 1797
|-
| 164 || Squirrelphone || 1578
|-
| 165 || Balloon squirrel || 1503
|-
| 166 || Shoulder devil || 2180
|-
| 167 || Time-travelling sphere || 1747
|-
| 168 || Jaturn || 2258
|-
| 169 || Beret Guy unlocking vacuum energy || 1486
|-
| 170 || Emotional unsubscribe message rating || 2257
|-
| 171 || Megan riding a 1980s bicycle || 1673
|-
| 172 || Megan defending her thesis || 1403
|-
| 173 || High-pitched hum generator || 1590
|-
| 174 || Sandwich too large to eat comfortably || 1940
|-
| 175 || Women Science Fiction Authors || 1412
|-
| 176 || Planet summary || 2061
|-
| 177 || White Hat appraising wine || 915
|-
| 178 || Amelia Earhart’s plane || 950
|-
| 179 || Cueball’s arrow boomerang || 939
|-
| 180 || Cueball’s mechanical monster || 987
|-
| 181 || The Avatar || 965
|-
| 182 || Two mimic octopuses || 928
|-
| 183 || Geologist’s hat || 1082
|-
| 184 || Furniture box || 1077
|-
| 185 || Depiction of philosophy || 1052
|-
| 186 || A loving snake || 1052
|-
| 187 || Cracked Cadury egg || 1035
|-
| 188 || Giant preying mantis || 1012
|-
| 189 || Trap flowchart || 1195
|-
| 190 || Beret Guy riding a bowling ball || 1158
|-
| 191 || Spiders spinning a sweater || 1135
|-
| 192 || “MOOOOOON!” moon || 1300
|-
| 193 || Giraffe with sauropod tail || 1278
|-
| 194 || Timeghost || 1393
|-
| 195 || Sharks reporter || 1387
|-
| 196 || First Annual Award for Excellence in Being Very Smart (2) || 1386
|-
| 197 || Krypton exploding || 1384
|-
| 198 || Server replying ‘POTATO’ || 1354
|-
| 199 || Bird in the rain || 1434
|-
| 200 || Sunday locusts || 1245
|-
| 201 || Dolphin with hair || What If? 56
|-
| 202 || Twilight: Breaking Dawn || What If? 141
|-
| 203 || Nuclear-accident-ometer || What If? 146
|-
| 204 || Europa straw || What If? 143
|-
| 205 || Delivery hawk || What If? 149
|-
| 206 || Eagle eating pizza || What If? 149
|-
| 207 || Telescope || What If? 114
|-
| 208 || Sub-marine || What If? 138
|-
| 209 || Alien astronomer || What If? 20
|-
| 210 || Alien astronomers || What If? 47
|-
| 211 || NASA sack of rocks || What If? 146
|-
| 212 || CMYK squid || What If? 106
|-
| 213 || Wham! || What If? 5
|-
| 214 || High-speed robot || What If? 5
|-
| 215 || Elephant || What If? 110
|-
| 216 || S. S. NASA || What If? 38
|-
| 217 || Alexander’s Dark Band drummer || What If? 150
|-
| 218 || Unknown reference || Possibly doodles
|-
| 219 || Milk carton of Internet || What If? 31
|-
| 220 || Nightsun-carriers || What If? 13
|-
| 221 || A pleasant squirrel || What If? 98
|-
| 222 || Ponytail fairy || What If? 123
|-
| 223 || Harvester || What If? 120
|-
| 224 || Cougar on a Cougare || What If? 70
|-
| 225 || Soda dinosaur || What If? 74
|-
| 226 || Flamethrower || What If? 130
|-
| 227 || Sun eclipsed by sunglasses and banana || What If? 129
|-
| 228 || Heavy-duty car battery || What If? 128
|-
| 229 || Starling with respirometry mask || What If? 99
|-
| 230 || Falling sperm whale || What If? 103
|-
| 231 || 2x4 lego || What If? '''Chapter''' 51
|-
| 232 || All of Britain’s tea || What If? 79
|-
| 233 || 11-petawatt hair dryer || What If? 35
|-
| 234 || Furby || What If? '''Chapter''' 21
|-
| 235 || Helpless phone || What If? 87
|-
| 236 || doodles || 98
|-
| 237 || Squirrel on an AK-47 || What If? 21
|-
| 238 || Carton of Sharpies || What If? 59
|-
| 239 || Burning diamond || What If? 116
|-
| 240 || C4 boomerang || What If? 23
|-
| 241 || Cow with solar panel || What If? 17
|-
| 242 || Google punchcard || What If? 63
|-
| 243 || Oxford bell || What If? '''Chapter''' 13
|-
| 244 || Standard giraffe || What If? 44
|-
| 245 || The Little Prince about to dunk || What If? 68
|-
| 246 || Statue of Liberty planet || What If? '''Chapter''' 5
|-
| 247 || Yoda’s mp3 || What If? 3
|-
| 248 || Block of hydrogen || What If? '''Chapter''' 8
|-
| 249 || Negging toaster || What If? 155
|-
| 250 || Feather earthquake || What If? '''Chapter''' 69
|-
| 251 || Swordfighting lava lamp || What If? 122
|-
| 252 || Unsalted butter || What If? 126
|-
| 253 || Salary bottle || What If? 118
|}

List of Mathematical Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot_XXXX.png):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Function
|-
| div || Division
|-
| equals || Equality
|-
| minus || Subtraction
|-
| plus || Addition
|-
| sqrt || Square root
|-
| times || Multiplication
|}

List of Element Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/element-XX.png):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Symbol
! Element
|-
| Æ (use ae for link) || Aether
|-
| Bl || Blood
|-
| Br || Bread
|-
| Bz || Bronze
|-
| Cb || Carbonite
|-
| Cd || Canadium
|-
| Cr || Cranium
|-
| Dl || Dilithium
|-
| Dm || Delirium
|-
| Fr || Fire
|-
| Gl || Glass
|-
| Hr || Heart
|-
| Lx || Lexan
|-
| Mk || Milk
|-
| Mt || Metal
|-
| Na || Nanobots
|-
| Ox || Air
|-
| Pb || Opprobrium
|-
| Pl || Plastic
|-
| Pm || Epithelium
|-
| Pp || Oops, All Protons!
|-
| Rd || Redstone
|-
| Rg || Regolith
|-
| Sd || Sand
|-
| Sd2 || More Sand
|-
| Sf || Styrofoam
|-
| Sn || Snakes
|-
| Spacer || [Spacer]
|-
| Sy || Symposium
|-
| T || Wolfram
|-
| Þ (use th for link) || Thorium
|-
| Tr || Earth
|-
| Uu || Unobtanium
|-
| Vy || Valyrian
|-
| Wt || Water
|-
| Wx || Wax
|}

List of Word Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot-words-XXXX.png):

*Birdlike
*Boat
*Castle
*Cat
*Cinematic
*Collector
*Cursed
*Cycle
*Doctor
*Easter
*Electric
*Eruption
*Farm
*Flock
*Flying
*Free
*Gamma
*Ghost
*Hair
*Harry-Potter-and-the
*Horse
*Imminent
*Inspector
*Ionized
*Jet
*Laser
*Launcher
*Lifelike
*Ominous
*Plasma
*Sale
*Sudden
*Surprise
*Swarm
*Sword
*Teleporter
*Turtle
*Unlicensed
*Vortex

==Transcript==
[Cueball stands to the left of a vibrating box.]

[The words "Collector's Edition" are written above him and boxed.]

{{comic discussion}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2288}}
[[Category:Comic subpages]]

2288: Collector's Edition/Stickers

2021-08-07T18:04:16Z

Eebop:

{{incomplete|Areas marked by red text need attention.}}
The comic [[2288|2288: Collector’s Edition]] featured a number of stickers which could be placed anywhere on the comic itself by a player. A list of these stickers is collected below.

A few notes:
*Some stickers are from the book ''What If?'', not from the website (https://what-if.xkcd.com).
**They are noted by 'What If '''Chapter''' XX'
**This label is applied if and only if the image comes from a chapter not featured on the website.
*Before each list, there is a link format. Unless otherwise specified, the first column of any entry can be substituted for the part of the link X’ed out to show the image.
*There is word miniloot as well; to view it, simply change the ‘loot’ in ‘loot-words-XXXX’ in the entry’s URL to ‘miniloot’.

===List of Stickers===
List of Numbered Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot_XXX.png):

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Sticker description
! Comic/What If? #
|-
| 001 || Parallel universe Cueball || 105
|-
| 002 || Kid’s balloon caught on fan || 121
|-
| 003 || Cueball in hamster ball || 152
|-
| 004 || Genie from a lamp || 152
|-
| 005 || Cueball outside ball pit || 150
|-
| 006 || Cueball on electric skateboard || 139
|-
| 007 || Red spider on block || 442
|-
| 008 || Black Hat using Care Bear Stare || 146
|-
| 009 || Black Hat at computer || 278
|-
| 010 || Cueball driving + Katamari Danacy || 83
|-
| 011 || Black Hat’s commenting feature || 156
|-
| 012 || Megan outside reality || 266
|-
| 013 || Physics textbook spacecraft || 265
|-
| 014 || Physics student's bag || 265
|-
| 015 || Hole in reality || 264
|-
| 016 || Cat with glued caption || 262
|-
| 017 || The rotary supercollider highway prank || 253
|-
| 018 || Chess photo || 249
|-
| 019 || Cory Doctorow || 239
|-
| 020 || Book version of RHR || 199
|-
| 021 || Fractal mapping || 195
|-
| 022 || Jimmy Page performing "Stairway to Heaven" || 339
|-
| 023 || Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots || 335
|-
| 024 || Sentient gyroscope || 332
|-
| 025 || Black Hat taping package || 325
|-
| 026 || Joanna with laser || 322
|-
| 027 || Future Megan || 318
|-
| 028 || Elliptical reflector dish || 316
|-
| 029 || Galaxy || 312
|-
| 030 || Swordfighting Cueballs || 303
|-
| 031 || Man carrying parentheses || 297
|-
| 032 || Toaster with arm || 293
|-
| 033 || Computer Cueball attacked by velociraptor || 292
|-
| 034 || Zeppelin elevator button || 288
|-
| 035 || Wikipedian protestor || 285
|-
| 036 || Cueball popping wheelie || 272
|-
| 037 || Merlin watching TV || 270
|-
| 038 || The Ring || 396
|-
| 039 || Potted plant || 393
|-
| 040 || Pineapple || 388
|-
| 041 || Trebuchet || 382
|-
| 042 || Assembled Mobius Battle || 381
|-
| 043 || Eye of the basilisk || 380
|-
| 044 || Censored curse word || 357
|-
| 045 || Diet Coke and Mentos || 346
|-
| 046 || MPAA & RIAA swordsmen || 344
|-
| 047 || Tron Paul || 497
|-
| 048 || Ron Paul Revolution zeppelin || 495
|-
| 049 || Megan with a kite || 471
|-
| 050 || Quantum/regular teleporter || 465
|-
| 051 || Ghostbuster || 459
|-
| 052 || Rubik’s cube bra || 457
|-
| 053 || Potted plant 2 || 454
|-
| 054 || Boomerang-turned-shark || 445
|-
| 055 || Multi-boomerangs || 445
|-
| 056 || “PIE!” sign || 442
|-
| 057 || M. C. Hammer slide Megan || 108
|-
| 058 || Luigi in a kart || 423
|-
| 059 || “Lan Party in Formal Attire” sign || 422
|-
| 060 || Sack of potatoes || 421
|-
| 061 || Flaming tennis racket || 421
|-
| 062 || PC in a hamster ball || 413
|-
| 063 || Scooching black hat || 412
|-
| 064 || Balloon shark || 585
|-
| 065 || Jumping sheep || 571
|-
| 066 || Time-travelling Cueball || 567
|-
| 067 || “The Uncomfortable Truths Well” sign || 561
|-
| 068 || Toy airplane in box || 560
|-
| 069 || Duckling loop || 537
|-
| 070 || Cuttlefish zap Cueball and Megan || 520
|-
| 071 || Cuttlefish || 520
|-
| 072 || Magic portal || 693
|-
| 073 || Egg drop container || 510
|-
| 074 || FIRST robot || 689
|-
| 075 || Beret Guy in a crane || 677
|-
| 076 || Unprepared baby || 674
|-
| 077 || Sagan-Man || 663
|-
| 078 || Cueball rock-climbing || 655
|-
| 079 || Reverse Polish sausage || 645
|-
| 080 || Ants discussing humans || 638
|-
| 081 || Cueball Icarus || 620
|-
| 082 || Bottle of tequila || 617
|-
| 083 || Bird with power drill || 614
|-
| 084 || Locusts attack computer Cueball || 797
|-
| 085 || Tumbleweed dual-wielding guns || 789
|-
| 086 || Cueball’s skull sucked out || 777
|-
| 087 || Talking squirrel || 776
|-
| 088 || Air horn || 757
|-
| 089 || Blank “Dyslexics of the world, unite!” shirt || 745
|-
| 090 || Cat chewing laser pointer || 729
|-
| 091 || Jumping cat || 729
|-
| 092 || Tetris pieces of hell || 724
|-
| 093 || Dejected Sauron || 712
|-
| 094 || A ‘five’ and a ‘breasts’ || 708
|-
| 095 || “I am a turtle” turtle || 889
|-
| 096 || ADHD server || 869
|-
| 097 || Serious putty || 840
|-
| 098 || Cueball spinning in chair || 815
|-
| 099 || Pumpkin carved in a pumpkin || 804
|-
| 100 || Laplace transform of love || [https://store.xkcd.com/products/useless]
|-
| 101 || Cueball shaking computer || 979
|-
| 102 || A globe || 977
|-
| 103 || Cueball giving everything || 968
|-
| 104 || A battery staple || 936
|-
| 105 || Ms. Frizzle || 911
|-
| 106 || Enter hostname || 910
|-
| 107 || Beret Guy’s endless wings (1) || 1099
|-
| 108 || Beret Guy’s endless wings (2) || 1099
|-
| 109 || Eye of the sheeple || 1013
|-
| 110 || The universal label || 1123
|-
| 111 || No forward or turning sign || 1116
|-
| 112 || Tasks floating away || 1106
|-
| 113 || Soup outlet || 1293
|-
| 114 || ‘Line break after every sentence’ protestor || 1285
|-
| 115 || Beret Guy walking a goat || 1282
|-
| 116 || Person in flying car || 1262
|-
| 117 || ‘World’s Greatest Daughter’ mug || 1261
|-
| 118 || Messenger owl || 1254
|-
| 119 || Dog with a soul || 1240
|-
| 120 || Balloon Internet || 1226
|-
| 121 || Stegosaurus fossil || 1211
|-
| 122 || AirAware drone || 1207
|-
| 123 || Time machine || 1203
|-
| 124 || Baby Superman’s pod || 1384
|-
| 125 || Windmill || 1378
|-
| 126 || Space signpost || 1375
|-
| 127 || Cosmologist on a tire swing || 1352
|-
| 128 || Reflecting puddle || 1352
|-
| 129 || A red violet || 1351
|-
| 130 || Crash and Burn in a swimming pool || 1337
|-
| 131 || Transformer in a cocoon || 1336
|-
| 132 || Laptop strapped to a deer || 1329
|-
| 133 || Christmas tree spectrum || 1308
|-
| 134 || Bolt through a basketball || 929
|-
| 135 || Cat attacking Earth || 1515
|-
| 136 || Plane banner || 1965
|-
| 137 || Megan in an autogyro || 1972
|-
| 138 || Free chips || 1499
|-
| 139 || Superintelligent AI || 1450
|-
| 140 || Adjective foods || 1774
|-
| 141 || Curiosity lowered by a sky crane || 1091
|-
| 142 || The Spider || 2275
|-
| 143 || Bun || 1871
|-
| 144 || xkcd cake || 1581
|-
| 145 || Radioactive high-voltage laser-emitting slippery biohazard symbol || 2038
|-
| 146 || Is It Christmas? service || 2236
|-
| 147 || Two small dogs as one big one || 1922
|-
| 148 || Glass repair kit || 1634
|-
| 149 || Use the bowl of the toilet || 1715
|-
| 150 || Apology || 1917
|-
| 151 || Satellite girl || 2264
|-
| 152 || Large container of rice || 1598
|-
| 153 || Review of Earth || 2192
|-
| 154 || Eight-legged reindeer || 1776
|-
| 155 || Record scratch || 1745
|-
| 156 || Chess vs. Go || 1287
|-
| 157 || Sword in the stone || 1521
|-
| 158 || Phishing license sign || 1694
|-
| 159 || First Annual Award for Excellence in Being Very Smart (1) || 1386
|-
| 160 || Earth, not to scale || 2262
|-
| 161 || Opportunity rover || 2111
|-
| 162 || Bags of money || 1827
|-
| 163 || Sleeping cat || 1797
|-
| 164 || Squirrelphone || 1578
|-
| 165 || Balloon squirrel || 1503
|-
| 166 || Shoulder devil || 2180
|-
| 167 || Time-travelling sphere || 1747
|-
| 168 || Jaturn || 2258
|-
| 169 || Beret Guy unlocking vacuum energy || 1486
|-
| 170 || Emotional unsubscribe message rating || 2257
|-
| 171 || Megan riding a 1980s bicycle || 1673
|-
| 172 || Megan defending her thesis || 1403
|-
| 173 || High-pitched hum generator || 1590
|-
| 174 || Sandwich too large to eat comfortably || 1940
|-
| 175 || Women Science Fiction Authors || 1412
|-
| 176 || Planet summary || 2061
|-
| 177 || White Hat appraising wine || 915
|-
| 178 || Amelia Earhart’s plane || 950
|-
| 179 || Cueball’s arrow boomerang || 939
|-
| 180 || Cueball’s mechanical monster || 987
|-
| 181 || The Avatar || 965
|-
| 182 || Two mimic octopuses || 928
|-
| 183 || Geologist’s hat || 1082
|-
| 184 || Furniture box || 1077
|-
| 185 || Depiction of philosophy || 1052
|-
| 186 || A loving snake || 1052
|-
| 187 || Cracked Cadury egg || 1035
|-
| 188 || Giant preying mantis || 1012
|-
| 189 || Trap flowchart || 1195
|-
| 190 || Beret Guy riding a bowling ball || 1158
|-
| 191 || Spiders spinning a sweater || 1135
|-
| 192 || “MOOOOOON!” moon || 1300
|-
| 193 || Giraffe with sauropod tail || 1278
|-
| 194 || Timeghost || 1393
|-
| 195 || Sharks reporter || 1387
|-
| 196 || First Annual Award for Excellence in Being Very Smart (2) || 1386
|-
| 197 || Krypton exploding || 1384
|-
| 198 || Server replying ‘POTATO’ || 1354
|-
| 199 || Bird in the rain || 1434
|-
| 200 || Sunday locusts || 1245
|-
| 201 || Dolphin with hair || What If? 56
|-
| 202 || Twilight: Breaking Dawn || What If? 141
|-
| 203 || Nuclear-accident-ometer || What If? 146
|-
| 204 || Europa straw || What If? 143
|-
| 205 || Delivery hawk || What If? 149
|-
| 206 || Eagle eating pizza || What If? 149
|-
| 207 || Telescope || What If? 114
|-
| 208 || Sub-marine || What If? 138
|-
| 209 || Alien astronomer || What If? 20
|-
| 210 || Alien astronomers || What If? 47
|-
| 211 || NASA sack of rocks || What If? 146
|-
| 212 || CMYK squid || What If? 106
|-
| 213 || Wham! || What If? 5
|-
| 214 || High-speed robot || What If? 5
|-
| 215 || Elephant || What If? 110
|-
| 216 || S. S. NASA || What If? 38
|-
| 217 || Alexander’s Dark Band drummer || What If? 150
|-
| 218 || Unknown reference || Possibly doodles
|-
| 219 || Milk carton of Internet || What If? 31
|-
| 220 || Nightsun-carriers || What If? 13
|-
| 221 || A pleasant squirrel || What If? 98
|-
| 222 || Ponytail fairy || What If? 123
|-
| 223 || Harvester || What If? 120
|-
| 224 || Cougar on a Cougare || What If? 70
|-
| 225 || Soda dinosaur || What If? 74
|-
| 226 || Flamethrower || What If? 130
|-
| 227 || Sun eclipsed by sunglasses and banana || What If? 129
|-
| 228 || Heavy-duty car battery || What If? 128
|-
| 229 || Starling with respirometry mask || What If? 99
|-
| 230 || Falling sperm whale || What If? 103
|-
| 231 || 2x4 lego || What If? '''Chapter''' 51
|-
| 232 || All of Britain’s tea || What If? 79
|-
| 233 || 11-petawatt hair dryer || What If? 35
|-
| 234 || Furby || What If? '''Chapter''' 21
|-
| 235 || Helpless phone || What If? 87
|-
| 236 || A Red Text || ???
|-
| 237 || Squirrel on an AK-47 || What If? 21
|-
| 238 || Carton of Sharpies || What If? 59
|-
| 239 || Burning diamond || What If? 116
|-
| 240 || C4 boomerang || What If? 23
|-
| 241 || Cow with solar panel || What If? 17
|-
| 242 || Google punchcard || What If? 63
|-
| 243 || Oxford bell || What If? '''Chapter''' 13
|-
| 244 || Standard giraffe || What If? 44
|-
| 245 || The Little Prince about to dunk || What If? 68
|-
| 246 || Statue of Liberty planet || What If? '''Chapter''' 5
|-
| 247 || Yoda’s mp3 || What If? 3
|-
| 248 || Block of hydrogen || What If? '''Chapter''' 8
|-
| 249 || Negging toaster || What If? 155
|-
| 250 || Feather earthquake || What If? '''Chapter''' 69
|-
| 251 || Swordfighting lava lamp || What If? 122
|-
| 252 || Unsalted butter || What If? 126
|-
| 253 || Salary bottle || What If? 118
|}

List of Mathematical Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot_XXXX.png):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Function
|-
| div || Division
|-
| equals || Equality
|-
| minus || Subtraction
|-
| plus || Addition
|-
| sqrt || Square root
|-
| times || Multiplication
|}

List of Element Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/element-XX.png):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Symbol
! Element
|-
| Æ (use ae for link) || Aether
|-
| Bl || Blood
|-
| Br || Bread
|-
| Bz || Bronze
|-
| Cb || Carbonite
|-
| Cd || Canadium
|-
| Cr || Cranium
|-
| Dl || Dilithium
|-
| Dm || Delirium
|-
| Fr || Fire
|-
| Gl || Glass
|-
| Hr || Heart
|-
| Lx || Lexan
|-
| Mk || Milk
|-
| Mt || Metal
|-
| Na || Nanobots
|-
| Ox || Air
|-
| Pb || Opprobrium
|-
| Pl || Plastic
|-
| Pm || Epithelium
|-
| Pp || Oops, All Protons!
|-
| Rd || Redstone
|-
| Rg || Regolith
|-
| Sd || Sand
|-
| Sd2 || More Sand
|-
| Sf || Styrofoam
|-
| Sn || Snakes
|-
| Spacer || [Spacer]
|-
| Sy || Symposium
|-
| T || Wolfram
|-
| Þ (use th for link) || Thorium
|-
| Tr || Earth
|-
| Uu || Unobtanium
|-
| Vy || Valyrian
|-
| Wt || Water
|-
| Wx || Wax
|}

List of Word Loot (https://xkcd.com/2288/collectors/static/loot/loot-words-XXXX.png):

*Birdlike
*Boat
*Castle
*Cat
*Cinematic
*Collector
*Cursed
*Cycle
*Doctor
*Easter
*Electric
*Eruption
*Farm
*Flock
*Flying
*Free
*Gamma
*Ghost
*Hair
*Harry-Potter-and-the
*Horse
*Imminent
*Inspector
*Ionized
*Jet
*Laser
*Launcher
*Lifelike
*Ominous
*Plasma
*Sale
*Sudden
*Surprise
*Swarm
*Sword
*Teleporter
*Turtle
*Unlicensed
*Vortex

==Transcript==
[Cueball stands to the left of a vibrating box.]

[The words "Collector's Edition" are written above him and boxed.]

{{comic discussion}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2288}}
[[Category:Comic subpages]]

2494: Flawed Data

2021-08-04T01:15:52Z

Eebop: seems done

{{comic
| number = 2494
| date = July 26, 2021
| title = Flawed Data
| image = flawed_data.png
| titletext = We trained it to produce data that looked convincing, and we have to admit, the results look convincing!
}}

==Explanation==

This is another comic about what is the right or wrong way to perform research when data is not adequate.

In the first frame, [[Cueball]] presents a report on a poster (two graphs with data points and possible fitted curves), admitting that all of the data is actually flawed. He doesn't explain if it's contrary to some outcome or revelation, or perhaps a systematic error in the data-gathering process.

From there, three different reactions to this is displayed in order of how good a decision they make based on this realization.

;Good
In the first scenario Cueball states they are no longer sure about the conclusions they had drawn from the flawed data. This is, of course, the scientifically appropriate decision. The less reliable data is, the less reliable the conclusions that can be drawn. Ideally, flawed data would be discarded all together, but there are situations in which better data is not available, so a compromise may be to draw tentative conclusions, but make clear that those are uncertain, due to issues with the data.

;Bad
In the second scenario Cueball then explains that after heavy manipulation ("doing a lot of math") of their flawed data, they decided they were actually fine. There are a number of methods that can be used to manipulate or "clean" data, with varying levels of complexity and reliability. Some of these methods may be valid in certain situations, but applying them after the initial analysis failed is highly suspect. The likelihood, in such a case, is that the researchers tried different methods of data manipulation, one after another, until they found one that gave the results they wanted. This is clearly highly subject to the biases of the researchers (both conscious and unconscious) and is much less likely to result in accurate conclusions. Hence, this approach occurs in research more often than it should, and [[Randall]] is making clear that it's "bad".

;Very bad
In the third and final scenario, Cueball explains that they scrapped all the flawed data. However, instead of trying to make some new data by correctly redoing research/measurements/tests, they instead trained an {{w|Artificial Intelligence}} (AI) to generate better data from nothing but a desire to match a target outcome. This is of course not real data, but just a simulation of data, selectively sieving statistical noise for desirable qualities. And since they are probably looking for a specific result, they are training the AI to generate data that supports this. This approach is "very bad", as it not only produces no useful science, but means that future researchers will be working from entirely artificial data. Doing so would be destructive to science and would be considered incredibly unethical in any research body or association. The only purpose of such a method would be to convince others that you'd proven something interesting, rather than determining what's true (and possibly gain some experience in AI programming). AI is a recurring [[:Category:Artificial Intelligence|theme]] on xkcd.

In the title text, the results from the very bad approach are mentioned and the fact that they got the data they were looking for is made clear when they state that ''We trained it to produce data that looked convincing, and we have to admit, the results look convincing!'' The AI was of course trained to provide data that looks convincing, which is why they are so convinced of the results.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is pointing a stick at a poster hanging behind him while addressing an unseen audience. There are two graphs on the poster with data points and fitting curves.]
:Cueball: We realized all our data is flawed.

:[The three next panels all have a label in a frame going over the top of each panels frame. The poster can no longer be seen in the rest of the panels. Cueball has taken the stick down.]
:Label: Good
:Cueball: ...So we're not sure about our conclusions.

:[Cueball holds the pointer almost as in the first panel.]
:Label: Bad
:Cueball: ...So we did lots of math and then decided our data is actually fine.

:[Cueball holds the pointer so it point upwards. Also he lifts his other hand a bit up.]
:Label: Very bad
:Cueball: ...So we trained an AI to generate better data.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Statistics]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]

2466: In Your Classroom

2021-08-04T01:14:22Z

Eebop: Table seems done

{{comic
| number = 2466
| date = May 21, 2021
| title = In Your Classroom
| image = in_your_classroom.png
| titletext = Ontology is way off to the left and geography is way off to the right.
}}

==Explanation==

[[Randall]] has created a thought experiment and corresponding chart about school courses. The idea is, "the subject of the class appears in the classroom" and the chart compares how dangerous and how unusual that would be.

In the title text two points that are off the chart to the left and right are also mentioned. See details about all the subjects in the [[#Table of subjects|table]] below.

Note that Randall uses similar diagrams in each of [[388: Fuck Grapefruit]], [[1242: Scary Names]] and [[1501: Mysteries]], which also contain different items. They also have extra points mentioned in the title text. In the first two comics the points are also off the chart, whereas for the last the description of the point is too long to fit on the chart. Extra info outside the chart is also used in the title text of [[1785: Wifi]], but this is a line graph.

==Table of subjects==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Breakdown of Subjects
|-
!Course Topic
!Weirdness
!Badness
!Explanation
|-

!scope=row|Atmospheric Physics
|0%
|0%
|Absent very strange and unprecedented circumstances, every classroom has an atmosphere {{Citation needed}}, and this is very good, because humans cannot survive without one.
|-

!scope=row|Ethics
|25%
|0%
|Ethical thinking and behavior are widely considered good and should normally be present in education, but are sadly not universal.
|-

!scope=row|Education
|0%
|10%
|Learning usually goes on in classrooms, so education as a concept is both being learned about and present in the form of learning itself.
|-

!scope=row|Bibliography
|25%
|7%
|Bibliography is the study of books, and books are normally present in classrooms, particularly bibliography classrooms.
|-

!scope=row|Human Physiology
|0%
|20%
|This comic assumes that there are humans learning in the classroom, which was true at the time this comic was published, although in many places at the time the comic was published, many classrooms were closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
|-

!scope=row|Public Speaking
|25%
|15%
|Some classes require students to present things in front of the class, which is likely a requirement in a public speaking class. Thus, public speaking itself would be present in the class.
Some classes also have a teacher talking or presenting to the students from the front of the class, another form of public speaking.
|-

!scope=row|Architecture
|0%
|30%
|All buildings can be considered architecture, and most classes take place in buildings. This comic also refers to a class''room'', which is a room, and therefore considered architecture.
|-

!scope=row|Library Science
|25%
|25%
|Library science is concerned with the organization of knowledge, and is useful for finding information. Many classes require [https://papersowl.com/pay-for-research-paper research papers] that require the use of books and other sources of information to complete them. This would be even more appropriate for a class actually taught in the school library.
|-

!scope=row|Furniture Design
|0%
|40%
|Most rooms have furniture,{{Citation needed}} so this would probably be present in a classroom. May also be implying the classroom furniture has not been assembled yet, making it not as good and a lesson in furniture design.
|-

!scope=row|Culinary Arts
|40%
|30%
|Most studies of culinary arts include the teacher and/or students preparing food using the tools and/or techniques that have been taught, so it would be fairly normal for food to be a result of classroom activities. How ''good'' it is, however, can be a mixed bag, especially for student cooking attempts.
|-

!scope=row|Ergonomics
|5%
|45%
|Ergonomic equipment and workspaces promote comfort and efficiency, while non-ergonomic ones may be unpleasant, unhealthy, or even immediately dangerous.
|-

!scope=row|Botany
|40%
|40%
|The near-neutral position of Botany (aka Plant Biology) suggests that the most likely reason for plants to be present would be something like a potted plant, which is not uncommon, and usually not unpleasant, but not very noteworthy. There are other potential reasons for plants to be present, but those are generally less likely.
|-

!scope=row|20th Century Authors
|65%
|10%
|Literature classes would benefit greatly from an open discussion or interview with the author himself. Sadly such things are rare, but not unheard of, putting it slightly on the "weird" side of the spectrum. Well-known authors of the 20th century have an increased likelihood of being retired or dead by 2021, but there are more authors of the 20th century who are well-established enough to be studied.
|-

!scope=row|Exobiology
|100%
|0%
|Exobiology is the study of extraterrestrial life. This would mean that an alien life-form was in the classroom. This is extremely weird but very good for people to investigate and research the alien.
|-

!scope=row|21st Century Authors
|60%
|20%
|21st century authors have the advantage (over 19th and 20th century authors) of typically being alive and active at the time this comic was published. However, most authors who were primarily active in the 21st century are still developing their body of work, and/or still awaiting the judgment of history. The better availability of such authors, as compared to 20th century author probably explains the slightly lower "weirdness" score, while the limited body of truly prominent authors probably explains the lower "goodness" score.
|-

!scope=row|19th Century Authors
|100%
|15%
|No author who was active in the 19th century was alive at the writing of this comic{{Citation needed}}, hence, having one of them show up in class would be extremely weird. The opportunity to interact with such a person would be utterly unique, meaning that it scores pretty high on the "goodness" metric, though interestingly not as high as a 20th century author. Possibly, the potential 'badness' of having a zombie or other reanimated being show up in your class is weighed against the advantage of having a historical figure there in person.
|-

!scope=row|Paleontology
|100%
|25%
|Paleontology is the study of the history of life on Earth as based on fossils. In geology classes, it would be normal to have some fossils in the classroom. However, fossils are not usually found in other classrooms, and especially below the college level. Randall is also probably implying the weirdness of finding a live ''Jurassic Park''-style dinosaur.
|-

!scope=row|Robotics
|55%
|30%
|A course on robotics would often be expected to have some form of working models of the robots being discussed. However, for it to have "showed up" in your classroom could imply an actual functioning robot prototype walked into the classroom. While not cause for concern (as long as nobody in the class is named Sarah Connor), this would be a bit weird.
|-

!scope=row|Martian Soil Chemistry
|100%
|35%
|Martian soil only reaches Earth in small amounts, so it would be unusual to find a meaningful amount anywhere, except Mars.
|-

!scope=row|Tourism
|75%
|40%
|Tourists coming into an active classroom would be quite unusual. It could refer to the students leaving to become tourists in another location.
|-

!scope=row|Child Psychology
|60%
|45%
|Children are rarely students in classrooms advanced enough to teach child psychology. In order for child psychology to be on display, presumably someone would have to have brought a child (either for a demonstration, or for some other reason), which is slightly weird, but not unheard of. This is considered slightly 'good', presumably because it would give students some opportunity for firsthand observation, and because most people like, or at least tolerate, children.
|-

!scope=row|Entomology
|15%
|55%
|Entomology is the study of insects. Insects getting into a classroom is a very common event, even putting aside the possibility of someone bringing insects specifically to study. Most insects that might get in are relatively benign, but some (such as mosquitoes) might sting or bite, and many people simply don't like insects, even when they're not harmful, pushing this slightly into 'bad' territory.
|-

!scope=row|Occupational Therapy
|10%
|62%
|Injury, illness or mental health problem that hinder your participation in life/school. Many students who have significant physical injuries and conditions that require occupational therapy would generally not engage in those activities during a class, although volunteers may be brought in as a demonstration of a particular health problem or method of treatment.
|-

!scope=row|Hydraulic Engineering
|40%
|62%
|Likely in the form of flooding or plumbing problems.
|-

!scope=row|Pest Control
|25%
|70%
|This is not dissimilar to entomology, but pest control tends to involve larger infestations, as opposed to individual insects, and also includes non-insect animals, such as rats. Such events in classroom are not as common as individual insects getting in (especially in a well-maintained building), but are far from unheard of, and risk many negative effects, from bug bites to structural damage, and may require evacuation and fumigation to deal with.
|-

!scope=row|Foodborne Illness
|15%
|80%
|Sometimes students in a culinary arts class do not properly observe hygiene standards and the food they present would lead to illness in those that consume the food. Thankfully, this is rare if the teacher is paying enough attention to proceedings. Students could also be ill from food eaten outside of class.
|-

!scope=row|Criminal Law
|45%
|85%
|This might happen if a crime occurs in the class. While an armed robbery is unlikely, incidents involving plagiarism or drug use are not particularly uncommon. Regardless, such an incident would be very bad, and a teacher may get in trouble for it.
|-

!scope=row|Physiology of Stress
|0%
|90%
|Stress in a classroom, even stress that's bad enough to manifest itself in physical symptoms, is all too common. Stress that bad is very harmful, and a student realizing that they were manifesting the symptoms they're studying should take it as a warning sign.
|-

!scope=row|Oncology
|25%
|100%
|Oncology is the medical practice of treating cancer. For someone in a classroom full of students to have cancer is, unfortunately, not an uncommon event, putting it on the 'normal' side of the scale. While not abnormal, it's clearly very bad.
|-

!scope=row|Ornithology
|60%
|55%
|Ornithology is the study of birds. A bird getting into a classroom would be somewhat strange, but there are circumstances under which it would happen. In most cases, that's not especially dangerous, but it would be disruptive, and introduce the possibility of the bird making a mess, and possibly getting hurt (or even hurting others), which makes it slightly bad.
|-

!scope=row|Animation
|100%
|56%
|Examples of animated works might be displayed to the students in an animation class. It would be weird for animated characters to appear physically in the classroom instead of being projected on screens. Possibly a reference to movies such as ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' in which cartoon characters actively interact with the live action cast. As many of the characters abide by different physics, and a couple are depicted as insane, this would be very weird and potentially bad.
Meeting actors costumed as an animated character to present or promote something would be generally better and somewhat less weird, but it arguably might not count as animation come to life.
|-

!scope=row|Petroleum Geology
|65%
|60%
|Crude oil coming up through the floor of the classroom would be ''very'' weird. Any potential for hands-on learning experience would be limited, and quickly outweighed by classes being disrupted entirely (be it damage to the building, or oil companies trying to negotiate for the land).
|-

!scope=row|Highway Engineering
|75%
|65%
|A highway being built through an active classroom would be very unusual and not that safe.
|-

!scope=row|Toxicology
|55%
|75%
|Most likely, a toxic substance is present in the room. This is not very weird if the room is in a building that has asbestos-containing insulation (typically associated with buildings constructed before the 1990s, although it has not been specifically outlawed in the United States due to industrial lobbying) or lead paint (which was fully outlawed in 1978, so any paint must have been applied prior to that date). However, toxic substances are unsafe for humans{{Citation needed}}.
|-

!scope=row|Hematology
|75%
|70%
|Hematology is the study of blood. Given that there should be blood in each of the students present{{Citation needed}}, we should probably assume Randall means "large quantities of blood outside of one's body", which would indeed be both bad and weird.
|-

!scope=row|Hostage Negotiation
|70%
|85%
|Reasons as to why there would be hostage negotiations taking place at a school have horrifying implications for the students and teacher.
|-

!scope=row|History of Siege Warfare
|100%
|80%
|This would be an exceptionally strange event. Given that the topic is 'history', having it show up implies that either historical figures have the classroom under siege (possibly through time travel or reanimation) or at least that the besiegers are using traditional weapons and methods in their attack. In either case, it would be a very weird event, and also very bad.
|-

!scope=row|Trauma Surgery
|55%
|95%
|An injury severe enough to require trauma surgery would be rare in a classroom, but there are circumstanced under which it could realistically happen. Such an injury would be, by it's very nature, a very bad thing.
|-

!scope=row|Volcanology
|75%
|95%
|Having a live volcano in one's classroom is both very dangerous and very weird {{Citation needed}}. Volcanoes mature over very long time frames, but even the earliest stages are highly disruptive and potentially deadly, as seen in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par%C3%ADcutin#Formation 1943 eruption of Paricutín] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_lower_Puna_eruption#Eruption 2018 flank eruption of Kilauea]. Note this also applies to [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar | baking soda and vinegar volcanoes that are offshoots of much larger vinegar hotspots]].
|-

!scope=row|Quasar Astronomy
|75%
|100%
|Quasars are distant astronomical objects that release large amounts of energy. Not only would the power of a quasar destroy the classroom (as well as the rest of Earth,) quasars are too large to fit inside any known classroom. For example, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ULAS_J1342%2B0928 ULAS J1342+0928] has a mass of 8*10^8 solar masses. This means the event horizon of the black hole is almost 16 AU in radius, and this size does not include the accretion disk.
|-

!scope=row|Ontology (Title Text)
|<0%
|?
|Ontology is the philosophical study of existence and being. Since there must be ''something'' learning in the classroom, it is unsurprising that ontology is a normal subject to appear in the classroom. It would, in fact, be more bizarre to have a lack of Ontology in the classroom.
|-

!scope=row|Geography (Title Text)
|>100%
|?
|Geographers study the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of the Earth. While each classroom classroom contains a small portion of the Earth's surface (normally not enough of it to be interesting to geographers), having the ''entire Earth'' appear inside a classroom would likely demand explanation. In particular, if this is an ordinary classroom (i.e. located ''on'' the Earth), the planet's simultaneous appearance within its walls would both defy our current understanding of spacetime, and risk [[1515: Basketball Earth | disastrous consequences at the hands of curious students.]] This could also be implying the classroom is suddenly being located on top of a geographic border, which would be highly unlikely, especially if it happened without warning.

|}

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

:[Caption above scatter plot with labeled axes]
:Caption: The thing you study just showed up in your classroom! That's...
:Upper y-axis label: Good
:Lower y-axis label: Bad
:Upper x-axis label: Normal
:Lower x-axis label: Weird

:[First quadrant (left to right, top to bottom):]
:20th century authors
:Exobiology
:21st century authors
:19th century authors
:Robotics
:Paleontology
:Martian soil chemistry
:Child psychology
:Tourism
:[Second quadrant]
:Atmospheric physics
:Ethics
:Education
:Bibliography
:Human physiology
:Public speaking
:Architecture
:Library science
:Furniture design
:Culinary arts
:Ergonomics
:Botany
:[Third quadrant]
:Entomology
:Occupational therapy
:Hydraulic engineering
:Pest control
:Foodborne illness
:Criminal law
:Physiology of stress
:Oncology
:[Fourth quadrant]
:Ornithology
:Animation
:Petroleum geology
:Highway engineering
:Toxicology
:Hematology
:Hostage negotiation
:History of siege warfare
:Trauma surgery
:Volcanology
:Quasar astronomy

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Rankings]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Cancer]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Geology]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Volcanoes]]

850: World According to Americans

2021-08-04T01:10:06Z

Eebop: Finished the table

{{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 {{w|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, implying that if even apparent geography buffs use vague labels such as "rest of South America" and "various former Soviet states" instead of using more detailed labels, the average American must be even less geographically knowledgeable (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 were 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 for 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 they don'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 Agulhas}}.
|-
| Should we include {{w|Antarctica}}?
Let’s not – these guys are looking impatient
| Here it is made clear that those who came with this assignment are getting impatient since their project of proving how little Americans know about the world has failed miserably. 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)
| Formerly 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}} 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 if 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://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Religion_in_India.svg map] in Wikimedia Commons, the area with a predominant Muslim population is far smaller (and mostly concentrated to Kashmir) 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 {{w|mainland China}} for the island of Taiwan and set up a {{w|martial law in Taiwan|martial law}} 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. China and Taiwan are separate countries, but many countries include the latter as part of the former. The government of China also claims {{w|Political status of Taiwan|sovereignty of Taiwan}} and the island ountry is not represented separately 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}}.
|-
| Southeast Asia
| {{w|Southeast Asia}} is a region in Asia, which includes Buddhist-majority countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, Muslim-majority countries of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, and Christian-majority countries of the Philippines and Timor-Leste. However, in this map, Indonesia is depicted separately from the rest of SE Asia.
|-
| Malaysia
| Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia (it is not known why it was excluded on the map)
|-
| Indonesia
| Indonesia is another country in Southeast Asia (it is not known why it was excluded on the map).
|-
| Sri Lanka
| Sri Lanka is a small island country near India.
|-
| Tasmania
| Tasmania is an Australian state.
|}

==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]]
[[Category:Board games]]

2465: Dimensional Chess

2021-08-04T00:55:06Z

Eebop: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2465
| date = May 19, 2021
| title = Dimensional Chess
| image = dimensional_chess.png
| titletext = In Dimensional Chess, every move is annotated '?!'.
}}

==Explanation==

Being good at {{w|chess}} is often regarded as a sign of high intelligence. A skilled player must be able to consider possibilities several moves in advance, which can be represented as an exponentially growing tree of possibilities. The {{w|branching factor}} of chess, the approximate number of legal moves available at any given time, is about thirty-five, although most players (human and computer) will use heuristics to prune the trees to regard only likely or promising moves. Expanding the playing field by generalizing to {{w|three-dimensional chess}} (or beyond) will increase the branching factor even further, and so someone who is able to competently play three-dimensional chess could be regarded as even more intelligent than someone who can only play two-dimensional chess. Making chess into an N-dimensional game thus makes it arbitrarily more difficult, even before Randall's addition of non-uniform dimensionality of the board.

Regarding Randall's rule that "every row has one more dimension than the one behind it," it is easiest to see how this is applied with the first two rows on each end. The first row on each end is a like a row on a traditional two-dimensional chess board (albeit played with three-dimensional pieces): you can go from left to right, or forward into the next row. The second row then becomes a two-dimensional row of a three-dimensional space: you can go left to right, forward to back, and now top to bottom. Note that there are seven spaces (represented by "shelves") from top to bottom, as opposed to the typical eight rows from left to right/front to back. This is likely to make sure there is symmetry between how many additional spaces are on top versus on the bottom (three, in this case). Moving another row would presumably add movement in some other direction to make it more complicated/interesting. This escalates until somehow the middle two rows require moving pieces in ''five'' dimensions (the middle two rows are four-dimensional rows + moving to other rows as fifth dimension), despite humans only being able to experience three spatial dimensions.{{Citation needed}} This could potentially be accomplished via playing on a computer.

There are eight squares on the first row, 56 on the second row and presumably 504 on the third and 1512 on the fourth, thus making the total number of squares 4160 rather than the 64 of a traditional chess board. The drawing shows apparently five squares (or boxes) stacked on the third row and if this is also formed symmetrically, there are four hidden out of sight. The middle rows are already quite convoluted but it seems as if Randall drew three boxes along this dimension. Due to this dimensionality increase, there is plenty of free space in the middle board, drastically changing the game dynamics such that shadowing plays very little role and that movement is very unrestricted.

The title text refers to the practice of writing down what happens throughout the game, so that it is possible to review how the game progressed later. Recording moves in this fashion is required in most tournament situations. There are several common forms of {{w|Chess notation}} used for this purpose, and as well as indicating the moves, players may add annotations indicating their opinions about whether a particular move was good, bad, or peculiar. According to the title text, every annotation is followed by "?!"—which indicates a questionable move, of dubious value but not obviously a blunder either. The joke is that the variable-dimensional game is so complicated that any move will answer this description.

There appears to be the normal chess pieces (so no {{w|Fairy chess piece}}s), but the game has already started (there are white and black pawns in one of the middle squares, and both white and black knights have moved.

Note that "in dimensional chess" may be a pun on "N-dimensional chess."

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

:[A chessboard is depicted in the middle of a stack of boards. All pieces visible on the middle board are in their starting positions, except the white knight from a2 at d1 and the black pawn from g2 at e2. There are three boards each above and below the original, missing columns a and h. On columns c & f on each board, there are clear cubes with a small pedestal on each square. Columns d & e are similar, except with multiple cubes on each square. No chess pieces are visible, except for a white piece -- not clearly visible, but implicitly the white king's knight -- on the second board above the middle on b2 and a black pawn on the top board on f3. Below the chessboards is a caption]
:[Caption below the panel]:
:The problem with ''N-''dimensional chess is that ''N'' is a constant across the board. In my new variant, every row has one more dimension than the one behind it.

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

2465: Dimensional Chess

2021-08-04T00:53:31Z

Eebop: Finished

{{comic
| number = 2465
| date = May 19, 2021
| title = Dimensional Chess
| image = dimensional_chess.png
| titletext = In Dimensional Chess, every move is annotated '?!'.
}}

==Explanation==

Being good at {{w|chess}} is often regarded as a sign of high intelligence. A skilled player must be able to consider possibilities several moves in advance, which can be represented as an exponentially growing tree of possibilities. The {{w|branching factor}} of chess, the approximate number of legal moves available at any given time, is about thirty-five, although most players (human and computer) will use heuristics to prune the trees to regard only likely or promising moves. Expanding the playing field by generalizing to {{w|three-dimensional chess}} (or beyond) will increase the branching factor even further, and so someone who is able to competently play three-dimensional chess could be regarded as even more intelligent than someone who can only play two-dimensional chess. Making chess into an N-dimensional game thus makes it arbitrarily more difficult, even before Randall's addition of non-uniform dimensionality of the board.

Regarding Randall's rule that "every row has one more dimension than the one behind it," it is easiest to see how this is applied with the first two rows on each end. The first row on each end is a like a row on a traditional two-dimensional chess board (albeit played with three-dimensional pieces): you can go from left to right, or forward into the next row. The second row then becomes a two-dimensional row of a three-dimensional space: you can go left to right, forward to back, and now top to bottom. Note that there are seven spaces (represented by "shelves") from top to bottom, as opposed to the typical eight rows from left to right/front to back. This is likely to make sure there is symmetry between how many additional spaces are on top versus on the bottom (three, in this case). Moving another row would presumably add movement in some other direction to make it more complicated/interesting. This escalates until somehow the middle two rows require moving pieces in ''five'' dimensions (the middle two rows are four-dimensional rows + moving to other rows as fifth dimension), despite humans only being able to experience three spatial dimensions.{{Citation needed}} This could potentially be accomplished via playing on a computer.

There are eight squares on the first row, 56 on the second row and presumably 504 on the third and 1512 on the fourth, thus making the total number of squares 4160 rather than the 64 of a traditional chess board. The drawing shows apparently five squares (or boxes) stacked on the third row and if this is also formed symmetrically, there are four hidden out of sight. The middle rows are already quite convoluted but it seems as if Randall drew three boxes along this dimension. Due to this dimensionality increase, there is plenty of free space in the middle board, drastically changing the game dynamics such that shadowing plays very little role and that movement is very unrestricted.

The title text refers to the practice of writing down what happens throughout the game, so that it is possible to review how the game progressed later. Recording moves in this fashion is required in most tournament situations. There are several common forms of {{w|Chess notation}} used for this purpose, and as well as indicating the moves, players may add annotations indicating their opinions about whether a particular move was good, bad, or peculiar. According to the title text, every annotation is followed by "?!"—which indicates a questionable move, of dubious value but not obviously a blunder either. The joke is that the variable-dimensional game is so complicated that any move will answer this description.

There appears to be the normal chess pieces (so no {{w|Fairy chess piece}}s), but the game has already started (there is a black pawn in one of the middle squares, and both white and black knights have moved.

Note that "in dimensional chess" may be a pun on "N-dimensional chess."

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

:[A chessboard is depicted in the middle of a stack of boards. All pieces visible on the middle board are in their starting positions, except the white knight from a2 at d1 and the black pawn from g2 at e2. There are three boards each above and below the original, missing columns a and h. On columns c & f on each board, there are clear cubes with a small pedestal on each square. Columns d & e are similar, except with multiple cubes on each square. No chess pieces are visible, except for a white piece -- not clearly visible, but implicitly the white king's knight -- on the second board above the middle on b2 and a black pawn on the top board on f3. Below the chessboards is a caption]
:[Caption below the panel]:
:The problem with ''N-''dimensional chess is that ''N'' is a constant across the board. In my new variant, every row has one more dimension than the one behind it.

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

Talk:1243: Snare

2021-05-29T19:13:52Z

Eebop:

Any HUMAN-BUILD space station must be the ISS, but maybe Black Hat knows about some alien space station he wants to catch? [[User:Kshksh|kshksh]] ([[User talk:Kshksh|talk]]) 14:45, 6 July 2017 (UTC)

Incidentally, St. Louis is about 300 miles from Chicago, so the shaft would be 40 miles short.
:It depends on how large the giant ring is. 20 mile radius would put it adjacent. Also, "outside" Chicago is flexible.
:More importantly, [[Black Hat]] is such a jerk. He builds a freaking {{w|space elevator}} but only uses it for a particularly silly kind of evil. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 14:26, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

By the way, what is [[Black Hat]] sitting at? It looks like there is open laptop on desk, but he uses separate keyboard in a special shelf... --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 15:06, 26 July 2013 (UTC)
:It's entirely possible that he has exactly that. My mother uses an ergonomic keyboard instead of the crappy, built-in one on the laptop. Her desk has a keyboard shelf, so that's where the ergonomic one goes. [[Special:Contributions/68.231.138.149|68.231.138.149]] 18:05, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

:I don't believe in ergonomic keyboards, but look at what laptops have instead of keyboard. I'm usually using standard keyboard instead of built-in one and I don't believe I'm alone. Also note that as a hacker, [[Black Hat]] probably needs lots of special symbols, which may be missing or on nonstandard positions on laptop keyboard (he is hacker, isn't he?). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:51, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
::Regardless of whether or not you believe in them, ergonomic keyboards exist. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 14:43, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
:::Existence of keyboards which are CALLED ergonomic is fact. The bit I don't believe in is that they really are ergonomic, that is, significantly better to write on that standard keyboards. Which is subjective. On the other hand, I don't think that ANYONE would argue that the built-in laptop keyboards are better to write on that standard keyboards. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

;Real giant ring observed over Chicago today.

A smoke ring from an exploded transformer.
I honestly think this could have inspired the comic.
[http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1j2idy/the_power_went_out_in_my_whole_neighborhood_and/ on reddit]
[http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Power-Outage-in-College-Station--217039531.html on the news]
[[Special:Contributions/92.204.27.3|92.204.27.3]] 11:31, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

Funny, I immediately flashed on the world's largest electromagnet, delivered today to the Fermilab facility in Batavia IL, which is just outside Chicago: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/07/26/massive-electromagnet-completes-arduous-trip-to-fermilab/ [[User:Gardnertoo|Gardnertoo]] ([[User talk:Gardnertoo|talk]]) 20:15, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

If he would like to catch one of the other space stations he would probably not say he wants to catch an international station, because they are only national projects. {{unsigned ip|91.45.17.43}}
: I think that both "AN international space station" and "Not necessarily MY collection" is something he says to avoid blame. It is obvious that he's going to catch the ISS and put her in HIS collection, but he's not confessing to it. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Am I the only one who finds the connection to the Gateway Arch Momument and Tevatron dubious? There is no explanation of the type of winch, and the ring is specifically 'lying in a field'. Maybe the could be included as possibilities, but to say that the structures are 'probably' the ones referred to is false in my opinion.--[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:15, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
: I precisely agree. I will make the change now. {{unsigned ip|173.245.54.20}}

I think it would be quite a daunting task to put a space station in a display case... [[User:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8]] ([[User talk:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|talk]]) 21:03, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

\_ Talk about daunting tasks -- You've gotta admire the sheer logistics Black Hat would have to overcome for catching 'a' space station as described:
First, finding a superstrong, pliable material to a) catch, slow down, and hold a space station originally moving at orbital speeds; and b) finding enough of it to create a mesh field large enough to catch something that size. Second, to have a pole of enough strength to hold the large ring (and accompanying mesh) upright when lifted, but not be so heavy as to be too difficult to winch from a fixed point on the ground. Next, to have it all survive high-altitude winds and freezing temperatures when erected, and finally: reentry! Bringing anything back from LEO will undoubtedly encounter friction with the atmosphere.
That dude's got mad skills if he can pull even half of those things off. -Electro- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.203|108.162.221.203]] 08:56, 17 July 2018 (UTC)

We need a new page on butterfly nets. [[User:QATEKLYXM|Klyxm]] ([[User talk:QATEKLYXM|talk]]) 10:14, 5 March 2018 (UTC)
12

I thought the title-text might mean that Black Hat was going to give the ISS as a gift... Maybe to Danish? [[User:Eebop|Eebop]] ([[User talk:Eebop|talk]]) 19:13, 29 May 2021 (UTC) [[User:eebop|eebop]] ([[User talk:eebop|talk]]) 12:11 29 March 2021 (UTC)

Talk:1243: Snare

2021-05-29T19:13:16Z

Eebop:

Any HUMAN-BUILD space station must be the ISS, but maybe Black Hat knows about some alien space station he wants to catch? [[User:Kshksh|kshksh]] ([[User talk:Kshksh|talk]]) 14:45, 6 July 2017 (UTC)

Incidentally, St. Louis is about 300 miles from Chicago, so the shaft would be 40 miles short.
:It depends on how large the giant ring is. 20 mile radius would put it adjacent. Also, "outside" Chicago is flexible.
:More importantly, [[Black Hat]] is such a jerk. He builds a freaking {{w|space elevator}} but only uses it for a particularly silly kind of evil. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 14:26, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

By the way, what is [[Black Hat]] sitting at? It looks like there is open laptop on desk, but he uses separate keyboard in a special shelf... --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 15:06, 26 July 2013 (UTC)
:It's entirely possible that he has exactly that. My mother uses an ergonomic keyboard instead of the crappy, built-in one on the laptop. Her desk has a keyboard shelf, so that's where the ergonomic one goes. [[Special:Contributions/68.231.138.149|68.231.138.149]] 18:05, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

:I don't believe in ergonomic keyboards, but look at what laptops have instead of keyboard. I'm usually using standard keyboard instead of built-in one and I don't believe I'm alone. Also note that as a hacker, [[Black Hat]] probably needs lots of special symbols, which may be missing or on nonstandard positions on laptop keyboard (he is hacker, isn't he?). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:51, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
::Regardless of whether or not you believe in them, ergonomic keyboards exist. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 14:43, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
:::Existence of keyboards which are CALLED ergonomic is fact. The bit I don't believe in is that they really are ergonomic, that is, significantly better to write on that standard keyboards. Which is subjective. On the other hand, I don't think that ANYONE would argue that the built-in laptop keyboards are better to write on that standard keyboards. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

;Real giant ring observed over Chicago today.

A smoke ring from an exploded transformer.
I honestly think this could have inspired the comic.
[http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1j2idy/the_power_went_out_in_my_whole_neighborhood_and/ on reddit]
[http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Power-Outage-in-College-Station--217039531.html on the news]
[[Special:Contributions/92.204.27.3|92.204.27.3]] 11:31, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

Funny, I immediately flashed on the world's largest electromagnet, delivered today to the Fermilab facility in Batavia IL, which is just outside Chicago: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/07/26/massive-electromagnet-completes-arduous-trip-to-fermilab/ [[User:Gardnertoo|Gardnertoo]] ([[User talk:Gardnertoo|talk]]) 20:15, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

If he would like to catch one of the other space stations he would probably not say he wants to catch an international station, because they are only national projects. {{unsigned ip|91.45.17.43}}
: I think that both "AN international space station" and "Not necessarily MY collection" is something he says to avoid blame. It is obvious that he's going to catch the ISS and put her in HIS collection, but he's not confessing to it. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Am I the only one who finds the connection to the Gateway Arch Momument and Tevatron dubious? There is no explanation of the type of winch, and the ring is specifically 'lying in a field'. Maybe the could be included as possibilities, but to say that the structures are 'probably' the ones referred to is false in my opinion.--[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:15, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
: I precisely agree. I will make the change now. {{unsigned ip|173.245.54.20}}

I think it would be quite a daunting task to put a space station in a display case... [[User:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8]] ([[User talk:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|talk]]) 21:03, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

\_ Talk about daunting tasks -- You've gotta admire the sheer logistics Black Hat would have to overcome for catching 'a' space station as described:
First, finding a superstrong, pliable material to a) catch, slow down, and hold a space station originally moving at orbital speeds; and b) finding enough of it to create a mesh field large enough to catch something that size. Second, to have a pole of enough strength to hold the large ring (and accompanying mesh) upright when lifted, but not be so heavy as to be too difficult to winch from a fixed point on the ground. Next, to have it all survive high-altitude winds and freezing temperatures when erected, and finally: reentry! Bringing anything back from LEO will undoubtedly encounter friction with the atmosphere.
That dude's got mad skills if he can pull even half of those things off. -Electro- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.203|108.162.221.203]] 08:56, 17 July 2018 (UTC)

We need a new page on butterfly nets. [[User:QATEKLYXM|Klyxm]] ([[User talk:QATEKLYXM|talk]]) 10:14, 5 March 2018 (UTC)
12

I thought the title-text might mean that Black Hat was going to give the ISS as a gift... Maybe to Danish? -- [[User:eebop|eebop]] ([[User talk:talk]]) 12:11 29 March 2021 (UTC)

Talk:1243: Snare

2021-05-29T19:12:31Z

Eebop:

Any HUMAN-BUILD space station must be the ISS, but maybe Black Hat knows about some alien space station he wants to catch? [[User:Kshksh|kshksh]] ([[User talk:Kshksh|talk]]) 14:45, 6 July 2017 (UTC)

Incidentally, St. Louis is about 300 miles from Chicago, so the shaft would be 40 miles short.
:It depends on how large the giant ring is. 20 mile radius would put it adjacent. Also, "outside" Chicago is flexible.
:More importantly, [[Black Hat]] is such a jerk. He builds a freaking {{w|space elevator}} but only uses it for a particularly silly kind of evil. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 14:26, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

By the way, what is [[Black Hat]] sitting at? It looks like there is open laptop on desk, but he uses separate keyboard in a special shelf... --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 15:06, 26 July 2013 (UTC)
:It's entirely possible that he has exactly that. My mother uses an ergonomic keyboard instead of the crappy, built-in one on the laptop. Her desk has a keyboard shelf, so that's where the ergonomic one goes. [[Special:Contributions/68.231.138.149|68.231.138.149]] 18:05, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

:I don't believe in ergonomic keyboards, but look at what laptops have instead of keyboard. I'm usually using standard keyboard instead of built-in one and I don't believe I'm alone. Also note that as a hacker, [[Black Hat]] probably needs lots of special symbols, which may be missing or on nonstandard positions on laptop keyboard (he is hacker, isn't he?). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:51, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
::Regardless of whether or not you believe in them, ergonomic keyboards exist. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 14:43, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
:::Existence of keyboards which are CALLED ergonomic is fact. The bit I don't believe in is that they really are ergonomic, that is, significantly better to write on that standard keyboards. Which is subjective. On the other hand, I don't think that ANYONE would argue that the built-in laptop keyboards are better to write on that standard keyboards. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

;Real giant ring observed over Chicago today.

A smoke ring from an exploded transformer.
I honestly think this could have inspired the comic.
[http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1j2idy/the_power_went_out_in_my_whole_neighborhood_and/ on reddit]
[http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Power-Outage-in-College-Station--217039531.html on the news]
[[Special:Contributions/92.204.27.3|92.204.27.3]] 11:31, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

Funny, I immediately flashed on the world's largest electromagnet, delivered today to the Fermilab facility in Batavia IL, which is just outside Chicago: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/07/26/massive-electromagnet-completes-arduous-trip-to-fermilab/ [[User:Gardnertoo|Gardnertoo]] ([[User talk:Gardnertoo|talk]]) 20:15, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

If he would like to catch one of the other space stations he would probably not say he wants to catch an international station, because they are only national projects. {{unsigned ip|91.45.17.43}}
: I think that both "AN international space station" and "Not necessarily MY collection" is something he says to avoid blame. It is obvious that he's going to catch the ISS and put her in HIS collection, but he's not confessing to it. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Am I the only one who finds the connection to the Gateway Arch Momument and Tevatron dubious? There is no explanation of the type of winch, and the ring is specifically 'lying in a field'. Maybe the could be included as possibilities, but to say that the structures are 'probably' the ones referred to is false in my opinion.--[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:15, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
: I precisely agree. I will make the change now. {{unsigned ip|173.245.54.20}}

I think it would be quite a daunting task to put a space station in a display case... [[User:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8]] ([[User talk:625571b7-aa66-4f98-ac5c-92464cfb4ed8|talk]]) 21:03, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

\_ Talk about daunting tasks -- You've gotta admire the sheer logistics Black Hat would have to overcome for catching 'a' space station as described:
First, finding a superstrong, pliable material to a) catch, slow down, and hold a space station originally moving at orbital speeds; and b) finding enough of it to create a mesh field large enough to catch something that size. Second, to have a pole of enough strength to hold the large ring (and accompanying mesh) upright when lifted, but not be so heavy as to be too difficult to winch from a fixed point on the ground. Next, to have it all survive high-altitude winds and freezing temperatures when erected, and finally: reentry! Bringing anything back from LEO will undoubtedly encounter friction with the atmosphere.
That dude's got mad skills if he can pull even half of those things off. -Electro- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.203|108.162.221.203]] 08:56, 17 July 2018 (UTC)

We need a new page on butterfly nets. [[User:QATEKLYXM|Klyxm]] ([[User talk:QATEKLYXM|talk]]) 10:14, 5 March 2018 (UTC)
12
I thought the title-text might mean that Black Hat was going to give the ISS as a gift... Maybe to Danish? -- [[User:eebop|eebop]] ([[User talk:talk]]) 12:11 29 March 2021 (UTC)