explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Countdown in header text/images

2022-01-21T11:07:24Z

Garbled: /* Images */ added new image

'''[[#newestpicture|Jump to the newest picture]]'''
==Explanation==
*Here are (work in process) all the images from {{xkcd}} used in the [[Countdown in header text]].
**The images can also be found [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ here], on munvoseli's page.
*The images have been numbered here on explain xkcd and the number is a link to the image in the count-wimRikmef folder on xkcd.com:
**<nowiki>https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/</nowiki>
**Each picture's filename is the [[:wikipedia:SHA256|SHA256]] hash of the image itself, so it is impossible to predict future file names:
***Here the name for the first picture: ac84f99b9c41eb75e1a595ea74c7bccf48f36c345d8b88ad5dd478d4520bc0b2.png
***https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/ac84f99b9c41eb75e1a595ea74c7bccf48f36c345d8b88ad5dd478d4520bc0b2.png
****Attempting to brute-force future files, assuming you could test 1 trillion file names per second, would take 200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times the age of the universe.
*****Not if you use the right wrench! ([[538:_Security]]... but of course we won't do that)
* The current state (image and when to check next = every 10 min) can be found at [https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/state](https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/state)
** The script controlling the updates can be found at [https://xkcd.com/s/e3fad5.js](https://xkcd.com/s/e3fad5.js), though it doesn't reveal anything new. It just checks the current state and updates the image and the countdown.
** Source https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/s0u2vo/countdown_script/

==Images==
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/ac84f99b9c41eb75e1a595ea74c7bccf48f36c345d8b88ad5dd478d4520bc0b2.png 0001]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0001.png]] 2022-01-10 17:10 - Day 1 image 1
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6a73d565838a58e4d3069ad6cc49cc1a1466a8e602c95fd752126900d2074e28.png 0002]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0002.png]] 2022-01-10 20:46 - End of Day 1, 2 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/98b1c93977c76fd31529ff07f8f6f83209ba69ccc5a6b245e3a1061d36093370.png 0003]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0003.png]] 2022-01-11 00:01 - Day 2 image 3
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/154e4cdc63e9b5c6874e0f8cc2146a945c6b53089854fe4827ed6a822fbf8f53.png 0004]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0004.png]] 2022-01-11 07:49
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/582bbf28305fefb09ea44beae1330585aea155adf6f5125fc70ebdfa6af8c70c.png 0005]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0005.png]] 2022-01-11 08:31
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/5c65f55f9a51a8b5bb7184a7b42e2930aea829e4d5ef2ff6373d1408fee4cce3.png 0006]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0006.png]] 2022-01-11 12:00
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/75f4551c542cadfde5b5708d40679dfb66c1477ed344d061d6ba4e28f46fc0b8.png 0007]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0007.png]] 2022-01-11 15:41
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/32fe6cc4abef25d91abebdbdd59273044061be7d49a9b4a16ce2864628247999.png 0008]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0008.png]] 2022-01-11 19:06
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/72cb154b23f959f908f5dc8eb03069c6df3f0f54aae896a0e7ed27befb2ee639.png 0009]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0009.png]] 2022-01-11 19:30
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/5a0d51a4f85c24edbd647e18e33044ffe5e49a8474c5f9850dadb742252a5582.png 0010]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0010.png]] 2022-01-11 23:13 - End of Day 2, 8 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/85cb9234739c590b3c649c80e6d388f8c53f600327abbdbe476dca495705f86c.png 0011]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0011.png]] 2022-01-12 02:54 - Day 3 image 11
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/62081002ad92456a911eae8eae3f3d74f8147eab8f42330d4f81c473aaa648ba.png 0012]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0012.png]] 2022-01-12 06:40
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/8883103b355c6cbaa0cc5f78867bfc9fee1e2e4295ccec1a0af1bd4bdd27cc6a.png 0013]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0013.png]] 2022-01-12 13:17
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6782889ad1cf7ebdf154672b58f7260df61662537ca00536efeb3470c29d66b1.png 0014]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0014.png]] 2022-01-12 14:23
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/c3c55c15f1c5a37018c0545fd05457ca83540300d656b906e7aaede2c7d81123.png 0015]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0015.png]] 2022-01-12 18:07
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/8ec35a2a74c75a736fc4e8bf119278494e439d82b3949a75c43413b230223b22.png 0016]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0016.png]] 2022-01-12 21:48 - End of Day 3, 6 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/604a452a877071047946c3608fb002da8928d25dbc8e5788276c895df88e5ea2.png 0017]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0017.png]] 2022-01-13 01:32 - Day 4 image 17
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/56dbdf9d6728ef668cd76f40ee69bd07daf2835dd02e5e3ae500137587130d4d.png 0018]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0018.png]] 2022-01-13 05:25
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/8f001bd4f118d537d7daca170cbd5c657318887fe41873f71791c75af3e4e27e.png 0019]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0019.png]] 2022-01-13 11:38
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/609d33c4a8f81def4f2889d165e4044353191a957193aa22e1dfde85364b93fd.png 0020]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0020.png]] 2022-01-13 13:01
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/80cca5046c30c2cf6168d4a03db4389b7151ada62cf2e0574200704d79ea9408.png 0021]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0021.png]] 2022-01-13 16:43
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6a0cebd417060775dfa2c738a4dae86cd28e7393d6dbca1421fd6f246dc5cb4b.png 0022]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0022.png]] 2022-01-13 20:25 - End of Day 4, 6 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/3be4fdde63c2b0b1b71f594255c7623815eaf4712e89a6585fc48fd7b40ad74f.png 0023]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0023.png]] 2022-01-14 00:12 - Day 5 image 23
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/e77b15a15bb84704360cf6706fff67f82042b55d505a8a5b3dbd66bd6e10ba8f.png 0024]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0024.png]] 2022-01-14 04:03
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/e8f7ac688301f46aa40d9523c175809816b1f6c393b43e4707c4feea43215974.png 0025]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0025.png]] 2022-01-14 07:53
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/b9902a9447f0aa5f978ddd118f7db67b75e903f48dc7f42198e2c118b508a659.png 0026]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0026.png]] 2022-01-14 11:38
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/7084274534bcdc2d8c386921d0016ce9d6b1939412f83d8af1c2b231a895c5ff.png 0027]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0027.png]] 2022-01-14 15:19
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/1610a177c4aa2f2cf075ffc580b7c75f9e44f83ba9a736029223c2995731c183.png 0028]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0028.png]] 2022-01-14 17:22
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/a2c4ea711851dd4b15b8c9789db1ffafe298a903e099010631d082ce4bd5b1e2.png 0029]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0029.png]] 2022-01-14 22:53 - End of Day 5, 7 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/dbea16b9b8a22123ce6be88e9178eccae01ec5531d2b8585ef59dcb4050a468d.png 0030]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0030.png]] 2022-01-15 02:57 - Day 6 image 30
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6af529ae350311ac4678f2999f4ee9d67ddd696488363ad6b4f996adeaf269ed.png 0031]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0031.png]] 2022-01-15 06:44
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/18a524d1208ded1caefe811c55d05a011570b669670bbe9933a3c4fe395410af.png 0032]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0032.png]] 2022-01-15 10:14
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/da86d185cd11fc1104ecc523fdf59ab40570fbd465e09d206fc8911b08e3d306.png 0033]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0033.png]] 2022-01-15 13:56
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/b8c767a072b1cdc3092a644e83d7d3521b6650658a7b8419ad91c26294967a5e.png 0034]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0034.png]] 2022-01-15 17:44
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/a4db1b1ba45b9d8728f20acbca8f321864093b887e18bdcd5bd46e6ed8543150.png 0035]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0035.png]] 2022-01-15 21:34 - End of Day 6, 6 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/2c4da89ab9fee1202c3719b72331ea0d5989ac346faddfc197e7ee6e57920d39.png 0036]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0036.png]] 2022-01-16 01:24 - Day 7 image 36
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/dd0c960dfeca7942cf32f7c8d61acee2bcd623456f624723c3f54b68412e98a4.png 0037]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0037.png]] 2022-01-16 05:08
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/c003da4bd27318b9a37a8140ab660740b6be5be59d264b89b61de9917419e917.png 0038]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0038.png]] 2022-01-16 08:51
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/a29268e0d0b4edf1087b9840650c64045d5f7563af1ffbf2f74d7a4eb295e6c1.png 0039]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0039.png]] 2022-01-16 12:34
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/4b351a46aa24be1132231ed60fc770f507c4e20af18490c9bc72c6d541a2fdb3.png 0040]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0040.png]] 2022-01-16 16:24
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/682656738c15e14fa072af7f7e6a6e6b93c7d23d19da27a21c655f47570e2992.png 0041]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0041.png]] 2022-01-16 20:15 - End of Day 7, 6 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/738370be378129d5dba152cf74e8ba8e6ce7a37fc1a44373b129d83da7aea89a.png 0042]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0042.png]] 2022-01-17 00:03 - Day 8 image 42
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/3768e8da1c54222bca5939485975b4a39d7b2e21ed7b36d3f1f791c659852085.png 0043]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0043.png]] 2022-01-17 03:44
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/641771dbe15c9426e2c5c47fc333a281e32e64ba236509ea296358c1ab4e36d4.png 0044]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0044.png]] 2022-01-17 07:27
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/011ba570b6b29d0f6df4c17b3e06673cb88414878a47715e92815a42b185f533.png 0045]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0045.png]] 2022-01-17 11:14
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/ff548223203c25d67b9e920f6fc8268d3e58d20adc420f049fb3af29430b581d.png 0046]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0046.png]] 2022-01-17 15:06
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6534766f1d9e822b602f5775d8de1ab8ef3239413b61c88f5510daafa5154330.png 0047]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0047.png]] 2022-01-17 18:56
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/5c6fe0fe595ccc14f4888d4048d844a790406ed0a4384000e8fe2a5290d7a528.png 0048]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0048.png]] 2022-01-17 22:40 - End of Day 8, 7 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/bf198e744b6c8cf92aaf9021c5b7d97ce574c2360a12931f5841cc834e39214b.png 0049]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0049.png]] 2022-01-18 02:21 - Day 9 image 49
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/d5acf283f729aa7dd5d7bf3fa3e733e924b9ef439251c6cc35d2177f5ac3cefc.png 0050]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0050.png]] 2022-01-18 06:06
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/d964c12d03277fb4eed0045f1fe24127d857742367224391a5b91ab7d822b6bd.png 0051]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0051.png]] 2022-01-18 09:56
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/3e0544c05f66b80378f3aed4b49002ef8eb1314b8198a4f4cb01efaa4f1d2cfd.png 0052]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0052.png]] 2022-01-18 13:47
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/15e4a2a90ddda7e83a8265b9f3d112f8a54c7488391f0fbefc09d06a15a97ab2.png 0053]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0053.png]] 2022-01-18 17:34
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/7301943ea416937d84cdec00dcdc0061c2ad9d691ebfb6c26651b0881fa8cf1a.png 0054]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0054.png]] 2022-01-18 21:16 - End of Day 9, 6 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/a42eb5db715ee2d458cbf02392a1b04b4186f4357c3ac0b1e752aeb34eaa70a1.png 0055]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0055.png]] 2022-01-19 00:58 - Day 10 image 55
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/592e8e7fdcbcdd26eeae45de52acc1394bf942393229adb55c3860cd79fb5ece.png 0056]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0056.png]] 2022-01-19 04:46
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6ba0eb8cedfc1508e3143f4d481c435dbf43af6b88d3094bb29c639c443cc71f.png 0057]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0057.png]] 2022-01-19 08:37
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/79ad5c830ee4877f061fe2f8936a3998384390a5e20919ba475d586fc629f02e.png 0058]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0058.png]] 2022-01-19 12:27
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/6785dfc237439330fb068e3973f084498a8bff9df4c7c706b930f82b6aacdafd.png 0059]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0059.png]] 2022-01-19 16:11
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/f53456d9ad7250ca72b89d77ecf153455a6e372eb6c757ec1bc895dbfb8ae6d8.png 0060]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0060.png]] 2022-01-19 19:52
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/2a414714070a169ddafd2612af0c989b76facf81eea802a099fb36bb3ba1c676.png 0061]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0061.png]] 2022-01-19 23:37 - End of day 10, 7 new images
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/c82bd40f30fad55027eb9f67858443059326f5706d23e0b81b178ad3c3ca21c0.png 0062]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0062.png]] 2022-01-20 03:28 Day 11 image 62
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/05eee45b746276dbb0b9c9e589f4ef3c5b9bf79abe9c9c97563eb4890880fac9.png 0063]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0063.png]] 2022-01-20 07:19
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/35b6242f9989d66c2a3936ecf5461c09b357c9c1de9f586f7ae58db9f4ace91a.png 0064]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0064.png]] 2022-01-20 11:05
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/1a127d463ef438ba2376679becc5aeb772bb3ea7fa62bb57e732ca8940133235.png 0065]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0065.png]] 2022-01-20 14:46
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/5eb8cafdbeecf9027795f371e87132e628c85b56699f913f8d986c852ce7b968.png 0066]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0066.png]] 2022-01-20 18:29
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/21f3470485702a77fd94e0e4a9c3dec60bb696484d251c9c0798c0a83985589f.png 0067]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0067.png]] 2022-01-21 00:02?
*[https://xkcd.com/count-wimRikmef/imgs/b42a48a0bc93b084357cb061208d819d65a723fb272a909350cae5bb17dfc964.png 0068]: [[File:Countdown in header text 0068.png]] 2022-01-22 11:03 GMT


 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Countdown in header text}}
[[Category:Comic subpages]]

Countdown in header text

2022-01-20T17:13:32Z

Garbled:

{{comic
| date = January 10, 2022
| title = Countdown in header text
| image = Countdown_in_header_text.png
| before = The countdown will probably last 21 days. After February 1st 2022 it is likely to have disappeared. See this [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] archive version.
| ldomain = www
| lappend =
| extra = yes
}}
*Go directly to the list of [[Countdown in header text/images|images]].
**The images can also be found [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ here] on munvoseli's page where comparison of two images and an animation can be seen.
{{TOC}}
==Explanation==
*On January 10th 2022, [[Randall]] added a countdown in the top right corner of the [[xkcd Header text]] on {{xkcd}}.
**This happened while the comic [[2565: Latency]] was up.
***First the xkcd Header text was [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|changed back]] to the [[xkcd_Header_text#Header_text|standard text]] for the first time in almost three years:
****xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
***But already while this Friday-comic was still up on the following Monday the [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] was added.
****This was thus up when the Monday comic [[2566: Decorative Constants]] was released, drawing more people to the xkcd page.
*The first [[#Archived Versions|archived version]] from [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] read 20d 20h 27m.
**It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
***At that time it would have read 20d 21h 59 min. Just two hours and 1 minute short of 3 weeks.
*This countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}, or 9:59 AM in Boston, Randall's home town.
**If seconds will be added towards the end, it seems likely that it may end exactly at 15:00 UTC (10:00 AM in Boston).
***However, if it's using EST, introduced in comic [[1061: EST]], it would count backward for four hours before reaching zero, and end only at 2022-01-31 23:59 UTC
****This is extremely farfetched though!
****Though either way, it would fall on Monday 2022-01-31, and therefore the day comic 2575 should be released.
*The next day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box and started to move further into the image on following changes to the [[#Images|image]].
**This development called for the creation of this dedicated [[Countdown in header text]] page.
**The line had already moved further into the image at this time, but the latest version will never be available in the web archive.
***This development is reminiscent of the huge comic [[1190: Time]].
*As mentioned above, [https://munvoseli.github.io/ Munvoseli] is keeping [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ track of the changes] to the image on the countdown.
**Although there are (at 2022-01-12 12:35 UTC) thirteen different frames we know of, the first three looks the same (because the diagonal bar was not in the frame yet) and the seventh and the eighth also seems to be the same, even though the bar had already begun moving across the frame from the fourth. This is either on purpose, a slipup or means that The FrameTM might not be zooming out of a larger image.
***However, the images that look the same all have individual addresses on the xkcd server. See more under [[#Images|Images]] below.

Randall has previously made a comic simply called [[1159: Countdown]]. However, in that the roles are reversed. There we know that the countdown is for (Super Volcano) but not if it will happen soon or very much later. Here we know when, and it is rather soon, but not what.

==Images==
*Images will be put on [[Countdown in header text/images|this separate page]].
**The images can also be found [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ here] on munvoseli's page.
***It is possible to compare two images, chosen between those released, on that page!
***From 2022-01-14 it has also been possible to see an animation.
**See more details at the top of the image page.
*After a few days the black lines forming the image came into conflict with the clock, which has a rounded white frame around it. This can be seen in one of the earliest examples here:
[[File:Countdown in header text Clock Cover Black Lines.png]]
*Also at this time a new development happened after the "plane tail" moved forward it stopped on 2022-01-18 and started moving up (or zooming in). See for instance these two comparison from munvoseli's page showing the difference from the 8 pictures before today, and then after three out today:
[[File:Countdown in header text Compare 40 to 48.png]] [[File:Countdown in header text Compare 48 to 51.png]]

==Theories==
*Here different theories for what the countdown is for and what the picture is going to reveal can be added.

===The picture===
* Ongoing description:
** Frames 1-12: A diagonal line.
** Frame 13: A curve seems to begin at the top left of the line.
** Frame 18: The curve connects the diagonal line with a horizontal line.
** Frame 27-28: A new line appears in the bottom left corner.
** Frame 40-42: The new line turns out to be connected to the horizontal line, forming a corner which is not attached to any other line.
** Frame 49: The "camera movement" direction changes, while the object is still moving upward it stopped moving towards the left side, moving towards the right instead.
** Frame 54: A slight upward curve seems to appear in the right line, the left line seems to have a small bend downwards, though that could at that point just be a straight line that randall drew without a ruler.
** Frame 60-62: A new line appears in the bottom right corner, it turns out to be a continuation of the first original line which curves upward and has a positive slope at that point of the picture, between about 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock. The downward bend of the left line continues on straight in the same direction, it was probably an intentional bend and not an irregularity in drawing a straight line by hand.
** Frame 63: In the minimum of the right curved line a new line starts appearing, way thinner than the others (which were up to this point all rather part of one line) and going slightly downwards and very much to the left, at an angle somewhere between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock.

*Theories about the picture:
**It seems after two days and 12 pictures like either something is moving into the frame or that it is a zoom out from a white area of a large picture. Maybe it is the arm of Cueball that will come into view.
***That turned out not to be the case!
**The second line makes it look somewhat like the tail fin of an aircraft.
***Or the wing of an aircraft (left if looking down at it). Perhaps the plane is towing a banner that will fly through the frame.
****After almost a week this looks like the most promising suggestion so far.
*****Now that the direction of the camera movement has changed, we might get to see the rest of the aircraft soon.
******From picture 63, it more and more seems like it was the tail fin of a plane and now we can see the body.
****Tail of a space shuttle, perhaps?
*****While I think Randall would've also drawn in the signature black part of the rudder, the shape fits perfectly
*****Timing is close (though not exact) to the Columbia disaster anniversary (2003-02-01 1359 UTC)
****I'm thinking the tail of a Zeppelin.
*****Although those normally have longer tail fins.
**Maybe it is some kind of vehicle rolling into frame, like a car?
***No
**Or the word xkcd? (or xkcd 2?)
***No
**Could have been "Hangman", but it looks like it's zooming in on the diagonal instead of continuing to make a gibbet.
***No
**With the new second line appearing in the corner as of frame 28 it looks like it's definitely zooming out of an image. It looks like it could be someone's arm in a running position.
***No
**I think it could also be two legs of a reclining stick person.
***No
**The lines suggest a shark fin and the movement would suggest it swimming across the frame.
***If it was a shark fin, then the most likely candidates would be the first dorsal fin and the pectoral fin, but both end in points rather than edges like in the pictures of the header puzzle. An aircraft tail fin still seems most likely.
**Maybe it's a two-dimensional shape viewed from a weird angle?
***Like a rectangle viewed from a floating, tilted perspective
****No
***Or the top of the k in xkcd
****No
***Or a boat dock?
****No
**How about the new series of [[Picard|https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/09/star-trek-picard-season-2-release-date-plot-cast/|Picard]]? --Garbled

===Countdown===
*Theories about the countdown:
*Several have already been mentioned in the discussion:
**Randall's next book, either the countdown is counting down to the start of promotion or it is released when the countdown ends.
***Usually Randall has made month long [[:Category:Book promotion|book promotions]] before release. So if it is the release day it is a new way to do it. But he will get a lot of attention. If it is just the start of promoting it, people might get disappointed…
****For instance he began promoting his [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|new book Thing Explainer]] in the header text. That was in May 2015 and the book was first released [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ late November 2015]. Most of this time the header text was promoting the book.
**{{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) going into orbit about L2 {{w|Lagrange point}}.
***Randall has already made several comics about the telescope. The latest [[2564: Sunshield]] was released just five days prior to the countdown was started.
***But the telescope will not reach the point but rather go into a large orbit around it, so a precise timer counting down to it seems a bit farfetched.
***On NASA's page on JWST it seems like it will [https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/deploymentExplorer.html#25 go into orbit] 29.5 days after its [[December 25th Launch]], on Christmas Day, so it should have already started the orbit by the 23rd or 24th of January - 8 days before the countdown.
**{{w|Lunar New Year}}
***In China it starts on February 1st and a [https://yourcountdown.to/chinese-new-year countdown for China] is 8 hours behind.
****The South Korean time zone is UTC+9, hence 14:59 UTC = 23:59 in South Korea, one minute to Feb 1.
*****But it's weird if Randall that has basically never mentioned this holiday suddenly makes a three week countdown for it, and why choose South Korea when most would think of China in this context…?
**Randall will stop making xkcd (Goodbye in the image).
***Hopefully not.
****Agreed, {{tvtropes|PoisonOakEpilepticTrees|to be avoided}}
**[https://nationaldaycalendar.com/backward-day-january-31/ National Backward Day]
***This is not a day mentioned on Wikipedia at the time of release of the countdown, so seems unlikely.
**Maybe it will be an announcement of xkcd 2, a new and improved version for… some reason?
***Seems unlikely…
**{{w|Black History Month}}. The {{w|Greensboro sit-ins}} started on Feb 1 1960. Black History Month also begins on February 1st, also in 2022.
***But this countdown stops early on January 31st so seems unlikely.
***However, before changing the Header recently it was about [[xkcd_Header_text#2020-06-03_-_Black_Lives_Matter|Black Lives Matter]] for more than 1.5 years, first ending on December 20th 2021, less than a month before the countdown began. In between that there was a short Christmas sale reminder until a week into 2022. So it could just be another way of reminding of us the issues faced by black people in the US.
****If this was true, I feel like it would be simpler to just change back to the Black Lives Matter text at the top of the screen. Also, it seems increasingly likely as of Jan. 20th that the image is some kind of plane, which doesn't really have much to do with Black History Month (that I know of?)
**The accompanying header says specifically "xkcd updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday"--maybe the countdown is to the reveal of a new update schedule?
***Very unlikely. This was the standard header for a long time. It was used when Randall had nothing better to say. But with all his books and the trouble in US with elections and BLM, he has used the header as a platform most of the time many years now. So the standard text is rare. But he did return it for two days before adding the count down, making it seem just like normal.
***A guess is that it returned to this, so the header text did not take any focus away from the countdown.
**[[:Category:Red Spiders|Red spider]] attack?
***Un-Likely
**He will become a father - could be a planned C-section.
***As this is unpredictable, and could go wrong, then this would be a dangerous countdown, people can be very superstitious, even if scientist.
**As it currently looks (after a [[1070: Words for Small Sets|few days]] into the countdown) it may be a trip he is taking by plane.
***Maybe going somewhere people could meet him.
****Book tour?
***Moving a long way from home (down under or the like).
****Maybe he's moving to Japan? Could be a plane, and the time zone would fit, at least.
*****Then the countdown would be until when the plane lands, not to midnight.
****What has time zones to do with this clock? It counts down to the same time all over the world, and will reach zero at the same time no matter what time zone you are in.
*****Time zones have to do with where it will be midnight when the countdown reaches zero. If it's a countdown to when January ends (a moment before February begins), then it's until that moment in the time zone where the countdown reaches zero at that time.
**Perhaps it's a start to a new series like [[1190: Time]].
***It is already a series that works like Time, so seems unlikely.

==Archived Versions==
*Here is a list of the versions that has been saved to the web archive during the countdown.
**The counter in that version is written behind the date of the web archive.
**Note that the counter is active on the archived version counting minutes down from the start. Some of the versions almost changing the minutes just after loading. But it will always count from the time given here:
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 20h 27m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110214138/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 17h 18m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220111011115/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] 20d 13h 48m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220112005828/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-12] 19d 14h 1m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220113044552/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-13] 18d 10h 14m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220114010759/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-14] 17d 13h 51m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220114195624/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-14] 16d 19h 3m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220115052737/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-15] 16d 9h 32m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220116074923/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-16] 15d 7h 10m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220116225217/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-16] 14d 16h 7m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220118050255/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-18] 13d 9h 57m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220119213308/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-19] 11d 17h 26m

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Meta]]

Countdown in header text

2022-01-20T17:11:59Z

Garbled: could the countdown be to picard?

{{comic
| date = January 10, 2022
| title = Countdown in header text
| image = Countdown_in_header_text.png
| before = The countdown will probably last 21 days. After February 1st 2022 it is likely to have disappeared. See this [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] archive version.
| ldomain = www
| lappend =
| extra = yes
}}
*Go directly to the list of [[Countdown in header text/images|images]].
**The images can also be found [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ here] on munvoseli's page where comparison of two images and an animation can be seen.
{{TOC}}
==Explanation==
*On January 10th 2022, [[Randall]] added a countdown in the top right corner of the [[xkcd Header text]] on {{xkcd}}.
**This happened while the comic [[2565: Latency]] was up.
***First the xkcd Header text was [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|changed back]] to the [[xkcd_Header_text#Header_text|standard text]] for the first time in almost three years:
****xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
***But already while this Friday-comic was still up on the following Monday the [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] was added.
****This was thus up when the Monday comic [[2566: Decorative Constants]] was released, drawing more people to the xkcd page.
*The first [[#Archived Versions|archived version]] from [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] read 20d 20h 27m.
**It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
***At that time it would have read 20d 21h 59 min. Just two hours and 1 minute short of 3 weeks.
*This countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}, or 9:59 AM in Boston, Randall's home town.
**If seconds will be added towards the end, it seems likely that it may end exactly at 15:00 UTC (10:00 AM in Boston).
***However, if it's using EST, introduced in comic [[1061: EST]], it would count backward for four hours before reaching zero, and end only at 2022-01-31 23:59 UTC
****This is extremely farfetched though!
****Though either way, it would fall on Monday 2022-01-31, and therefore the day comic 2575 should be released.
*The next day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box and started to move further into the image on following changes to the [[#Images|image]].
**This development called for the creation of this dedicated [[Countdown in header text]] page.
**The line had already moved further into the image at this time, but the latest version will never be available in the web archive.
***This development is reminiscent of the huge comic [[1190: Time]].
*As mentioned above, [https://munvoseli.github.io/ Munvoseli] is keeping [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ track of the changes] to the image on the countdown.
**Although there are (at 2022-01-12 12:35 UTC) thirteen different frames we know of, the first three looks the same (because the diagonal bar was not in the frame yet) and the seventh and the eighth also seems to be the same, even though the bar had already begun moving across the frame from the fourth. This is either on purpose, a slipup or means that The FrameTM might not be zooming out of a larger image.
***However, the images that look the same all have individual addresses on the xkcd server. See more under [[#Images|Images]] below.

Randall has previously made a comic simply called [[1159: Countdown]]. However, in that the roles are reversed. There we know that the countdown is for (Super Volcano) but not if it will happen soon or very much later. Here we know when, and it is rather soon, but not what.

==Images==
*Images will be put on [[Countdown in header text/images|this separate page]].
**The images can also be found [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ here] on munvoseli's page.
***It is possible to compare two images, chosen between those released, on that page!
***From 2022-01-14 it has also been possible to see an animation.
**See more details at the top of the image page.
*After a few days the black lines forming the image came into conflict with the clock, which has a rounded white frame around it. This can be seen in one of the earliest examples here:
[[File:Countdown in header text Clock Cover Black Lines.png]]
*Also at this time a new development happened after the "plane tail" moved forward it stopped on 2022-01-18 and started moving up (or zooming in). See for instance these two comparison from munvoseli's page showing the difference from the 8 pictures before today, and then after three out today:
[[File:Countdown in header text Compare 40 to 48.png]] [[File:Countdown in header text Compare 48 to 51.png]]

==Theories==
*Here different theories for what the countdown is for and what the picture is going to reveal can be added.

===The picture===
* Ongoing description:
** Frames 1-12: A diagonal line.
** Frame 13: A curve seems to begin at the top left of the line.
** Frame 18: The curve connects the diagonal line with a horizontal line.
** Frame 27-28: A new line appears in the bottom left corner.
** Frame 40-42: The new line turns out to be connected to the horizontal line, forming a corner which is not attached to any other line.
** Frame 49: The "camera movement" direction changes, while the object is still moving upward it stopped moving towards the left side, moving towards the right instead.
** Frame 54: A slight upward curve seems to appear in the right line, the left line seems to have a small bend downwards, though that could at that point just be a straight line that randall drew without a ruler.
** Frame 60-62: A new line appears in the bottom right corner, it turns out to be a continuation of the first original line which curves upward and has a positive slope at that point of the picture, between about 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock. The downward bend of the left line continues on straight in the same direction, it was probably an intentional bend and not an irregularity in drawing a straight line by hand.
** Frame 63: In the minimum of the right curved line a new line starts appearing, way thinner than the others (which were up to this point all rather part of one line) and going slightly downwards and very much to the left, at an angle somewhere between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock.

*Theories about the picture:
**It seems after two days and 12 pictures like either something is moving into the frame or that it is a zoom out from a white area of a large picture. Maybe it is the arm of Cueball that will come into view.
***That turned out not to be the case!
**The second line makes it look somewhat like the tail fin of an aircraft.
***Or the wing of an aircraft (left if looking down at it). Perhaps the plane is towing a banner that will fly through the frame.
****After almost a week this looks like the most promising suggestion so far.
*****Now that the direction of the camera movement has changed, we might get to see the rest of the aircraft soon.
******From picture 63, it more and more seems like it was the tail fin of a plane and now we can see the body.
****Tail of a space shuttle, perhaps?
*****While I think Randall would've also drawn in the signature black part of the rudder, the shape fits perfectly
*****Timing is close (though not exact) to the Columbia disaster anniversary (2003-02-01 1359 UTC)
****I'm thinking the tail of a Zeppelin.
*****Although those normally have longer tail fins.
**Maybe it is some kind of vehicle rolling into frame, like a car?
***No
**Or the word xkcd? (or xkcd 2?)
***No
**Could have been "Hangman", but it looks like it's zooming in on the diagonal instead of continuing to make a gibbet.
***No
**With the new second line appearing in the corner as of frame 28 it looks like it's definitely zooming out of an image. It looks like it could be someone's arm in a running position.
***No
**I think it could also be two legs of a reclining stick person.
***No
**The lines suggest a shark fin and the movement would suggest it swimming across the frame.
***If it was a shark fin, then the most likely candidates would be the first dorsal fin and the pectoral fin, but both end in points rather than edges like in the pictures of the header puzzle. An aircraft tail fin still seems most likely.
**Maybe it's a two-dimensional shape viewed from a weird angle?
***Like a rectangle viewed from a floating, tilted perspective
****No
***Or the top of the k in xkcd
****No
***Or a boat dock?
****No
***How about the new series of [[https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/09/star-trek-picard-season-2-release-date-plot-cast/|Picard]]?

===Countdown===
*Theories about the countdown:
*Several have already been mentioned in the discussion:
**Randall's next book, either the countdown is counting down to the start of promotion or it is released when the countdown ends.
***Usually Randall has made month long [[:Category:Book promotion|book promotions]] before release. So if it is the release day it is a new way to do it. But he will get a lot of attention. If it is just the start of promoting it, people might get disappointed…
****For instance he began promoting his [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|new book Thing Explainer]] in the header text. That was in May 2015 and the book was first released [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ late November 2015]. Most of this time the header text was promoting the book.
**{{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) going into orbit about L2 {{w|Lagrange point}}.
***Randall has already made several comics about the telescope. The latest [[2564: Sunshield]] was released just five days prior to the countdown was started.
***But the telescope will not reach the point but rather go into a large orbit around it, so a precise timer counting down to it seems a bit farfetched.
***On NASA's page on JWST it seems like it will [https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/deploymentExplorer.html#25 go into orbit] 29.5 days after its [[December 25th Launch]], on Christmas Day, so it should have already started the orbit by the 23rd or 24th of January - 8 days before the countdown.
**{{w|Lunar New Year}}
***In China it starts on February 1st and a [https://yourcountdown.to/chinese-new-year countdown for China] is 8 hours behind.
****The South Korean time zone is UTC+9, hence 14:59 UTC = 23:59 in South Korea, one minute to Feb 1.
*****But it's weird if Randall that has basically never mentioned this holiday suddenly makes a three week countdown for it, and why choose South Korea when most would think of China in this context…?
**Randall will stop making xkcd (Goodbye in the image).
***Hopefully not.
****Agreed, {{tvtropes|PoisonOakEpilepticTrees|to be avoided}}
**[https://nationaldaycalendar.com/backward-day-january-31/ National Backward Day]
***This is not a day mentioned on Wikipedia at the time of release of the countdown, so seems unlikely.
**Maybe it will be an announcement of xkcd 2, a new and improved version for… some reason?
***Seems unlikely…
**{{w|Black History Month}}. The {{w|Greensboro sit-ins}} started on Feb 1 1960. Black History Month also begins on February 1st, also in 2022.
***But this countdown stops early on January 31st so seems unlikely.
***However, before changing the Header recently it was about [[xkcd_Header_text#2020-06-03_-_Black_Lives_Matter|Black Lives Matter]] for more than 1.5 years, first ending on December 20th 2021, less than a month before the countdown began. In between that there was a short Christmas sale reminder until a week into 2022. So it could just be another way of reminding of us the issues faced by black people in the US.
****If this was true, I feel like it would be simpler to just change back to the Black Lives Matter text at the top of the screen. Also, it seems increasingly likely as of Jan. 20th that the image is some kind of plane, which doesn't really have much to do with Black History Month (that I know of?)
**The accompanying header says specifically "xkcd updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday"--maybe the countdown is to the reveal of a new update schedule?
***Very unlikely. This was the standard header for a long time. It was used when Randall had nothing better to say. But with all his books and the trouble in US with elections and BLM, he has used the header as a platform most of the time many years now. So the standard text is rare. But he did return it for two days before adding the count down, making it seem just like normal.
***A guess is that it returned to this, so the header text did not take any focus away from the countdown.
**[[:Category:Red Spiders|Red spider]] attack?
***Un-Likely
**He will become a father - could be a planned C-section.
***As this is unpredictable, and could go wrong, then this would be a dangerous countdown, people can be very superstitious, even if scientist.
**As it currently looks (after a [[1070: Words for Small Sets|few days]] into the countdown) it may be a trip he is taking by plane.
***Maybe going somewhere people could meet him.
****Book tour?
***Moving a long way from home (down under or the like).
****Maybe he's moving to Japan? Could be a plane, and the time zone would fit, at least.
*****Then the countdown would be until when the plane lands, not to midnight.
****What has time zones to do with this clock? It counts down to the same time all over the world, and will reach zero at the same time no matter what time zone you are in.
*****Time zones have to do with where it will be midnight when the countdown reaches zero. If it's a countdown to when January ends (a moment before February begins), then it's until that moment in the time zone where the countdown reaches zero at that time.
**Perhaps it's a start to a new series like [[1190: Time]].
***It is already a series that works like Time, so seems unlikely.

==Archived Versions==
*Here is a list of the versions that has been saved to the web archive during the countdown.
**The counter in that version is written behind the date of the web archive.
**Note that the counter is active on the archived version counting minutes down from the start. Some of the versions almost changing the minutes just after loading. But it will always count from the time given here:
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 20h 27m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110214138/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 17h 18m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220111011115/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] 20d 13h 48m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220112005828/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-12] 19d 14h 1m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220113044552/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-13] 18d 10h 14m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220114010759/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-14] 17d 13h 51m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220114195624/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-14] 16d 19h 3m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220115052737/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-15] 16d 9h 32m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220116074923/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-16] 15d 7h 10m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220116225217/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-16] 14d 16h 7m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220118050255/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-18] 13d 9h 57m
#[https://web.archive.org/web/20220119213308/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-19] 11d 17h 26m

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Meta]]

Talk:2570: Captain Picard Tea Order

2022-01-20T17:10:10Z

Garbled: could the countdown be to picard?

...{{w|Builder's tea|Builders}}. I mean, Picard is French and Trek(/Randall) is 'Merican but I suspect it would still be a valid option to give the Ready-Room replicator... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.126|172.70.91.126]] 23:31, 19 January 2022 (UTC)

In ''Star Trek: Picard'', Picard is seen requesting "tea, earl gray, decaf". [[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.202|172.69.68.202]] 03:33, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:I would call for a {{citation needed}} here. In case you can supply it, put it in the table under defac. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::I put it in with [https://tvline.com/2020/01/26/star-trek-picard-premiere-easter-eggs-earl-grey-decaf/] as ref. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.43|172.68.50.43]] 14:29, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Presumably infinite tea could be the beverage to accompany [[1099|Endless Wings]]. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 03:45, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::This joke should only come on a [[1099: Tuesdays|Tuesday]]! And I'm annoyed you beat me to it ;-) But at leat I found another infinity joke first [[1433: Lightsaber]]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:I assumed infinite tea was just a bad pun - as in 'To infinite tea and beyond!' [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.85|162.158.159.85]] 09:12, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VSYmGSJtCA To infinity and beyond] from Toy Story you mean? Good point.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I showed it to a friend an their response was: "[In early 20th century England] they added condensed beef stock to their tea for breakfast", so ''meaty'' tea is very much a possibility. Then they linked some brand promotional materials for "Vimbos: The Prince of Fluid Beef" and "Vimbos: an ox in a teacup". Because I was just about to sign off for the evening, I'm not going to do the due diligence to research, cite, and edit the main article to reflect this discovery--but I thought it should at least be written here to see if others found it interesting enough to add. [[User:Dextrous Fred|Dextrous Fred]] ([[User talk:Dextrous Fred|talk]]) 04:21, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:{{w|Bovril|Bovril}} is a standard beef tea [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.79|172.70.85.79]] 07:40, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::''Meaty'' is also a term that could be used to describe robustly flavoured teas, such as an Assam. Not likely to be used for Earl Grey, though.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.85|162.158.159.85]] 09:18, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:::Should be added to the explanation... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

The concept of iced tea is not normal, especially as Picard is English. Almost but not quite, totally unlike tea. [[User:Arachrah|Arachrah]] ([[User talk:Arachrah|talk]]) 08:46, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Intravenous tea, on the other hand, is an entirely reasonable request. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.85|162.158.159.85]] 09:13, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::But we agree that Icetea is? Could be seen as that. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Picard is actually natively, and by name, French. Born not far from the Swiss border, his family running a vinyard there. Though he indeed seems to be quite the Anglophile (steadfastly English by accent!) and we don't entirely know how the (re)merging of Europe may have affected cultural and social inheritances on the other side of the Eugenics Wars (and other civilisation-upturning shifts in terran future-history) from where we are now. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.5|172.70.162.5]] 12:45, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I kind of think that the explanation should give more emphasis to the fact that the whole comic is basically just a convoluted set-up for the Earl Grey joke.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.145|141.101.98.145]] 09:20, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Agree have just added a line to that affect. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::Disagree that this was the whole purpose. It's a punchline, but not sure it dictated where it was eventually going. That it goes into it twice (least-normal affix and then the titletext) reads more as stumbling to that conclusion rather than carefully aiming at this particular wham-line. But YMMV. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.22|172.70.86.22]] 12:50, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I disagree that separating the tea into segments would not be possible. You simply need a segmented mug or cup. That would, though, probably prove difficult to drink, unless he used a straw.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.145|141.101.98.145]] 09:28, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

While I'm normally the first to jump in on the [citation needed] joke, that would have to be applied to almost every single line of the explanation, so I propose Not Doing That. I accept criticism and counter arguments --[[User:256.256.256.256|Evidently the unfunny person here]] ([[User talk:256.256.256.256|talk]]) 09:45, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Great, this has been used way too much. It is often not very funny. And in my opinion should really be used only when citation is needed{{citation needed}} :-p --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
::I disagree on that last thing, for that we have {{Actual citation needed}} [[User:256.256.256.256|256.256.256.256]] ([[User talk:256.256.256.256|talk]]) 12:31, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Could the "infinite" also be a reference to the paperclip maker thought experiment - the replicator will consume the universe to get raw materials and energy to make more and more tea. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.225|141.101.98.225]] 10:09, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
:Definitely a problem with a machine that makes thing out of energy, is that is need lots of energy. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

I liked "verbose". Most software run from a command line has a "-verbose" or "-v" option which causes it to give more information about what it's doing, usually useful for the purpose of debugging. Rather than providing more information about the tea, I expect that "tea, earl grey, verbose" would result in the replicator giving a step-by-step explanation as it looks up the recipe for tea, selects appropriate raw materials (does it use particles from the air or something?), begins replicating, finishes replicating, and tests that the final product is within normal parameters. Of course, this might mean that the replicator runs more slowly while doing this; which could be useful if he's getting tea as an excuse to take a break from an argument of some kind. Perhaps the replicator even has a 'traditional' tea making mode, where it pauses and describes a more conventional method of tea-making as if there were an invisible chef with a kettle and a teapot somewhere just out of sight. [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 11:07, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

What if the countdown is actually to season 2 of [[https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/09/star-trek-picard-season-2-release-date-plot-cast/|Picard]]