explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3229: Grammar

2026-04-06T22:26:59Z

Logalex8369:

E3EeE E3eE!! [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 22:26, 6 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3228: Day Counter

2026-04-04T18:52:29Z

Logalex8369: Fixed a mistake in my comment

Someone has to be first [[Special:Contributions/2401:D005:D402:7A00:780:9D40:A38A:98A0|2401:D005:D402:7A00:780:9D40:A38A:98A0]] 13:14, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
:No, but someone has to be the ''0.99999999999999956th''... [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:58, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

In response to the comment added by @[[User:GSLikesCats307|GSLikesCats307]], "When the comic was first published the number was −0.00000000000000017 days": Perhaps Randall was just trying to make things a bit more realistic. I've shown a realistic example that could generate −0.00000000000000044. My experiments didn't find any simple example that could generate −0.00000000000000017. (Which is not to say there isn't one.) —[[User:Scs|Scs]] ([[User talk:Scs|talk]]) 15:15, 3 April 2026 (UTC), edited 15:39, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

The day counter is now showing −0.00000000000000044 on my Windows 11 system using Chrome. Maybe the result differs based on computer/browser combination? [[Special:Contributions/72.218.191.213|72.218.191.213]] 16:16, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

The April Fools dark mode thing was kept! Lets go! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 16:25, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

This comic was published during NASA's Artemis II moon mission. Could Cueball seeming to be floating above his chair be a reference to null gravity? [[User:PDesbeginner|PDesbeginner]] ([[User talk:PDesbeginner|talk]]) 17:12, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

My guess is that irrational numbers have "infinite digits" in any base, but my math education is not good enough even to know how to start to prove it, an informal confirmation would be appreciated. [[Special:Contributions/5.91.22.162|5.91.22.162]] 22:14, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
:As a decimal in a certain base is just a fraction (with a denominator of a power of the base), numbers with finite decimal expansions must be rational (assuming the base is rational) [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 23:31, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
::Let's all work in base π so we can have irrational discussions that make sense. What's e in base π?[[Special:Contributions/98.22.184.160|98.22.184.160]] 12:49, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

Plot twist: This is accurate, just too precise and able to predict the future. Someone is about to cause one. [[Special:Contributions/47.141.37.161|47.141.37.161]] 05:24, 4 April 2026 (UTC)
:Doesn't have to be predicting the future to be accurate. Maybe it means that the last error occurred 38 picoseconds ago. [[User:Gorcq|Gorcq]] ([[User talk:Gorcq|talk]]) 14:26, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

Surprised that there hasn't been an Artemis II comic yet. --[[User:Funstuff4fun|Funstuff4fun]] ([[User talk:Funstuff4fun|talk]]) 06:12, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

Sorry, new to posting; sorry if I am misunderstanding. The text describes −0.00000000000000044 as a very small negative number. Is this saying that it is close to zero? If so, would that be better expressed as large, rather than small? [[User:Flickerwit|Flickerwit]] ([[User talk:Flickerwit|talk]]) 15:54, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

Considering how close to April Fools this comic is, it could be a remnant of such a prank that they haven't bothered to clean up yet. [[Special:Contributions/2001:1C02:1A9D:9700:A420:F4F:966C:167E|2001:1C02:1A9D:9700:A420:F4F:966C:167E]] 16:32, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3228: Day Counter

2026-04-03T23:31:36Z

Logalex8369:

806: Tech Support

2026-03-22T01:19:31Z

Logalex8369: Minor spelling change in leetspeak section

{{comic
| number = 806
| date = October 15, 2010
| title = Tech Support
| image = tech support.png
| titletext = I recently had someone ask me to go get a computer and turn it on so I could restart it. He refused to move further in the script until I said I had done that.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] runs into some problems with his network connection and contacts his Internet service provider's (ISP's) tech support for help. The customer service agent (represented by [[Hairy]]) is not very helpful, giving clearly pre-scripted advice that has nothing to do with Cueball's problem. Cueball gives up and asks to speak to an engineer, i.e. someone more knowledgeable about the technology and suggest to Hairy what to look for. Noticing a woman with black ponytail who has the stuffed {{w|Tux_(mascot)|Tux}} penguin on her desk and a poster of a bearded dude with swords (a reference to [[Richard Stallman]] particularly as he stands in [[345: 1337: Part 5]], and a reference to [[225: Open Source]]) he tells Cueball about her and Cueball recognizes the signs of a {{w|GNU}}/{{w|Linux}} geek and asks to talk to her. Hairy transfers him over to the engineer, who immediately recognizes the problem and fixes it. Then she tells him of a secret word (shibboleet - see below) which, if he speaks on the phone, will transfer him to a tech-savvy person able to help him, something installed already back in the 1990's by the geeks of that time. Cueball is elated but then at this point Cueball wakes up and unfortunately discovers the incident to be just a dream.

It's common for technical support lines to be staffed by low-tier workers with minimal technical training, with the primary function of taking the caller through a script of common problems and simple solutions (such as rebooting their computers). This is generally done because many customers call because of easily resolved problems. Forcing all callers to go through this script is an inexpensive way to resolve such problems, rather than taking up the time of a more highly trained (and presumably better paid) engineer. This practice, however, tends to be highly frustrating for technically skilled people, who can generally resolve simple problems on their own, and only call tech support when a problem genuinely needs engineering support. Even though they may know that the problem isn't with their system, the call center workers are generally trained to go through the entire script, attempting each solution on the list, before moving on, even if the customer knows that the entire exercise is pointless.

Cueball's dream solution (and [[Randall]]'s, by implication) is to have a special code, known only to those with high technical knowledge, which can be used to bypass the first steps of customer service, transferring them directly to an engineer (defined here as "someone who knows a minimum of two programming languages"). The idea that "the geeks who built these phone support systems" would build in such a backdoor suggests an affinity among computer and electronics nerds, who would want to help one another out. The engineer's request that Cueball not tell anyone suggests that such a system could only be maintained as a secret conspiracy among geeks, as to prevent it being overwhelmed by the general public, and therefore becoming useless.

Cueball is running {{w|Haiku (operating system)|Haiku}}, an {{w|open source}} operating system, which is still in a state of active development, being in an alpha release at the publishing of the comic and in beta since 2018. While low-level tech support operators are given scripts which are predicated on the assumption that many computer problems are actually caused by the actions of clueless end users (as, in fact, they are), it's exceedingly unlikely most of these first-tier operators would have even heard of Haiku, not to mention that their scripts' assumptions would never apply to the sort of person who would be using an experimental OS as opposed to {{w|Windows}}, for instance.

"Shibboleet" is a portmanteau of "shibboleth" and "leet". A "{{w|shibboleth}}" means any word, custom, or other signifier which is used by members of a group to recognize other members or those who are "in the know" about something. Its use originates in the Hebrew Bible, where the precise pronunciation of this word was used to distinguish Gileadites from Ephramites. {{w|Leet}} (based on the word "elite") refers to "leet-speak", a practice of character substitution and abbreviation common across the Internet (or "th3 1n73rn3t", as you would say in leet). Thus, "shibboleet" is a shibboleth used to identify someone whose computer-knowledge is "elite." Leet is again in leet written as 1337 so again a reference back to the [[:Category:1337|1337 comic series]] including the comic mentioned above with Stallman. In [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]] a tech support is also asking very silly questions as it is going through a script.

In the title text, Randall mentions that this had happened to him recently and is possibly the reason for this comic.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is on his cellphone, and holding up a small square piece of hardware in the other hand. Two wires go from the hardware down to the floor, where one is connected to a box on the floor with two black antennas, and then another wire goes out the other side of this, and both this and the second wire from the hardware Cueball is holding goes under his desk, on top of which is his open laptop.]
:Cueball: ...restart my computer? I know you have a script to follow, but the uplink light on the modem is going off every few hours. The problem is between your office and the modem.

:[Zoom in on Cueball's torso, still on the phone and with the hardware in hand.]
:Cueball: My computer has nothing to do with... OK, whatever, I "restarted my computer."
:Cueball: It's still down, and even if it comes back, it's going to die again in a few hours, because your—

:[Cueball on the phone has walked closer to his desk with the laptop, but holds down the hand with the hardware so it is below the panels frame.]
:Cueball: I don't ''have'' a start menu. This is a Haiku install, but that's not import—
:Cueball: Haiku? It's an experimental OS that I ... oh, never mind.

:[Cueball has paced away from his desk to the left so it is no longer in the panel. He has put the hardware down next to the box with antennas on the floor. Wires going off panel right toward the desk.]
:Cueball: I'm sorry, but this won't get fixed until I talk to an engineer. Can you look around for someone wearing cargo pants, maybe a subway map on their wall?

:[Hairy is the tech support person on the other end sitting in an office chair at a desk. A phone is hooked up on his table with two wires coming out. He is wearing a headset. He leans back in the chair and looks behind him to the right. Cueball talks to him over the phone indicated with a zigzag line.]
:Hairy: There's a chick two phones over with a stuffed penguin doll and a poster of some bearded dude with swords.
:Cueball (on the phone): Perfect. Can you put her on?
:Hairy: Sure.

:[The engineer, a woman with black hair in a ponytail, sits in an office chair at her desk typing on her laptop. She also has a headset. Behind her laptop sits a small penguin doll. Cueball talks to her over the phone indicated with zigzag lines.]
:Cueball (on the phone): Hey, so sorry to bother you, but my connection—
:Engineer: Yeah, I see it. Lingering problems from a server move.
:<type type>
:Engineer: Should be fixed now.
:Cueball (on the phone): Thank you ''so much.''

:[Zoom in on the engineer's head and torso. The back of the chair and the top of her laptop just inside the panel.]
:Engineer: No problem. Hey, in the future, if you're on any tech support call, you can say the code word "shibboleet" at any point and you'll be automatically transferred to someone who knows a minimum of two programming languages.

:[Zoom in on Cueball on the phone scratching his neck. The engineer talks to him over the phone indicated with zigzag lines.]
:Cueball: Seriously?
:Engineer (on the phone): Yup. It's a backdoor put in by the geeks who built these phone support systems back in the 1990's.
:Engineer (on the phone): Don't tell anyone.

:[The last panel is split in two sections. In the top part still with a zoom in on Cueball, he takes the phone down to hang up. Only this section is inside a frame. The frame is normal at the top and half way down to the left, but only a small way down on the right side. The bottom part of the frame connects these two normal parts but with a wavy line to indicate that this is the end of a dream. In the frame-less part of the panel below Cueball is sitting up in his bed, having lifted his head fro the pillow behind him to the left. He lifts him self up with one hand while the other takes the sheet down over his body. The last part is thus drawn outside the rest of the framed part of the comic.]
:Cueball: Oh my god, this is the greatest—

:Cueball: Wha—
:Cueball: ...''Dammit.''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Richard Stallman]] 
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Dreams]]
[[Category:Portmanteau]]
[[Category:Engineering]]
[[Category:Comics with a Spanish translation]]

Talk:3222: Star Formation

2026-03-21T01:02:33Z

Logalex8369: Added previous comment’s timestamp and added another comment

This entire process is unconfirmed and needs citations. {{Citation needed}} [[Special:Contributions/66.154.219.128|66.154.219.128]] 20:26, 20 March 2026 (UTC)
:Not sure {{w|Poe's law|if you're serious}}... but I rewrote some of the things that might have prompted this comment. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:49, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

The something that ionized the gas clouds is presumably the star that formed. No second deity needed. [[Special:Contributions/74.76.189.192|74.76.189.192]] 21:12, 20 March 2026 (UTC)
:I dispense with that bit. What you obviously have here is a non-omniscient creator (or shaper-of-the-universe, at the very least) who is surprised by how things turn out when they had a much simpler (or at least different) idea of how things should have proceeded. I'm reminded of {{w|The Science of Discworld}} (once the Dean twiddles his fingers in the proto-Roundworld, and then the wizards discovering that things just like becoming spheres more than they expected) or perhaps something where a desired result {{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel)|went awry}} due to unforeseen external factors. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:49, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

Is Randall a believer in Stupid Design? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 22:42, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

I was actually factually thinking about stellar constitutionality at formative stages last night. Like couple days ago i explained big bubbles theory to a person on Blue Sky. Gives me headswirls to envision ( attempt ) alternate density temporal flow size constants. Cool! [[User:AskShea|AskShea]] ([[User talk:AskShea|talk]]) 00:34, 21 March 2026‎ (UTC)

The explanation states that this is a simplified model blown to an absurd extreme, but I thought that this was a mostly-accurate model of how astronomers have theorized the universe’s structure came to be. Am I wrong? I am confused. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 01:02, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

xkcd

2026-03-05T20:13:55Z

Logalex8369: oops, i said "its" instead of "the"

<noinclude><div style="display:none;">__TOC__</div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:''xkcd''}}
[[File:Terrible small logo.png|200px|right]]{{TOC}}{{Quote|A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.|[https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]}}

'''''xkcd''''' is a webcomic drawn by [[Randall Munroe]] and hosted at [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. It focuses on {{w|science}}, {{w|mathematics}}, {{w|technology}}, and general {{w|geek|geekiness}}, told with a light, quirky sense of humor, and at times profound philosophizing. Its art style is minimalist, told through simple [[stick figure]]s. New comics are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and are accompanied by a [[Title text|title text]], serving as Randall's commentary.

==Style==
''xkcd'' comics are usually plain, predominantly black-and-white line drawings, but [[:Category:Comics with color|sometimes]] they make use of hues beyond the usual monochrome colors, even if it is just [[:Category:Comics with red annotations|red annotations]]. Although quite complex objects can be drawn, or conventionally cartoon-like representations of things and [[:Category:Squirrels|animals]], a majority of the people featured are [[stick figure]]s who have become a cast of recurring [[characters]]. The ''xkcd'' art style has undergone many changes over time. Initially, the comics were made by scanning hand-drawn sketches. However, they eventually transitioned to being entirely digitally inked and lettered. Another notable change was in the style of text used. While [[:Category:Comics with lowercase text|early comics featured sentence-case text]], Randall began writing in all-caps non-cursive handwriting with [[90: Jacket]]. It took several comics for this to become the standard practice. In the early days of ''xkcd'', Randall used [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]] with a grid for most of his initial drawings. This grid became a distinctive part of the style of the early ''xkcd'' comics, as it was used for most of his LiveJournal comics, and the last comic by date to use it was [[39: Bowl]]. The faint remains of gridlines in some comics suggest that Randall may have erased gridlines in these comics. In 2012, Randall revived the blue grid as a background image for ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]''.

Occasionally, Randall releases comics that go beyond the norm. These unique comics might involve user interactivity, utilize specific HTTP behaviors, or explore innovative graphic techniques, setting them apart from the ordinary static comics. He will use {{w|GIF#Animated GIF|animated GIFs}}, rather than standard formats, for some of the simpler [[:Category:Comics with animation|dynamic comic]] images and will engage with complex page and server-side scripting to present the reader with the more immersive or interactive content.

==The name ''xkcd''==
</noinclude>{{Quote|It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation — a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.|[[Randall Munroe]]|[https://xkcd.com/about/ About xkcd]}}

{{Quote|Actually, I've been using [''xkcd''] as just a unique point in the space of four-character strings to point to me. I've been using it as my name on every service box since at least the nineties, because I got tired of changing my name every time my interest changed. I started out when I was 10 years old when AOL first popped up and I was on there as, I think I had, first, "Skywalker4", then "Animorph7", and then [...] other names [...] like "Redtailedhawk6" or something. Eventually, I was like, I'm tired of names that point to other things, that identify me with those things. I want to get a string that will just point uniquely to me that's not my name, because that's kind of boring. And so, I [decided] to generate random strings and find one that had a certain set of qualities, which included:
*''none of the letters could be mistaken for other letters [or] numbers, so no "L", because "L", lower-cased, can look like "i" or "1";''
*''it couldn't have any obvious acronym decoding [...] or be an existing acronym;''
*''it couldn't be pronounceable because then it would sound like [...] a word, and people would think of other words like it.''
''So, I searched though a bunch of names that weren't taken, until I found one that wasn't taken on all the services I wanted.|[[Randall Munroe]]|in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}zJOS0sV2a24#t{{=}}44m31s speech for Google]}}

According to the [https://xkcd.com/about ''xkcd'' FAQ] and [[Randall Munroe]] himself, the name ''xkcd'' doesn't stand for anything. He [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOS0sV2a24#t=44m31s says] it originated as a previously unused, unpronounceable, random four-letter string which he used as his username on various internet services.<ref name="aboutpage">https://xkcd.com/about/</ref> <noinclude>See also the comic titled [[207: What xkcd Means]]. {{incomplete|Give some examples where Randall himself used the lowercase, uppercase , and "Xkcd" version.)}}
The string "xkcd" should always be entirely lowercase (xkcd). The only exception is where the first letter would be normally capitalized (e.g. titles, beginning of a sentence, etc.); in that case, it should be entirely uppercased (XKCD). Standard capitalization (Xkcd) should not be used, [https://xkcd.com/about/ according to Randall].

</noinclude>There are other theories about what ''xkcd'' might stand for (not verified and probably not true):
* If each letter of the alphabet is [https://web.archive.org/web/20090908204959im_/http://explainxkcd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/XKCD1.jpg mapped to 1 through 26], the sum of the values for "x", "k", "c", and "d" is equal to 42, which is the answer given to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything by the supercomputer in ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. However, according to Randall himself, this is a coincidence.{{Actual citation needed}}
* A [https://web.archive.org/web/20200728001540/https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/c2049n/the_names_mystery_unveiled/ now-deleted] Reddit account noted that typing "xkcd" on a Persian QWERTY keyboard returns "طنزی", which means satirical, sarcastic, and comic.
* "x", "k", "c", and "d" are consecutive letters when typed on a left-handed [[:Category:Dvorak|Dvorak]] keyboard.
* By shifting the letters in "xkcd" one key up on a standard {{w|QWERTY}} keyboard, you end up with the word "side".
* A [https://www.quora.com/What-does-the-name-xkcd-mean/answer/Narayan-Babu/ Quora account] noted that reversing the letters in "xkcd" gives "dckx", which can be pronounced as "dicks".
<noinclude>

==History==
:''Main article: [[LiveJournal]].''

{{:LiveJournal}}

[[Category:xkcd| 1]]{{xkcdmeta}}

xkcd

2026-03-05T20:13:04Z

Logalex8369: Added another theory about what "xkcd" means, grabbed from a Quora post about it. (I couldn't find any rules about "vulgar" words on the wiki.)

<noinclude><div style="display:none;">__TOC__</div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:''xkcd''}}
[[File:Terrible small logo.png|200px|right]]{{TOC}}{{Quote|A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.|[https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]}}

'''''xkcd''''' is a webcomic drawn by [[Randall Munroe]] and hosted at [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. It focuses on {{w|science}}, {{w|mathematics}}, {{w|technology}}, and general {{w|geek|geekiness}}, told with a light, quirky sense of humor, and at times profound philosophizing. Its art style is minimalist, told through simple [[stick figure]]s. New comics are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and are accompanied by a [[Title text|title text]], serving as Randall's commentary.

==Style==
''xkcd'' comics are usually plain, predominantly black-and-white line drawings, but [[:Category:Comics with color|sometimes]] they make use of hues beyond the usual monochrome colors, even if it is just [[:Category:Comics with red annotations|red annotations]]. Although quite complex objects can be drawn, or conventionally cartoon-like representations of things and [[:Category:Squirrels|animals]], a majority of the people featured are [[stick figure]]s who have become a cast of recurring [[characters]]. The ''xkcd'' art style has undergone many changes over time. Initially, the comics were made by scanning hand-drawn sketches. However, they eventually transitioned to being entirely digitally inked and lettered. Another notable change was in the style of text used. While [[:Category:Comics with lowercase text|early comics featured sentence-case text]], Randall began writing in all-caps non-cursive handwriting with [[90: Jacket]]. It took several comics for this to become the standard practice. In the early days of ''xkcd'', Randall used [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]] with a grid for most of his initial drawings. This grid became a distinctive part of the style of the early ''xkcd'' comics, as it was used for most of his LiveJournal comics, and the last comic by date to use it was [[39: Bowl]]. The faint remains of gridlines in some comics suggest that Randall may have erased gridlines in these comics. In 2012, Randall revived the blue grid as a background image for ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]''.

Occasionally, Randall releases comics that go beyond the norm. These unique comics might involve user interactivity, utilize specific HTTP behaviors, or explore innovative graphic techniques, setting them apart from the ordinary static comics. He will use {{w|GIF#Animated GIF|animated GIFs}}, rather than standard formats, for some of the simpler [[:Category:Comics with animation|dynamic comic]] images and will engage with complex page and server-side scripting to present the reader with the more immersive or interactive content.

==The name ''xkcd''==
</noinclude>{{Quote|It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation — a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.|[[Randall Munroe]]|[https://xkcd.com/about/ About xkcd]}}

{{Quote|Actually, I've been using [''xkcd''] as just a unique point in the space of four-character strings to point to me. I've been using it as my name on every service box since at least the nineties, because I got tired of changing my name every time my interest changed. I started out when I was 10 years old when AOL first popped up and I was on there as, I think I had, first, "Skywalker4", then "Animorph7", and then [...] other names [...] like "Redtailedhawk6" or something. Eventually, I was like, I'm tired of names that point to other things, that identify me with those things. I want to get a string that will just point uniquely to me that's not my name, because that's kind of boring. And so, I [decided] to generate random strings and find one that had a certain set of qualities, which included:
*''none of the letters could be mistaken for other letters [or] numbers, so no "L", because "L", lower-cased, can look like "i" or "1";''
*''it couldn't have any obvious acronym decoding [...] or be an existing acronym;''
*''it couldn't be pronounceable because then it would sound like [...] a word, and people would think of other words like it.''
''So, I searched though a bunch of names that weren't taken, until I found one that wasn't taken on all the services I wanted.|[[Randall Munroe]]|in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}zJOS0sV2a24#t{{=}}44m31s speech for Google]}}

According to the [https://xkcd.com/about ''xkcd'' FAQ] and [[Randall Munroe]] himself, the name ''xkcd'' doesn't stand for anything. He [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOS0sV2a24#t=44m31s says] it originated as a previously unused, unpronounceable, random four-letter string which he used as his username on various internet services.<ref name="aboutpage">https://xkcd.com/about/</ref> <noinclude>See also the comic titled [[207: What xkcd Means]]. {{incomplete|Give some examples where Randall himself used the lowercase, uppercase , and "Xkcd" version.)}}
The string "xkcd" should always be entirely lowercase (xkcd). The only exception is where the first letter would be normally capitalized (e.g. titles, beginning of a sentence, etc.); in that case, it should be entirely uppercased (XKCD). Standard capitalization (Xkcd) should not be used, [https://xkcd.com/about/ according to Randall].

</noinclude>There are other theories about what ''xkcd'' might stand for (not verified and probably not true):
* If each letter of the alphabet is [https://web.archive.org/web/20090908204959im_/http://explainxkcd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/XKCD1.jpg mapped to 1 through 26], the sum of the values for "x", "k", "c", and "d" is equal to 42, which is the answer given to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything by the supercomputer in ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. However, according to Randall himself, this is a coincidence.{{Actual citation needed}}
* A [https://web.archive.org/web/20200728001540/https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/c2049n/the_names_mystery_unveiled/ now-deleted] Reddit account noted that typing "xkcd" on a Persian QWERTY keyboard returns "طنزی", which means satirical, sarcastic, and comic.
* "x", "k", "c", and "d" are consecutive letters when typed on a left-handed [[:Category:Dvorak|Dvorak]] keyboard.
* By shifting the letters in "xkcd" one key up on a standard {{w|QWERTY}} keyboard, you end up with the word "side".
* A [https://www.quora.com/What-does-the-name-xkcd-mean/answer/Narayan-Babu/ Quora account] noted that reversing its letters in "xkcd" gives "dckx", which can be pronounced as "dicks".
<noinclude>

==History==
:''Main article: [[LiveJournal]].''

{{:LiveJournal}}

[[Category:xkcd| 1]]{{xkcdmeta}}

xkcd

2026-03-04T20:48:08Z

Logalex8369: Added theory about what "xkcd" means: by shifting the letters in "xkcd" one key up on a standard Qwerty keyboard, you end up with the word "side".

<noinclude><div style="display:none;">__TOC__</div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:''xkcd''}}
[[File:Terrible small logo.png|200px|right]]{{TOC}}{{Quote|A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.|[https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]}}

'''''xkcd''''' is a webcomic drawn by [[Randall Munroe]] and hosted at [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. It focuses on {{w|science}}, {{w|mathematics}}, {{w|technology}}, and general {{w|geek|geekiness}}, told with a light, quirky sense of humor, and at times profound philosophizing. Its art style is minimalist, told through simple [[stick figure]]s. New comics are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and are accompanied by a [[Title text|title text]], serving as Randall's commentary.

==Style==
''xkcd'' comics are usually plain, predominantly black-and-white line drawings, but [[:Category:Comics with color|sometimes]] they make use of hues beyond the usual monochrome colors, even if it is just [[:Category:Comics with red annotations|red annotations]]. Although quite complex objects can be drawn, or conventionally cartoon-like representations of things and [[:Category:Squirrels|animals]], a majority of the people featured are [[stick figure]]s who have become a cast of recurring [[characters]]. The ''xkcd'' art style has undergone many changes over time. Initially, the comics were made by scanning hand-drawn sketches. However, they eventually transitioned to being entirely digitally inked and lettered. Another notable change was in the style of text used. While [[:Category:Comics with lowercase text|early comics featured sentence-case text]], Randall began writing in all-caps non-cursive handwriting with [[90: Jacket]]. It took several comics for this to become the standard practice. In the early days of ''xkcd'', Randall used [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]] with a grid for most of his initial drawings. This grid became a distinctive part of the style of the early ''xkcd'' comics, as it was used for most of his LiveJournal comics, and the last comic by date to use it was [[39: Bowl]]. The faint remains of gridlines in some comics suggest that Randall may have erased gridlines in these comics. In 2012, Randall revived the blue grid as a background image for ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]''.

Occasionally, Randall releases comics that go beyond the norm. These unique comics might involve user interactivity, utilize specific HTTP behaviors, or explore innovative graphic techniques, setting them apart from the ordinary static comics. He will use {{w|GIF#Animated GIF|animated GIFs}}, rather than standard formats, for some of the simpler [[:Category:Comics with animation|dynamic comic]] images and will engage with complex page and server-side scripting to present the reader with the more immersive or interactive content.

==The name ''xkcd''==
</noinclude>{{Quote|It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation — a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.|[[Randall Munroe]]|[https://xkcd.com/about/ About xkcd]}}

{{Quote|Actually, I've been using [''xkcd''] as just a unique point in the space of four-character strings to point to me. I've been using it as my name on every service box since at least the nineties, because I got tired of changing my name every time my interest changed. I started out when I was 10 years old when AOL first popped up and I was on there as, I think I had, first, "Skywalker4", then "Animorph7", and then [...] other names [...] like "Redtailedhawk6" or something. Eventually, I was like, I'm tired of names that point to other things, that identify me with those things. I want to get a string that will just point uniquely to me that's not my name, because that's kind of boring. And so, I [decided] to generate random strings and find one that had a certain set of qualities, which included:
*''none of the letters could be mistaken for other letters [or] numbers, so no "L", because "L", lower-cased, can look like "i" or "1";''
*''it couldn't have any obvious acronym decoding [...] or be an existing acronym;''
*''it couldn't be pronounceable because then it would sound like [...] a word, and people would think of other words like it.''
''So, I searched though a bunch of names that weren't taken, until I found one that wasn't taken on all the services I wanted.|[[Randall Munroe]]|in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}zJOS0sV2a24#t{{=}}44m31s speech for Google]}}

According to the [https://xkcd.com/about ''xkcd'' FAQ] and [[Randall Munroe]] himself, the name ''xkcd'' doesn't stand for anything. He [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOS0sV2a24#t=44m31s says] it originated as a previously unused, unpronounceable, random four-letter string which he used as his username on various internet services.<ref name="aboutpage">https://xkcd.com/about/</ref> <noinclude>See also the comic titled [[207: What xkcd Means]]. {{incomplete|Give some examples where Randall himself used the lowercase, uppercase , and "Xkcd" version.)}}
The string "xkcd" should always be entirely lowercase (xkcd). The only exception is where the first letter would be normally capitalized (e.g. titles, beginning of a sentence, etc.); in that case, it should be entirely uppercased (XKCD). Standard capitalization (Xkcd) should not be used, [https://xkcd.com/about/ according to Randall].

</noinclude>There are other theories about what ''xkcd'' might stand for (not verified and probably not true):
* If each letter of the alphabet is [https://web.archive.org/web/20090908204959im_/http://explainxkcd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/XKCD1.jpg mapped to 1 through 26], the sum of the values for "x", "k", "c", and "d" is equal to 42, which is the answer given to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything by the supercomputer in ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. However, according to Randall himself, this is a coincidence.{{Actual citation needed}}
* A [https://web.archive.org/web/20200728001540/https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/c2049n/the_names_mystery_unveiled/ now-deleted] Reddit account noted that typing "xkcd" on a Persian QWERTY keyboard returns "طنزی", which means satirical, sarcastic, and comic.
* "x", "k", "c", and "d" are consecutive letters when typed on a left-handed [[:Category:Dvorak|Dvorak]] keyboard.
* By shifting the letters in "xkcd" one key up on a standard [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY Qwerty] keyboard, you end up with the word "side".
<noinclude>

==History==
:''Main article: [[LiveJournal]].''

{{:LiveJournal}}

[[Category:xkcd| 1]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Talk:3211: Amperage

2026-02-24T21:06:41Z

Logalex8369:

Seems like this would be at least tangentially related to the Cursed Connectors series, although it's just the outlets and cords this time. [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 05:51, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

I would assume that this is related to styropyro's latest video? [[Special:Contributions/142.126.42.193|142.126.42.193]] 05:59, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
: I’ll second the comment about the new styropyro video; it seems very likely that it inspired Randall to make this comic and is probably worth a mention. [[Special:Contributions/2607:FB91:829C:47BD:C826:B8DB:5A5E:913A|2607:FB91:829C:47BD:C826:B8DB:5A5E:913A]] 07:50, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
: I think that's very likely - in literally every single group of nerds (eg xkcd-adjacent) I've seen people talking about it. I'd be very, very surprised if he hasn't at all seen it[[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 17:28, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

200 amps is NOT "an amount of electricity power"; The amp is a unit of electrical current, from which power can be derived by multiplying by voltage.[[Special:Contributions/2001:8003:7087:E602:3CBE:B25:5BFC:61BD|2001:8003:7087:E602:3CBE:B25:5BFC:61BD]] 07:41, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

The current explanation seems to assume that Cueball is aware in advance of some of the problems his scheme is likely to cause, and is trying to forestall them. That seems unlikely - it's Cueball after all. It's far more likely that he has ''already'' melted all his wiring (and ruined his carpet), but just considers that a new engineering challenge to overcome. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:28, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

It is amusing or instructional to consider how residential wiring would be engineered if the equipment and circuits were designed with a system that supplied constant current rather than constant voltage. Long ago carbon-arc streetlights were all wired in series and run at perhaps 6 or 8 amps. The "failure" mode is not a short circuit but an open circuit. Protective devices close the offending open. Perhaps Cueball would like to explore such a system, running megavolts at 500 amps, unless he already has. [[Special:Contributions/173.188.198.217|173.188.198.217]] 12:56, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

I understand the theory of it, and it clearly doesn't cause any more electrical fires than home run circuits, but the UK's 32A ring circuits on 14 gauge wire will always make me raise an eyebrow. [[Special:Contributions/64.135.140.145|64.135.140.145]] 13:36, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

xkcd is a good distractor from everything that's going on with the world. Thanks, Randall! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 13:57, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

Retired electrical engineer from a power distribution manufacturer here... The resistance in the wires doesn't increase all that much with increasing current. The increase in heat generated is proportional to the amount of current flowing through the wires. Double the current and the heat generated doubles. Go from 15 amps to 500 amps and the heat generated by the resistance in the wires increases about 33 times. [[Special:Contributions/2600:1702:7A0:8230:9DBF:A415:F8AF:7799|2600:1702:7A0:8230:9DBF:A415:F8AF:7799]] 17:10, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
:Isn't heat generated proportional to current squared? or is that resistance. maybe im tripping[[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 17:28, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
::Power lost as heat is determined by voltage drop in the line times current [P=IV] and since voltage drop equals current times resistance [V=IR] then heat is determined by resistance times current-squared [P=I*(IR)], so half current makes one quarter of the heat.[[Special:Contributions/57.140.28.40|57.140.28.40]] 18:19, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

120V AC at 15A would not be 1800W. 120V DC would, but the AC power is a sine wave, so to get the overall average power you need to divide by the square root of two. [[Special:Contributions/2600:1009:B1AC:BBBB:1D51:D689:1D5F:6A11|2600:1009:B1AC:BBBB:1D51:D689:1D5F:6A11]] 17:50, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

To commenter above: 120V in the US is RMS voltage, so it's already divided.

To original poster: "and inside his appliances and start a fire, even if there is no fault"
Unless the appliance itself is drawing more than it's rated for (e.g. 15 or 20A (unlikely)) there's no reason the appliance's internal wiring would disintegrate because it's on a 500A circuit.

I'm assuming the "cords" cueball refers to are extension cords (which are themselves overloaded) vs. appliance cords which shouldn't have any problem unless the appliance was already suffering some kind of short.
[[Special:Contributions/74.76.64.197|74.76.64.197]]

Could this perhaps be a reference to [[3198: Double-Pronged Extension Cord]]? [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 21:06, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3208: SNEWS

2026-02-17T01:35:31Z

Logalex8369:

The title text SNEWS is a reference to {{w|SuperNova_Early_Warning_System}}. {{unsigned ip|2a09:bac2:3656:ebe::178:123}} 21:58, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

F1RST! also i posted this when there was no explanation. please fix this {{unsigned ip|2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:95a1:c5da:4c49:c384|22:55, 16 February 2026 (UTC)}}

Is this my mediocre non-native English, or should the title text read "setting off fireworks indoors"? (Trivia?) --[[Special:Contributions/2001:A62:5F7:FB01:538E:3F07:C9F0:F0C0|2001:A62:5F7:FB01:538E:3F07:C9F0:F0C0]] 23:06, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
:Yeah, 'setting of fireworks indoors, ...' would mean setting them up (i.e., placing them) and not 'setting off', lighting or detonating the fireworks. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:22, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
:You can talk of setting explosives (the setting of them, as passively ready, to make them ready for later "setting them off"), so I expect the "setting of fireworks" is pretty much the same thing, much as with the setting of an alarm clock.
:Though also sounds like a possible americanism, like "lit it on fire" (c.f. my own prefered "set light to it"), if only because the former seem tautilogical; and/or strangely long-winded, such as with "to burglarize" vs. just "to burgle" (both being what a burglar does upon his burglary). But it's not one of those many funny transatlantic dialect things I've noticed previously, so I could be overexplaining what actually ''is'' merely a typo. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.239.3|82.132.239.3]] 01:33, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

It snew [[User:Yaokuan ITB|Yaokuan ITB]] ([[User talk:Yaokuan ITB|talk]]) 23:28, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
:Exactly my thoughts, Yaokuan [[Special:Contributions/216.25.182.141|216.25.182.141]] 23:58, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
:Gesundheit! [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 01:35, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Sorry, it somehow escaped me when editing the explanation that neutrinos have mass!! (even though we've known about this for decades). Does this mean that if the supernova is far away enough, the photons will arrive before the neutrinos? Or is that threshold too far to matter? [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 01:21, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3207: Bad Map Projection: Zero Declination

2026-02-14T18:07:03Z

Logalex8369:

First! Can't believe I'm north! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:34, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
:What do you mean that you're north? [[User:This isn't a good name|This isn't a good name]] ([[User talk:This isn't a good name|talk]]) 03:42, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
:You’re north, I’m fourth :) [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 04:53, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
:: Hi fourth! i'm John [[Special:Contributions/45.178.1.151|45.178.1.151]] 05:31, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Hi John, I'm Dad. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 11:32, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
::::Hi Dad, I’m hungry. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 18:07, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
I can't figure out what the red arrows are. My best guess is that they indicate the direction that the map was distorted in that area. It would be good if somebody would explain. [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 04:07, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
:I think you are right. here's a rough ([https://imgur.com/a/ESLZmYQ map comparison]) [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 05:41, 14 February 2026 (UTC)
: I thought it might be showing where things are drifting on the map with the current drift of the north pole. [[Special:Contributions/2A02:3103:4C:2400:E259:E2C3:5BDD:1111|2A02:3103:4C:2400:E259:E2C3:5BDD:1111]] 10:16, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

Wouldn't such a map actually be quite useful to anyone using only a compass to navigate?
[[Special:Contributions/2A06:C701:46AF:2C00:7577:585:1183:EFBD|2A06:C701:46AF:2C00:7577:585:1183:EFBD]] 07:37, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

I'm confused by the cylindrical projection used for this. I would have expected him to use the geomagnetic dipole for the projection axis, but this would put Ellesmere Island at the top of the map, which is clearly incorrect. Instead he seems to have used the geometric axis for the projection (or maybe the axis between magnetic dip poles, which would be similar in 2025?). This joke would have been better 20 years ago when the dip pole was solidly in Canada. [[User:Quantum7|Quantum7]] ([[User talk:Quantum7|talk]]) 08:35, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

I've honestly seen worse "earnest" attempts at map projections. I might use this in the future just to see if anyone even notices.
[[Special:Contributions/2A00:FBC:F004:3364:B820:80FF:FEA3:938D|2A00:FBC:F004:3364:B820:80FF:FEA3:938D]]

I see the zero line goes more or less through the Rift Valley in East Africa. If the same thing happened a couple of million years ago, it's quite likely every individual in the genus Homo once lived within a couple of degrees of declination.[[Special:Contributions/2A03:E600:100:0:0:0:0:10|2A03:E600:100:0:0:0:0:10]] 14:53, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3207: Bad Map Projection: Zero Declination

2026-02-14T04:53:48Z

Logalex8369:

Talk:3201: Proof Without Content

2026-01-31T01:39:10Z

Logalex8369:

First. Would be funny to have an explanation along the lines of "It is possible to give an explanation with no content. Here's how:" [[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 17:44, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

Proof without Content seems to be a play of words for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_without_words]Proof without Words

The comic pokes fun at a common situation found in mathematics books. The students sees a statement with a very short proof that doesn't make sense since it's been summarized in a way that is helpful for people already familiar with the theorem. For instance: "prime numbers larger than 2 are odd". Proof: "even numbers are divisible by 2". The student is expected to know that a number divisible by 2 is not prime, but that's most likely something that comes up later in the same book, or sometimes not explained at all.
In the comic the "short" proof is taken to the absurd level of being completely empty. What mathematical statement can be proven with a completely empty proof? The fact that there exists comics which have statements with empty proofs. It is both a joke about difficult to understand proof in math books and also a meta-mathematics joke as the proof is talking about itself.
The title text pokes even more fun at maths books where many important theorems are stated and are given to the students as useful facts but with no proof, stating that demonstrating the truth of the statement is so easy it is "left as an exercise for the reader". This common scenario frustrates students because in some cases the "exercise" is extremely difficult to do.
The only "proof without content of a conjecture without content" is a blank page altogether, which clearly exists, so the statement is true, even if meaningless.
:I don't recall that problem with such a proof. Usually the statement about primes being odd comes after giving the definition of prime and composite numbers. From that, being divisible by 2 clearly makes a number composite. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 19:31, 30 January 2026 (UTC)
::You must be very smart. [[Special:Contributions/2600:1700:2120:5880:C885:5DAF:EFD8:EADF|2600:1700:2120:5880:C885:5DAF:EFD8:EADF]] 22:12, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

I really do not get that title text. I put an attempt at understanding it down but it may have gone over my head [[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 17:58, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

The comic demonstrates a proof without content, but is it a convincing proof? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 19:33, 30 January 2026 (UTC)
:If it is, then yes. QED. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:14, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

I think the tautological nature of the proof could be better explained. If the blank image is interpreted as a correct proof, it proves the notion that a blank image can prove a conjecture. [[Special:Contributions/2600:4041:2E5:B900:6C41:5AFB:89D1:F216|2600:4041:2E5:B900:6C41:5AFB:89D1:F216]] 22:11, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

Isn't this proof using circular reasoning? The proof is only convincing if the conjecture that an empty proof can be convincing is correct. [[Special:Contributions/73.222.207.213|73.222.207.213]] 23:26, 30 January 2026 (UTC)
:Yeah, it is a circular argument. Maybe that’s part of the joke? [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 01:39, 31 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3201: Proof Without Content

2026-01-31T01:38:49Z

Logalex8369:

Talk:3195: International Station

2026-01-19T17:22:38Z

Logalex8369:

Sometimes I wonder if some of these comics aren't just for the sake of seeing whatever explain xkcd users come up with [[Special:Contributions/2A01:CB19:FAB:3100:D027:1047:976:8EE2|2A01:CB19:FAB:3100:D027:1047:976:8EE2]] 22:25, 18 January 2026 (UTC)

Holy refresh pull exclamation mark! tilde tilde tilde tilde --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]]''''' 14:55, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

Should the "not-earth" "space" be changed to something like "the void between astronomical bodies"? I'm not sure if, say, the surface of the Moon or Mars or {{w|A Taste of Armageddon|Eminiar VII}} count as being "in space". [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:27, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

I initially interpreted the cartoon as showing the people and objects floating within something gloopy, and the wrench as a bone, and that the joke was about an "internal space station". Here we are, inside a gelatinous cube, or possibly a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immunity_Syndrome_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series) gigantic space amoeba]... [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:43, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

'''New Category: Weightless''' There are a few strips that take place demonstrating micro-gravity, right? Is that worthy of a category? The 'space' tag could be used for comics ''about'' space or comics ''in'' space (or, I guess, comics on planets?). [[Special:Contributions/191.101.157.82|191.101.157.82]] 17:08, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

I think the ISS was originally called start quote Alpha end quote period tilde tilde tilde tilde [[Special:Contributions/134.173.108.120|134.173.108.120]] 18:23, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

I'm early! [[Special:Contributions/2603:7083:8700:E02:FE51:837E:B6F:327|2603:7083:8700:E02:FE51:837E:B6F:327]] 18:24, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

It took me a moment to get it, but when I did this xkcd made me capitals LOL which doesn't happen often [[Special:Contributions/2401:D005:D402:7A00:7FE1:F042:B839:91B8|2401:D005:D402:7A00:7FE1:F042:B839:91B8]] 21:23, 16 January 2026 (UTC)
:You forgot tilde tilde tilde tilde tilde tilde tilde tilde --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]]''''' 21:31, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

At least it's not the International Ampersand En Bee Ess Pee Semicolon Station ellipsis tilde tilde tilde tilde [[Special:Contributions/174.142.148.226|174.142.148.226]] 21:42, 16 January 2026 (UTC)
:Speaking of Ampersand Aa Em Pee Semicolon, that's a real life example of this effect actually happening. It was at the end of the alphabet where they would say "X, Y, Z, and, per sé, 'and'". Tilde tilde tilde tilde. Not sure if that is relevant enough to the comic though. [[User:Tharkon|Tharkon]] ([[User talk:Tharkon|talk]]) 02:26, 17 January 2026 (UTC)

Dear Bot, don't get this Irishperson started on apostrophes. [[Special:Contributions/205.175.118.102|205.175.118.102]] 22:57, 16 January 2026 (UTC)

From John Littlewood's "A Mathematician's Miscellany": A minute I wrote (about 1917) for the Ballistic Office ended with the sentence 'Thus a should be made as small as possible'. This did not appear in the printed minute. But P. J. Grigg said, 'what is that?' A speck in a blank space at the end proved to be the tiniest a I have ever seen (the printers must have scoured London for it).[[User:Lordpishky|Lord Pishky]] ([[User talk:Lordpishky|talk]]) 03:59, 17 January 2026 (UTC)

International Space Space Space Station? [[User:Inexplicable|Inexplicable]] ([[User talk:Inexplicable|talk]]) 07:17, 17 January 2026 (UTC)
:International Space Space Space Space Space Space Space Station? [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 17:22, 19 January 2026 (UTC)

These comments make me want to see if you could have "tildetildetildetilde"(the actual characters) as your account name. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 02:18, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
:Nope, typing ~~<nowiki />~~ gives an invalid username error. [[Special:Contributions/2A04:4E41:6405:35F:0:0:EB9C:B35F|2A04:4E41:6405:35F:0:0:EB9C:B35F]] 05:49, 18 January 2026 (UTC)

This one reminds me of 3143 a bit too much. [[User:Explainyourself|Explainyourself]] ([[User talk:Explainyourself|talk]]) 03:45, 18 January 2026 (UTC)

Am I the only one that interpreted it as "originally it was not supposed to be a space station but rather a 'regular' (ie. terrestrial) station, but because of a transcribing mistake they put it in space, hence the random floating stuff" {{unsigned|Baruch|10:04, 19 January 2026 (UTC)}}

The main page has been vandalized with a floating picture of Osama Bin Laden. {{unsigned ip|65.35.147.191|15:39, 19 January 2026}}
:I just dealt with that. If I have to deal with it again, then I will. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.8|82.132.244.8]] 16:01, 19 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3177: Chessboard Alignment

2025-12-06T16:51:24Z

Logalex8369:

...Honestly, kinda don't get this one... --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 02:27, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
:ohhhhhh... --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 02:28, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
wait how do comments work[[User:Avrayter|Avrayter]] ([[User talk:Avrayter|talk]]) 02:52, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

I don’t understand what the title text is saying. Can someone explain it to me? [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 03:05, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

when I read the title, I thought of D&D Alignment, and now I want one [[Special:Contributions/93.36.184.70|93.36.184.70]] 07:31, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

== Chess Notation? ==

I think a funnier title text would've been:
Bfi8(!!!)
[[User:Fephisto|Fephisto]] ([[User talk:Fephisto|talk]]) 06:22, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

== Modern physics? ==
I suspect allusions to modern physics. The exact alignment of chess boards reminds me of the exactness needed to build laser resonators.
The chess piece hopping from one board to another reminds me of quantum tunneling. The title text reminds me of light following geodetic lines in general relativity.
There might be a specific quantum effect that is meant here, but I don't know. [[Special:Contributions/195.52.146.164|195.52.146.164]] 06:29, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

For anyone wondering: This is not legal, because even though "The bishop may move to any square along a diagonal on which it stands" FIDE defines a diagonal as "A straight line of squares of the same colour, running from one edge of the board to an adjacent edge", meaning it always ends on the edge. [[Special:Contributions/85.76.137.112|85.76.137.112]] 07:29, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

Moving from one board to another reminds me of a variety of chess variants. You know the ones: bughouse chess, Alice chess, ''5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel''. (I'm still trying to find a way to get Randall to try out that last one.) [[User:ISaveXKCDpapers|ISaveXKCDpapers]] ([[User talk:ISaveXKCDpapers|talk]]) 10:01, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

== Math of great circles ==
Not sure how to express well mathematics of great circles, to make it clear, that it is not just longitudal lines but in any direction really. I fixed the basics, but right now it still says something potentially misleading.--[[User:Trimutius|Trimutius]] ([[User talk:Trimutius|talk]]) 14:36, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

== Category ==

Should this comic go in <code>Category:Comics_with_color</code>? --[[Special:Contributions/175.34.54.104|175.34.54.104]] 11:33, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

== The game position ==

I think in white's position, the only moves that could prevent ...Nd5# are Qa4+, Qxd4, and various moves to e2. I don't hold out much hope for white. To me, this says the bishop move is a desperate attempt by the bishop to survive a bit longer. It made a king sacrifice. --[[User:Divad27182|Divad27182]] ([[User talk:Divad27182|talk]]) 13:54, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
:My impression (without trying to recreate the exact play-by-play that got there) is that middle-white's defence 'exploded', they (forced or unforced) sent up to six pawns forward, losing three, dramatically unshielding the King in a very unsafe manner and (through exposure to the black Queen, later assisted by the Knight to plug potential movements) was left with no choice other than to advance white-King out there to get out of various checks.
:But I'm intrigued by the 'rules', of pieces escaping to the other board. Does middle-white play in turn with middle-black, but may (as their turn) move middle-white pieces around the right board without regard (either way) of the right-white/right-black turn-taking? The asynchrony (could pepper right-board movement with timely movements ahead and/or behind right-white's turn, to support them against right-black with additional 'intersticial' moves (until middle-black, or even left-black, opts to move pieces over there as well). Or act as strictly' "second move for white"? What happens when MW's King is mated (as it surely will, ''especially'' if MW is opting to move off-board pieces rather than fight the 'local' game)? Their pieces are taken away? Inherited? Continue to 'double-tap' their moves alongside the native player of the board? They're now entirely unfettered by MB's move to which they now don't need to wait to respond?
:Alternatively, it's a piece given ''to'' Right-White (until, perhaps, RW moves it, like any other piece, back into MW's game in their own play-order). There could be an exodus of MW pieces (bishops, rooks, queen only, with the right position opportunities; assuming you can't move to mid-board positions two or more times to allow knights and king to eventually enter full 'exile'; a couple of pawns could make it across, with complicity of an opponent, but only if you can end ''and capture'' upon tween-board spaces), and left-board players could even decide to send rooks/queens to the right-board for a comicated ''melee'' of chess.
:And, however it happens, does this also apply for boards properly aligned (or diagonally-aligned) front-to-back (leapfrogging to other boards, unseen, in further rows of competition 'up/down' of this row-of-three). And, ignoring the strictly planar nature hinted at in the comic, an 'Earth Sandwich' of board and antipodal-board could be interesting... allowing a Queen (for example) to flow off this board in ''all eight'' directions to land on the other board (in some modes, arriving on the new board in the same direction as they left the first one... unless that's set up at right-angles... although it wouldn't bother a queen... could be troublesome if pawns are allowed to keep moving off-board, for as long as it takes, to arrive ''not necessarily'' on the respective home-row of the destination grid... or have them become obligate-backwards/sideways-advancing 'borrowed' pawns, if that's how the boards (mis-)align?).
:No matter what the governing body says about board-edges, I need to know more about the practical limits and opportunities to this obscure rule! [[Special:Contributions/82.132.239.11|82.132.239.11]] 16:44, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

:The bishop knew their team was about to lose, so they decided to join another team’s play instead. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 16:51, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3177: Chessboard Alignment

2025-12-06T03:05:28Z

Logalex8369:

Talk:3159: Continents

2025-10-25T17:08:18Z

Logalex8369:

FIRST (ignore the timestamps) --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 13:59, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:More first. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 15:26, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
::Firstest (don't ignore the timestamps) [[Special:Contributions/164.90.218.225|164.90.218.225 (via pigeon mail)]] 10:35, 23 June 1508 (UTC)

hi - [[Special:Contributions/97.64.61.191|97.64.61.191]] 13:40, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

I added a transcription. [[User:Artem|Artem]] ([[User_talk:Artem|talk]]) 14:00, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

Related: [https://youtube.com/watch?v=T1-cES1Ekto Continental Drift: Alfred Wegener Song by The Amoeba People] [[User:Solomon|Solomon]] ([[User talk:Solomon|talk]]) 15:55, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:Related: [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:3159:_Continents&diff=prev&oldid=389482 comment drift]. [[Special:Contributions/64.201.132.210|64.201.132.210]] 18:31, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

Is this referencing any particular actual statements by Armstrong or other astronauts? [[Special:Contributions/130.44.139.195|130.44.139.195]] 23:12, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:Probably not. [[User:Redacted II|Redacted II]] ([[User talk:Redacted II|talk]]) 23:29, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:Nothing I've seen (genuinely) attributed to Armstrong seems to match this, from past passing over it or a quick search now.
:He was a self-avowed deist, perhaps simplifiably as being in a "fire and forget" Creator who let things be as they turned out to be, so possibly ''before'' he could have been convinced about plate techtonics he ''might'' have indeed considered the apparently unchanging fundement of Earth to be just as unchanging as it he had assumed. Upon hearing good arguments for continental drift having happened (and perhaps getting an eyeful of [[3132: Coastline Similarity|at least the smoke from the smoking gun]], directly), I don't think he'd have stuck dogmatically to that view. He did later thank the politicians for letting him see what the Creator had made, but that was post-Apollo 11 and so probably into the era of accepting there were moving-continents (and at that time being stood firmly on the ground).
:Generally, even the other astronauts seemed to avoid anything particularly religiously conservative, even if they were religious, though notably Apollo 8 (after this) broadcast an extended reading of Genesis and attracted some First Amendment objections. Buzz Aldrin had a toned-down 'holy communion' whilst at Tranquility Base, probably to balance against that backlash.
:I think it's a good enough joke without a real-world 'original comment' being riffed upon (or even correctly quoted) as the inspiration behind it. The humour is in the Timeghosty way in which the chronology of certain events is in a rather unexpected juxtaposition. But if someone can find some NASA transcripts to say otherwise, I'm sure it'd be worth a link or two adding in above... [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 23:53, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

Gagarin's flight was in 1961. I was still at school at the time and had recently become a space enthusiast. I came down to breakfast one morning and my mother told me the news.
Incidentally, I took an O-level exam in geology in 1969 and continental drift was not on the syllabus.--[[Special:Contributions/2A00:23CC:D248:8901:B565:548B:1709:B532|2A00:23CC:D248:8901:B565:548B:1709:B532]] 08:36, 25 October 2025 (UTC)
:I was 12 days old. I had better things to be concerned with at the time, but I did eventually become a space enthusiast as well. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:07, 25 October 2025 (UTC)
::I was -49 years old during Gagarin’s flight. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 17:08, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3158: Shielding Chart

2025-10-23T21:16:22Z

Logalex8369:

Brb, going out to buy some lead. [[User:Fephisto|Fephisto]] ([[User talk:Fephisto|talk]]) 01:49, 23 October 2025 (UTC)
:If you buy some oven mitts, too, you can get rid of the only two remaining penetrating substances (sound and heat) [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 21:16, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

My new expansion to Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock is coming along nicely. [[User:KelOfTheStars!|KelOfTheStars!]] ([[User talk:KelOfTheStars!|talk]]) 02:25, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

Ah yes, you can make sound in a vacuum! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 02:41, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

:Well, there's air in her helmet, presumably... [[Special:Contributions/160.39.41.199|160.39.41.199]] 05:05, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

We're not gonna have a good time filling out this table, are we? [[Special:Contributions/47.141.47.226|47.141.47.226]] 05:14, 23 October 2025 (UTC)
:i bet randall is laughing at those silly explainxkcd editors who now have to elaborate on every single square. if i were conspiratorial i'd say he wrote this just to spite us. [[user:lett‪herebedarklight|raeb]] 08:46, 23 October 2025 (UTC)
::Nah, I'm good at filling out tables :) --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 13:07, 23 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Is your name perhaps Bobby Tables? [[user:Seshan S.]] 10:25, 23 October 2025

A bit surprised there's nothing about keeping Mr. Faraday away. --[[Special:Contributions/130.233.188.214|130.233.188.214]] 06:50, 23 October 2025 (UTC)
: He was a doctor, so apples would do the job for that. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 13:21, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

This came out a couple of weeks after the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so it's disappointing that "a bigger boat" isn't one of the protections. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 14:24, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

"Air," "Lead," "Water," and "Glass," and a near-perfect "Vacuum" actually vary by thickness. I guess Oven mitts, armor, bio-hazard suits, faraday cages, and shark cages do too but those usually come in human-scale sizes. A meter of air won't give you significant protection against gamma rays, but if you are anywhere near sea level, the air above your head does. A near-perfect vacuum too wide for a shark to get to you before it dies will protect you, one only a few nanometers thick probably won't. [[Special:Contributions/64.201.132.210|64.201.132.210]] 18:20, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3149: Measure Twice, Cut Once

2025-10-02T17:37:20Z

Logalex8369:

FIRST!!!11 [[Special:Contributions/2001:67C:89C:702:1CE:1CE:BABE:3|2001:67C:89C:702:1CE:1CE:BABE:3]] 00:38, 2 October 2025 (UTC) a
:TH1RD! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:57, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
::F1FT3EN7H!! [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 16:09, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

Measure once, shame on you. Cut twice, shame on me!
[[User:StapleFreeBatteries|StapleFreeBatteries]] ([[User talk:StapleFreeBatteries|talk]]) 00:57, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:You know, that's not a bad proverb! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:58, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:: I will cut you! Shame on me. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

This is my first XKCD explained! [[Special:Contributions/108.254.160.57|108.254.160.57]] 00:59, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:Hip hip hooray for you! You did a great job. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:02, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
: OK - but how many times did you check it before saving? [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

A fundamental problem with this comic is that a "good carpenter" really means "an efficient carpenter" (true of any craftsman, really). Economy of motion, skilled enough to know when to be really precise and to know when precision doesn't matter and is a waste of time. The efficient carpenter doesn't need to measure twice, he or she gets it right on the first try. Or, consistent with the above, knows their capabilities well enough so they can only measure twice when it's truly necessary. And, of course, some of the best efficiencies come from not "measuring" at all — using an end stop or a jig so the cut is easy and repeatable without measurement. Drawing a line (or cutting without a line) against the actual reference point rather than against an intermediate measurement tool (some might call this "scribing," but that suggests a level of precision that isn't what I mean). Effectively, "measure zero times, cut once." And in the opposite, sometimes the most efficient approach is not to measure at all (whether numerically or against a reference object), but to make a rough cut and then a finish cut — effectively, "measure zero times, cut twice." Also possible is if you are gang cutting a stack of N boards, you measure 0 times or once and then make 1 cut, so on a per-board basis it's measure once, cut 1/N. I don't know that all of these things are obvious, per se, but I can't help feel surprised that they don't seem to have been considered. [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 06:38, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
: That seems to be more of an issue with the proverb, rather than the comic. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:Are you saying my wall with studs just butt ended atop one another isn't good enough? Oh, fine then, I'll go add some bracing and maybe nails. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 11:07, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
::PLEASE STOP, YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 13:08, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

Somewhat disappointed there's no joke about quantum mechanics, even in the title text. I guess figuring out how to fit the uncertainty principle here is left as exercise to the reader? [[Special:Contributions/164.90.218.225|164.90.218.225]] 10:44, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

The title text seems to reference the Taoist concept of the uncarved block - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu_(Taoism) {{unsigned ip|70.124.160.162|13:18, 2 October 2025}}

Possible reference to the real-life use of the reverse proverb (measure once cut twice) which is used by many makers. I am familiar with the concept from Adam Savage, but I don’t know if he’s the originator. The idea is that measurement is actually too imprecise of a tool and should only be used as an approximation. The final size of a piece will be based on something like a pressure fit. {{unsigned ip|98.36.13.95|14:24, 2 October 2025}}

About the title text, would the carpenter have to look or otherwise measure the wood to assume it's fine? Measure once, cut 0 times. {{unsigned|L0L0Z1993|15:19, 2 October 2025}}

Talk:3149: Measure Twice, Cut Once

2025-10-02T16:09:13Z

Logalex8369:

FIRST!!!11 [[Special:Contributions/2001:67C:89C:702:1CE:1CE:BABE:3|2001:67C:89C:702:1CE:1CE:BABE:3]] 00:38, 2 October 2025 (UTC) a
:TH1RD! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:57, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
::F0URT3EN7H!! [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 16:09, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

Measure once, shame on you. Cut twice, shame on me!
[[User:StapleFreeBatteries|StapleFreeBatteries]] ([[User talk:StapleFreeBatteries|talk]]) 00:57, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:You know, that's not a bad proverb! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:58, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:: I will cut you! Shame on me. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

This is my first XKCD explained! [[Special:Contributions/108.254.160.57|108.254.160.57]] 00:59, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:Hip hip hooray for you! You did a great job. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:02, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
: OK - but how many times did you check it before saving? [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

A fundamental problem with this comic is that a "good carpenter" really means "an efficient carpenter" (true of any craftsman, really). Economy of motion, skilled enough to know when to be really precise and to know when precision doesn't matter and is a waste of time. The efficient carpenter doesn't need to measure twice, he or she gets it right on the first try. Or, consistent with the above, knows their capabilities well enough so they can only measure twice when it's truly necessary. And, of course, some of the best efficiencies come from not "measuring" at all — using an end stop or a jig so the cut is easy and repeatable without measurement. Drawing a line (or cutting without a line) against the actual reference point rather than against an intermediate measurement tool (some might call this "scribing," but that suggests a level of precision that isn't what I mean). Effectively, "measure zero times, cut once." And in the opposite, sometimes the most efficient approach is not to measure at all (whether numerically or against a reference object), but to make a rough cut and then a finish cut — effectively, "measure zero times, cut twice." Also possible is if you are gang cutting a stack of N boards, you measure 0 times or once and then make 1 cut, so on a per-board basis it's measure once, cut 1/N. I don't know that all of these things are obvious, per se, but I can't help feel surprised that they don't seem to have been considered. [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 06:38, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
: That seems to be more of an issue with the proverb, rather than the comic. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:49, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
:Are you saying my wall with studs just butt ended atop one another isn't good enough? Oh, fine then, I'll go add some bracing and maybe nails. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 11:07, 2 October 2025 (UTC)
::PLEASE STOP, YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 13:08, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

Somewhat disappointed there's no joke about quantum mechanics, even in the title text. I guess figuring out how to fit the uncertainty principle here is left as exercise to the reader? [[Special:Contributions/164.90.218.225|164.90.218.225]] 10:44, 2 October 2025 (UTC)

The title text seems to reference the Taoist concept of the uncarved block - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu_(Taoism) {{unsigned ip|70.124.160.162|13:18, 2 October 2025}}

Possible reference to the real-life use of the reverse proverb (measure once cut twice) which is used by many makers. I am familiar with the concept from Adam Savage, but I don’t know if he’s the originator. The idea is that measurement is actually too imprecise of a tool and should only be used as an approximation. The final size of a piece will be based on something like a pressure fit. {{unsigned ip|98.36.13.95|14:24, 2 October 2025}}

About the title text, would the carpenter have to look or otherwise measure the wood to assume it's fine? Measure once, cut 0 times. {{unsigned|L0L0Z1993|15:19, 2 October 2025}}

Talk:3142: (City)-Style Pizza

2025-09-16T15:28:08Z

Logalex8369:

Altoona-style is listed first in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_in_the_United_States#Variations but that's because the list is alphabetical. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 21:12, 15 September 2025 (UTC)

I prefer +style pizza. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 21:16, 15 September 2025 (UTC)
: Not a fan of electrons as a topping then? [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:37, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:: Imo, positron pizza is far better. Some people won’t appreciate it though, as it disintegrates [in] your mouth. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 15:28, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

I’m pretty sure this comic is intended to be titled “<City>-Style Pizza”, as it is labeled in the HTML of xkcd.com (notably, xkcd.com itsel uses “-Style Pizza” for the <title> elements and the rss/atom feeds, but not for the visible title. (But there, the “<city>” gets swallowed by the browser)--[[User:Nleanba|Nleanba]] ([[User talk:Nleanba|talk]]) 21:49, 15 September 2025 (UTC)

Altoona-style most literally looks like a sandwich except cheese instead of a top bun《プロキシ》(XKCD中毒者) 21:54, 15 September 2025 (UTC)
:Yeah, a bunch of open-faced sandwiches side-by-side. [[Special:Contributions/47.248.235.170|47.248.235.170]] 22:07, 15 September 2025 (UTC)Pat
: It looks most like a heart attack in waiting. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:42, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

On a related note, locally (hint: absolutely nowhere near the place mentioned), there's a business advertising "genuine New York-style bagels". The juxtaposition of the "genuine" claim and yet the acknowledgement that they are only of the given ''style'' always makes me wonder what worth the genuineness truly has, with an ocean's-width of distance between any physical manifestation of New Yorkification and what we have here. [[Special:Contributions/92.17.62.87|92.17.62.87]] 23:12, 15 September 2025 (UTC)

I thought he was talking about Altoona Iowa (less than half the size of Altoona Pennsylvania). Look up “Altoona Iowa pizza” and one of the top hits will tell you it’s ranked one of the worst in the nation. You see, in Iowa, they lay out the dough, put on the ‘toppings’ (ahem) then dump on so much cheese that you can’t see any of the ‘toppings’ (ahem) anymore. When I came home from college in another state, I had to teach my mother how to make good pizza. [[Special:Contributions/2607:FB91:1D15:883A:11:B0B6:84B2:3C0C|2607:FB91:1D15:883A:11:B0B6:84B2:3C0C]] 23:49, 15 September 2025 (UTC)

Well at least THIS one was about a kind of pi. I guess pi does round to 3.142. [[Special:Contributions/138.88.96.2|138.88.96.2]] 00:16, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

Shame he missed out on Pittsburgh's 'specialty' with this... since they had the sheer audacity to call it 'Ohio Valley Pizza'... Which I hadn't even *heard* of, let alone actually seen, in 40 years of living in Cincinnati! -Edit: Turns out it originates from Steubenville, which had he named it 'Steubenville style pizza' would've put it way down on the bottom left somewhere. -Tiron [[Special:Contributions/2600:2B00:934E:6200:2186:FE87:5D5E:1AB7|2600:2B00:934E:6200:2186:FE87:5D5E:1AB7]] 01:18, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

Wikipedia has a way of displaying article titles that have non-standard characters in them. Could something similar be done here? [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 04:05, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:they do, but it doesn't work. {{w|WP:DISPLAYTITLE|DISPLAYTITLE}} doesn't support <> symbols. [[user:lett‪herebedarklight|raeb]] 13:29, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

The article is describing the Altoona style pizza, but Randall is calling on the viewer to look it up on Google images because the picture is likely more offensive than the description. I don't know what the wiki policy is but a picture in the article would do a much better job at explaining than anything Randall may or may not like about the ingredients. [[Special:Contributions/46.144.8.194|46.144.8.194]] 06:43, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

Surely it's no coincidence that XKCD 3142 is about pie. [[User:Gmcgath|Gmcgath]] ([[User talk:Gmcgath|talk]]) 11:43, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:I hope it ''is'' a coincidence, because I'd like to think that Randall knows better than to call a pizza – a dish that isn't a pie – a "pie". [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 12:53, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
:: Says the person whose name is a pancake that calls itself a pudding. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 13:54, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

Randall suggests that pizza quality correlates with city size. That means Brazilians were right all along, and the best pizza is from São Paulo. [[User:MCBastos|MCBastos]] ([[User talk:MCBastos|talk]]) 14:01, 16 September 2025 (UTC)
: No - it's completely outclassed by Chongqing Pizza. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 14:43, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3135: Sea Level

2025-09-01T16:45:17Z

Logalex8369:

Holy crud empty page! F1RST P0ST! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:38, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:2038: Last of the original Star Wars cast dies. —megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]] 02:18, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
::What? If you're trying to get back at me because I was being useless and just "first posting", it's a reference to [[269: TCMP]], and I also, by the way, wrote the whole first paragraph of this explanation. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 02:50, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Alright, sorry, just realized what you did is a reference to [[493: Actuarial]]. Sorry about that! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 02:53, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
::::I guess you're one of today's lucky [[Ten Thousand]]...
::::Wait, no, not everyone has read comic 493 by the time they're adults. I'm too lazy right now to calculate how many people learn about comic 493 each day, so I'll leave it as [[356|an exercise for the reader]]. —megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]] 01:01, 31 August 2025 (UTC)
::::This is where it pays to have read every XKCD comic :P [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 16:45, 1 September 2025 (UTC)

This one is related to the [https://xkcd.com/2809/ Moon] comic. [[User:Pgn674|Pgn674]] ([[User talk:Pgn674|talk]]) 01:39, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:Clearly. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:49, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

::it's almost a repeat. is he running out of ideas? [[user:lett‪herebedarklight|raeb]] 09:54, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Hope not. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 16:56, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Why do people talk about running out of ideas? That is something I can't imagine. The world throws ideas and absurdities at you all the time. Running out of time to execute an idea - sure. Seems much more likely to be filtering error (have to check current idea against 3000 previous strips). [[Special:Contributions/107.77.205.64|107.77.205.64]] 19:42, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

Larry Niven had a story about alien-made indestructible spaceship hulls, except the makers didn't account for tidal effects when grazing a star. The test pilot was nearly ripped apart, but figured a way to survive. He sued their butts off against the guarantee. He concluded that their home planet did not have a large moon, a Clue. --[[User:PRR|PRR]] ([[User talk:PRR|talk]]) 02:41, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

I think I finally figured out the common thread. All the items here are here because they are elements of Life on Earth. The way the explanation was written kind of buried that important part of the comic.

Overall, if you just look at them as unrelated phenomena, then Lightning seems quite common. Islands made by microskeletons, and life-forms which change their form during development seem like they would be pretty common where there is life. Large tides - thought to be uncommon, but don't have much data, and models are hard. [[Special:Contributions/2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:A0|2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:A0]] 18:04, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

All planets with intelligent life we know have tides. In fact one could argue that tides play an important role in the development in life. Thus any intelligent observe is arguably familiar with tides. Thus the text is wrong in arguing that tides are surprising based on the observation that most known planets likely do not have large tides. --[[Special:Contributions/2A01:599:114:9E35:D827:C56:FF88:1858|2A01:599:114:9E35:D827:C56:FF88:1858]] 19:09, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:Argument has problems - insufficient sample size, selection bias. Nothing in the comic talked about intelligent life.
:The role of tides in development of life certainly makes sense to add.
:Tides are strange in that they are very complex and hard to explain in detail. Fluid dynamics in a very complex, non-ridgid vessel, involve gravitational forces from multiple bodies. [[Special:Contributions/107.77.205.64|107.77.205.64]] 20:00, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:: Sample size is definitely a problem. Nothing in the comic talks about tides being strange in a cosmic sense. They are just very weird for one of the two observers from earth. --[[Special:Contributions/195.63.76.62|195.63.76.62]] 20:39, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:All planets with intelligent life that we know of also have microwave ovens and television cameras and rubber ducks. Perhaps those are also essential for the long-term continued existence of intelligent life? [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 19:09, 31 August 2025 (UTC)

::Well, I can confirm that microwave ovens are essential for the continued existence of this intelligent lifeform. [[Special:Contributions/159.118.184.96|159.118.184.96]] 04:47, 1 September 2025 (UTC)

I'm shocked that Randal didn't include some sort of reference to climate change- and how tides effectively, at least in 2025 and for the foreseeable future, dwarf sea rise due to melting ice. [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 20:18, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:On a (twice-)daily basis, yes. But that's like saying an unseasonal/hyperseasonal cold snap belies the possibility of global warming. (If that's the point you're trying to make.)
:And I'm not sure if you're saying that Randall "is the sort of person who would go on and on about climate change, but for soe reason he surprisingly didn't do so here" or "he really ought to be mentioning climate change at every opportunity, but he missed the opportunity to convey the concept"..? I'd disagree with ''both'' of those assessments of his (non-)inclusion here, though, and perhaps you're even coming from a completely different third direction that I might or might not understand. But really not the place to discuss it, as he obviously hasn't made that part of the joke/message in this comic. [[Special:Contributions/92.17.62.87|92.17.62.87]] 23:27, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

Lightning should be common throughout the universe, as the ingredients for it (planetary atmospheres containing things like dust that can build up differential static charges through agitation) appear to be. It's still a very weird phenomenon, with many aspects not understood (how does the triboelectric effect work, can breakdown patterns be predicted, wtf is going on with sprites and ball lightning, etc) but it really isn't likely to be rare. --[[Special:Contributions/81.96.108.67|81.96.108.67]] 05:48, 31 August 2025 (UTC)

Ten feet tidal range on a remote island - isn't this too much? I thought it should be less, with stronger tides only in some gulfs where an amplification exists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide figure 15 shows 5 feet tidal range maximum
: In the channel tides can get pretty high and some parts of it would be remote islands by European standards. Also the comic doesn't mention remoteness. --[[Special:Contributions/195.52.138.253|195.52.138.253]] 18:42, 31 August 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3135: Sea Level

2025-09-01T16:44:31Z

Logalex8369:

Holy crud empty page! F1RST P0ST! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:38, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:2038: Last of the original Star Wars cast dies. —megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]] 02:18, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
::What? If you're trying to get back at me because I was being useless and just "first posting", it's a reference to [[269: TCMP]], and I also, by the way, wrote the whole first paragraph of this explanation. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 02:50, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Alright, sorry, just realized what you did is a reference to [[493: Actuarial]]. Sorry about that! [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 02:53, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
::::I guess you're one of today's lucky [[Ten Thousand]]...
::::Wait, no, not everyone has read comic 493 by the time they're adults. I'm too lazy right now to calculate how many people learn about comic 493 each day, so I'll leave it as [[356|an exercise for the reader]]. —megan [[user talk:megan|talk]] [[special:contribs/megan|contribs]] 01:01, 31 August 2025 (UTC)
::::This is where it pays to have read every XKCD comic :P --[[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 16:44, 1 September 2025 (UTC)

This one is related to the [https://xkcd.com/2809/ Moon] comic. [[User:Pgn674|Pgn674]] ([[User talk:Pgn674|talk]]) 01:39, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:Clearly. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 01:49, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

::it's almost a repeat. is he running out of ideas? [[user:lett‪herebedarklight|raeb]] 09:54, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Hope not. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 16:56, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Why do people talk about running out of ideas? That is something I can't imagine. The world throws ideas and absurdities at you all the time. Running out of time to execute an idea - sure. Seems much more likely to be filtering error (have to check current idea against 3000 previous strips). [[Special:Contributions/107.77.205.64|107.77.205.64]] 19:42, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

Larry Niven had a story about alien-made indestructible spaceship hulls, except the makers didn't account for tidal effects when grazing a star. The test pilot was nearly ripped apart, but figured a way to survive. He sued their butts off against the guarantee. He concluded that their home planet did not have a large moon, a Clue. --[[User:PRR|PRR]] ([[User talk:PRR|talk]]) 02:41, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

I think I finally figured out the common thread. All the items here are here because they are elements of Life on Earth. The way the explanation was written kind of buried that important part of the comic.

Overall, if you just look at them as unrelated phenomena, then Lightning seems quite common. Islands made by microskeletons, and life-forms which change their form during development seem like they would be pretty common where there is life. Large tides - thought to be uncommon, but don't have much data, and models are hard. [[Special:Contributions/2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:A0|2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:A0]] 18:04, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

All planets with intelligent life we know have tides. In fact one could argue that tides play an important role in the development in life. Thus any intelligent observe is arguably familiar with tides. Thus the text is wrong in arguing that tides are surprising based on the observation that most known planets likely do not have large tides. --[[Special:Contributions/2A01:599:114:9E35:D827:C56:FF88:1858|2A01:599:114:9E35:D827:C56:FF88:1858]] 19:09, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:Argument has problems - insufficient sample size, selection bias. Nothing in the comic talked about intelligent life.
:The role of tides in development of life certainly makes sense to add.
:Tides are strange in that they are very complex and hard to explain in detail. Fluid dynamics in a very complex, non-ridgid vessel, involve gravitational forces from multiple bodies. [[Special:Contributions/107.77.205.64|107.77.205.64]] 20:00, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:: Sample size is definitely a problem. Nothing in the comic talks about tides being strange in a cosmic sense. They are just very weird for one of the two observers from earth. --[[Special:Contributions/195.63.76.62|195.63.76.62]] 20:39, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

:All planets with intelligent life that we know of also have microwave ovens and television cameras and rubber ducks. Perhaps those are also essential for the long-term continued existence of intelligent life? [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 19:09, 31 August 2025 (UTC)

::Well, I can confirm that microwave ovens are essential for the continued existence of this intelligent lifeform. [[Special:Contributions/159.118.184.96|159.118.184.96]] 04:47, 1 September 2025 (UTC)

I'm shocked that Randal didn't include some sort of reference to climate change- and how tides effectively, at least in 2025 and for the foreseeable future, dwarf sea rise due to melting ice. [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 20:18, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
:On a (twice-)daily basis, yes. But that's like saying an unseasonal/hyperseasonal cold snap belies the possibility of global warming. (If that's the point you're trying to make.)
:And I'm not sure if you're saying that Randall "is the sort of person who would go on and on about climate change, but for soe reason he surprisingly didn't do so here" or "he really ought to be mentioning climate change at every opportunity, but he missed the opportunity to convey the concept"..? I'd disagree with ''both'' of those assessments of his (non-)inclusion here, though, and perhaps you're even coming from a completely different third direction that I might or might not understand. But really not the place to discuss it, as he obviously hasn't made that part of the joke/message in this comic. [[Special:Contributions/92.17.62.87|92.17.62.87]] 23:27, 30 August 2025 (UTC)

Lightning should be common throughout the universe, as the ingredients for it (planetary atmospheres containing things like dust that can build up differential static charges through agitation) appear to be. It's still a very weird phenomenon, with many aspects not understood (how does the triboelectric effect work, can breakdown patterns be predicted, wtf is going on with sprites and ball lightning, etc) but it really isn't likely to be rare. --[[Special:Contributions/81.96.108.67|81.96.108.67]] 05:48, 31 August 2025 (UTC)

Ten feet tidal range on a remote island - isn't this too much? I thought it should be less, with stronger tides only in some gulfs where an amplification exists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide figure 15 shows 5 feet tidal range maximum
: In the channel tides can get pretty high and some parts of it would be remote islands by European standards. Also the comic doesn't mention remoteness. --[[Special:Contributions/195.52.138.253|195.52.138.253]] 18:42, 31 August 2025 (UTC)