explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3214: Electric Vehicles

2026-03-03T15:17:10Z

Xkdvd: transcripit

{{comic
| number = 3214
| date = March 2, 2026
| title = Electric Vehicles
| image = electric_vehicles_2x.png
| imagesize = 209x389px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Now that I've finally gotten an electric vehicle, I'm never going back to an acoustic one.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an EV WITH A NON-RECHARGEABLE BOT-TERY. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

[[Cueball]] has somehow misunderstood the way {{w|electric vehicle}}s work to be that they have one single-use battery, presumably with a vast capacity sufficient to run them for years. He should indeed feel incredibly silly about this, given the ubiquity of rechargeable batteries in other devices (including {{w|internal combustion engine}} vehicles), and the large amounts of recharging infrastructure springing up to support the running of such vehicles. His objection makes about as much sense as saying he'd never buy a gas-powered car because eventually he'd use up all the gas.

A modern electric car commonly has [https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/evolution-of-average-range-of-electric-vehicles-by-powertrain-2010-2021 a range above 300 km/200 miles ]. By contrast, combustion engine cars usually reach at least twice this range on a full fuel tank.{{Actual citation needed}} Nevertheless, no kind of car can be driven very far or for very long without refilling its energy storage, be it liquid fuel or electrochemical potential. Many countries now have vast networks of public charging infrastructure, often for fast charging of 400kW and more, and their spacing in the all but the most sparsely populated areas usually permits any electric vehicle (even one with an unusually low range of <100km) to recharge before it runs out of energy.

Nevertheless, though not (yet) widespread, approaches for {{w | Battery_swapping | swapping batteries}} in EVs [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNZy603as5w have been commercialized]. In these cases, replacing the battery does not substitute charging it, but it can potentially reduce the “refill” time from over 30 minutes to a few minutes (the time needed to pull out the discharged battery pack from the vehicle and put in a fully charged one). The batteries are charged while uninstalled and used to replace some other vehicle’s depleted battery later on.

The title text is comparing electric vehicles to electric instruments (particularly {{w|Electric_guitar|guitars}}), which are contrasted with {{w|acoustic guitar|non-electric (aka acoustic) ones}}. In the case of instruments, this doesn't refer to how they're powered, but how their sound is transmitted from the strings and amplified. There's no such thing as an acoustic vehicle, though sound ''can'' be used to [https://hackaday.com/2025/02/21/acoustic-engine-harnesses-the-power-of-sound/ generate propulsion] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je7eLZS6GG0 on a small scale][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCnxsoXtlmY in a variety of ways]. It has become a common practice to refer to ''bicycles'' without a motor by the misnomer 'acoustic bicycle', but this does not seem to be much the case with cars. (Bicycles are sometimes also referred to as 'analog bicycles' — this is even more of a misnomer, being borrowed from the distinction between mechanical and digital devices, where the latter are sometimes misnamed as 'electric'.)

Though it is not their intended use,{{Citation needed}} motorised vehicles can be used as music instruments. Composer Ryoji Ikeda has composed a [https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/37885/1/building-a-synth-orchestra-out-of-one-hundred-cars symphony for 100 thermal (acoustic) cars]. Electric vehicles are commonly designed to emit sound, sometimes like an electronic instrument, to give an audible warning of their presence for the purpose of safety. Several jurisdictions around the world require electric vehicles to emit a minimum sound level for the safety of pedestrians.{{Actual citation needed}} Above a certain speed (around 30 km/h),{{Actual citation needed}} the noise produced by wheel-to-road friction outweighs any potential engine sounds from combustion vehicles, eliminating any difference in audible noise and derived safety properties, and electric vehicles usually no longer generate artificial sound. In some cases, electric vehicle sounds are designed by [https://abcnews.com/Business/famed-composer-hans-zimmers-score-giving-sound-electric/story?id=69242502 renowned composers].

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing to the left side of the panel with his arms out, and [[Megan]] and [[White Hat]] are standing to his right, facing him.]

:Cueball: I would never get an electric vehicle.
:Cueball: Sure, they sound great, but what do you do if the battery runs out of charge?

:[Caption below the image:]
:I felt pretty silly when someone finally explained to me that EVs are rechargeable.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category: Comics featuring Megan]]

Talk:3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:04:19Z

Xkdvd:

First![[User:AmethystSky14|AmethystSky14]] ([[User talk:AmethystSky14|talk]]) 21:43, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

The top left drawing is a tooth. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 22:04, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

3127: Where Babies Come From

2026-02-27T19:42:27Z

Xkdvd: Linking a similar comic.

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

==Explanation==
Children are often curious, and ask a lot of questions about the world around them. "Where do babies come from?" is one such question that tends to come up at some point, and is notable as one that many adults are uncomfortable giving correct answers to, because of the common reluctance to discuss sex-related matters with youngsters. While children are sometimes told that there's a baby inside a pregnant woman's tummy, the issues of how the baby got in there, or how it's supposed to get out, are often dodged. There are a variety of common myths about where babies come from, as told to children, such as "brought by a stork", "found in a cabbage patch", or [https://web.archive.org/web/20241128040214/https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1987/04/18 "built from a kit"]. This comic presents a variety of answers to that question, supposedly from the point of view of specialists in several different areas of science, and expressed in the vocabulary of the specialist's field. Some of them are allusions to the process of conception or childbirth; others are simply incorrect.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A comic with a similar theme is [[3212: Little Red Dots]].

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

:Geneticist
:[Hairy, the geneticist, has one arm up, and is facing right.]
:Hairy: Recent admixture event, roughly 0.001 Kya.

:Astronomer
:[Ponytail, the astronomer, is standing normally and facing left.]
:Ponytail: Low-impulse ejection from a parent body.

:Software engineer
:[Hairbun, the software engineer, is standing with one forearm pointed up, and is facing right.]
:Hairbun: Off-by-one error in the population calculations.

:Geologist
:[Cueball, the geologist, is standing with one forearm half up, and is facing left.]
:Cueball: The area was originally a uniform plane, but the non-baby parts eroded at higher rates.

:Meteorologist
:[Megan, the meteorologist, is standing normally and facing right.]
:Megan: Moist ground-level turbulent mixing.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

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

3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-27T19:41:11Z

Xkdvd: Linking a similar comic.

{{comic
| number = 3212
| date = February 25, 2026
| title = Little Red Dots
| image = little_red_dots_2x.png
| imagesize = 634x306px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = After a lot of analysis, I've determined that they're actually big red dots; they're just very far away.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a LITTLE RED BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

The {{w|Little red dot (astronomical object)|little red dot}}s that the comic refers to are something of an astronomical mystery, discovered by the {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (a.k.a. "JWST"). They may be powered by [https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/astronomers-detect-oldest-black-hole-ever-observed very, very old black holes] from 400-700 million years after the Big Bang, with the light from when they were young. The comic purports to give the responses of several different experts in unrelated fields when asked to identify them:
* According to the {{w|Entomology|entomologists}} (scientists who study insects and related arthropods) [represented by [[Megan]]], they are {{w|Clover mite | clover mites}} (''Bryobia praetiosa'') — very small [[Red Spiders|red arachnids]].
* According to the {{w|Computer_science|computer scientists}} [represented by [[Knit Cap]]], they are {{w|defective pixel|stuck pixels}} — pixels that do not work properly, and are stuck to one single color (red in this case). This is {{w|Hot pixel (telescopes)|a plausible concern}}, but presumably should already be handled through calibration processes.
* According to the {{w|Dermatology|dermatologists}} (doctors who specialize in skin disorders) [represented by [[Ponytail]]], they are {{w|Cherry angioma|cherry angiomas}} — harmless, non-cancerous skin growths made of clusters of dilated capillaries, appearing as bright red, smooth, or slightly raised spots.
* According to the {{w|Graphic_design|graphic designers}} [represented by [[Hairy]]], these are not "red dots" but are colors of type [https://www.colorhexa.com/d73b3e Jasper] (● #d73b3e) or [https://www.colorhexa.com/e34234 Vermillion] (● #e34234, sometimes called Cinnabar).

Quite obviously, all of these, if not completely incorrect, are fully unrelated to astronomy.

Part of the punchline is the shift in focus: instead of trying to identify the object, the designer is nitpicking the description of "red dot." Additionally, the graphic designer is also requesting [[Cueball]]'s {{w|Color_calibration|color settings}}, implying they believe the reason Cueball calls them "red" is due to poor display settings, and not due to using the common term for the color. There is a certain amount of insight here, as the JWST only observes orange to far-infrared light; this is to enable it to see very distant objects, whose blue and ultraviolet emissions have been {{w|redshift|redshifted}} into longer wavelengths. Converting observed wavelengths into rest-frame wavelengths is a process subject to error, and then {{w|false color|falsely-coloring}} the object so that it may be visualized by human eyes is another such.

In the title text, Randall claims to have analyzed the "little red dots" and determined that they are actually very large but distant objects. This is not a startling revelation, since the JWST telescope is mostly only used to look at very distant objects in space, and just to be visible at all at these distances these 'dots' would need to be very large (due to the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMiKyfd6hA0 phenomenon] of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvnKXOGYKM8&t=30s relative perceived size], where larger objects that are further away appear to be the same size as smaller ones that are closer to the viewer). The punchline here is that someone who has performed a lot of analysis would be expected to have a result that was not already obvious, but anyone looking at a telescope image of deep space would already be assuming that it depicts large objects very far away, not small objects close to the telescope. The theme of astronomers unsure of the size of objects spotted in a telescope was previously mentioned in [[2359: Evidence of Alien Life]].

The (possible) issue of a 'stuck pixel', except of a different hue, was previously visited in [[1246: Pale Blue Dot]].

A comic with a similar theme of specialists giving an answer relating to their field is [[3127: Where Babies Come From]].

==Transcript==
:[Caption above all the panels:]
:Astronomers asking researchers from different departments to help them identify the "little red dots" in JWST images:

:[In each panel, Cueball stands at the left of an easel displaying a black image with three red dots on it. At the right of the easel in each panel is a different character looking at the image on the easel and commenting on it. At the top of each panel is a caption indicating the type of researcher commenting on the image.]

:Caption: Entomologists
:Megan: Clover mites.

:Caption: Computer scientists
:Knit Cap: Stuck pixels.

:Caption: Dermatologists
:Ponytail: Cherry angiomas.

:Caption: Graphic designers
:Hairy: No, those are vermillion, or maybe jasper.
:Hairy: Can I see your color settings?

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Telescopes]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Graphic designers]]

Talk:3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-27T19:38:23Z

Xkdvd:

Everyone why is absolutely nothing here yet [[User:Ehogin|Ehogin]] ([[User talk:Ehogin|talk]]) 03:08, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:Because this comic came out like 2 hours ago. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 04:17, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Yeah by the amount of people who read xkcd you would think at least 100 people saw this and did not do anything for ''two hours'' [[User:Ehogin|Ehogin]] ([[User talk:Ehogin|talk]]) 04:45, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Its not a question of how many people read xkcd, its how many people use explain xkcd, and edit, and know what to put here. EDIT: forgot my signature. oops. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 04:51, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Bear in mind that the ''Rightpondians'' amongst this site's readership may have been asleep (...or preparing to sleep ...or too busy geeking out on some late-night project to either sleep or visit here), and ''only'' for Leftpondians will it have been late-afternoon/early-evening and perhaps a more handy moment to both read here/xkcd.com and then to come up with a clever reply.
:::Assuming they weren't busy doing homework, or going to see a movie, or actively on a date/date-night with their spouse, or getting ready to do something like an aformentioned geeky all-nighter (probably involving cartloads of GIS data and a partially written Perl script that needs bashing into shape), or just fancied watching the TV, or had just given up on xkcd for the day (having hoped it had come out an hour or two earlier), or had even forgotten it was a Wednesday, or ...just like to visit here when 'the dust has settled' so that they only have to nitpick prior editors and not have to Edit Conflict the "created by a FIRST POST!" edits... ;)
:::And then there's those even ''more'' adrift (across the Pacific, and all points between there and Europe) where other matters (breakfast... or oversleeping due to last night's geek-in) might take automatic precedence.
:::Naturally, there's all kinds of people on all kinds of offsets of availability against all kinds of local timezones, but I (for one) actually had a relatively early night, due to needing to be up earlier than usual this morning. I doubt that is everyone else's reason (TZ-adjusted, etc), but there's better and worse times when it comes to chancing across a reason to fill in the original BOT-posted 'blank' Explanation, and this time it seemed to be a less servicable than it might have been. ;) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.204|82.132.236.204]] 18:52, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:OK, we want something here? I get [https://www.google.com/search?q=clover+mites Clover Mites] a lot. On the patio table, on the deck chairs. On the car, but I fooled them this time: I got a cherry-red car. Maybe they got into the JWST? --[[User:PRR|PRR]] ([[User talk:PRR|talk]]) 05:32, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

Current title text explanation seems like a bit of a stretch to me; see [[2359]] for a more refined take on explaining a very a similar joke. [[Special:Contributions/204.77.3.72|204.77.3.72]] 08:32, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:Sure, whatever you say Father Dougal. --[[Special:Contributions/2A10:D586:3E93:0:21B8:BB66:6F56:9A06|2A10:D586:3E93:0:21B8:BB66:6F56:9A06]] 08:53, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:Ha, you beat me to it. The title text, to me, seems an obvious allusion to Father Ted's famous "THESE cows are small, but THOSE cows are far away..." scene. But probably isn't, in this case. [[Special:Contributions/136.226.55.1|136.226.55.1]] 17:21, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

TV criminologists: a pattern centered on the killer's home. [[Special:Contributions/194.75.188.171|194.75.188.171]] 11:15, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

I don't know if it is "nitpicking" per se (though admittedly that is a clever pun, even though nits are generally brown and are rarely red). It could be that the graphic designer is genuinely interested in helping identify the color. [[User:Cwallenpoole|Cwallenpoole]] ([[User talk:Cwallenpoole|talk]]) 12:41, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:Nits? Or haemovore ticks? [[Special:Contributions/136.226.55.1|136.226.55.1]] 20:49, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
My complements to whomever added the color dots; nicely done. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 12:54, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

I've added a link to the oldest (so far) black hole discovery -- dww-uk {{unsigned ip|2a12:f43:143e:0:e14c:82a5:e0bc:8959|13:19, 26 February 2026 (UTC)}}

Small red arachnids... [[:Category:Red Spiders|seem familiar to anyone else?]] [[User:GreyFox|GreyFox]] ([[User talk:GreyFox|talk]]) 14:49, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

Note: While the graphic designer might be accurate, for an astronomer, any color that is even slightly "orange" is designated as "red", similarly anything slightly "green" is designated as "blue".
Analagous to how any atom with more protons than helium is called a metal in astronomy. [[User:Galeindfal|Galeindfal]] ([[User talk:Galeindfal|talk]]) 15:53, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

I think any explanation of a comic with an acronym in it should include an explanation of what that acronym is...for those of us who can't remember? (JWST) I also don't know how to insert this "user" signoff? {{unsigned ip|68.55.172.115|16:18, 26 February 2026}}
:For a user signoff, you put four tildes at the end of your post(this is a tilde: ~ ). JWST stand for "James Webb Space Telescope". [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 17:15, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:...and the instructions are at the top of this very page's 'source' (hidden, unless editing, but that's when you need to know).
:For me, right now, I have to switch to the symbolic keyboard then to the ''second'' symbolic keyboard, to find the "~" 'key'. Physical keyboards might have it either near the Enter key (like my UK keyboards, shift-'hash symbol'/"#", not to be confused with the 'pound symbol'/"£" that's shift-3!) or up in the top-left key (US-style 'default' layouts, where it should be just to the left of the "!", i.e. shift-'back apostrophe'). Non-anglo keyboards ''might'' hide it away somewhere else, or even need something special that doesn't show on your keytops at all, perhaps because of having to show the more common local versions of letters-with-various-other-diacritics.
:You can also press the penultimate button just above this edit textbox (between the "no-W", for temporary disabling of wikimarkup, and the black-line on the end of that set of icon-buttons, which gives the Horizontal Rule markup; it's supposed to be a "signature" in icon form, but wouldn't blame you for not realising this). It actually gives you "<code><nowiki> --~~~~</nowiki></code>" (the double-hyphen isn't necessary, it's just a historic "signature marker" from decades ago when it mattered more in text-only messages, like email and usenet, but it also doesn't hurt). But, at the very least, it saves you having to find the tilde on your (on-screen?) keyboard if you're not too sure where to find it. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.204|82.132.236.204]] 17:46, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Personally, I recommend adding the '--' directly into your signature if/when you make an account. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM)''''' 18:11, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Strictly, the "(line-feed, then) hyphen hyphen space (then line-feed)" of old (which was adopted as a marker for easily automated removal of signatures when replying/forwarding in a reply-chain) isn't really a useful thing, though. As well as being the wrong way round ("space hyphen hyphen (nospace!)", and inline preferably with ''no'' linefeeds directly before or after it, the signature (especially yours) is already fairly obvious by eye. And, because it's easy to not add it (and potentially easier ''than'' to add it, signature-button aside!), there's no convention to leave it in for the sake of some probably misguided script that ''tries'' to use it as a signature-delimitter but really would be missing so many honestly-added versions (that lack it) if that was its solidly preprogrammed expectation.
:::Yes, add it if you want to. But its utility is far less than in the days when even Outlook Express (with its problematic default to "top posting", as well, which lead to a general decline in readability and good-netiquette from which we haven't really recovered) would take "<LF>-- <LF>" as a cue and tidy things up just enough to be useful. :p [[Special:Contributions/82.132.236.204|82.132.236.204]] 18:52, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::::And don't forget the security implications of top-posting... (Not that this was your point, but it was another problem with OE/Outlook/everything that followed and also switched everything topsy-turvy like that...) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 19:22, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

A rare typo in an xkcd comic! That pesky second L peoplewant to add to "vermilion" strikes again! [[Special:Contributions/2600:8807:2180:4B00:B947:5804:53D5:72E2|2600:8807:2180:4B00:B947:5804:53D5:72E2]] 00:09, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
:It's not really a typo. 'Vermillion' is an accepted alternative spelling. It derives from an Anglo-French word that did have a double-l, so arguably the single-l spelling, while now more common, was originally the 'mistake'. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 10:03, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

Isn't there a similar xkcd from some time ago, also about asking the opinion of various people, most of whose opinions are comically off-base and relevant only to their profession? I can't remember anything else, but it might be worth finding and linking. [[Special:Contributions/160.39.41.199|160.39.41.199]] 18:27, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
:I'll add that to the explanation. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 19:38, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-26T17:15:12Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-26T04:51:42Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-26T04:51:08Z

Xkdvd:

3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-26T04:33:10Z

Xkdvd: Adding information about all the answers.

Talk:3212: Little Red Dots

2026-02-26T04:17:46Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:12: Poisson

2026-02-21T15:26:26Z

Xkdvd: Random comic button might not be as broken as it seems...

The date of issue of this comic is off. Does anybody have the correct date? Does anybody know the song that BlackHat is singing in the last frame? [[User:Rikthoff|Rikthoff]] ([[User talk:Rikthoff|talk]]) 09:44, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

I always imagine the song is either the Bangles cover of "hazy shade of winter" from the movie Less than Zero though I have also imagined it to be "saved by zero" by the Fixx. {{unsigned ip|192.231.124.16|15:34, 4 Febuary 2013 (UTC)}}

:Did anyone notice the pun on poison and Poisson? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.174|108.162.254.174]] 18:39, 10 March 2014 (UTC)
:: What pun? Replacing "Poisson" with "poison" anywhere doesn't produce any additional meaning. [[User:Zowayix|Zowayix]] ([[User talk:Zowayix|talk]]) 18:54, 29 April 2014 (UTC)
:::On the other hand, "Poisson", in French, despite being the name of the discoverer of this distribution, also means "fish". thus maybe the "no memory" joke? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.101|141.101.104.101]] 21:43, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Note that the 'h' in the word 'hell' looks like 'λ'. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.64.35|141.101.64.35]] 20:03, 21 July 2014 (UTC)

Also note that the Poisson distribution is "memoryless" (like the exponential distribution) which explains why the Poisson is content to continue repeating this fact. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.222.178|108.162.222.178]] 16:44, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

The coinflip distribution described in the second paragraph not a Poisson Distribution. Rather it is a binomial distribution (or a Bernoulli distribution for the single flip case). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.163|108.162.229.163]] 11:11, 7 September 2015 (UTC)
:I deleted it. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.154|173.245.50.154]] 12:25, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

The first three panels establish that Cueball is a Poisson distribution, that Black Hat finds him annoying and that both parties exist and can communicate with each other. In other words, Black Hat's value is compatible with a Poisson distribution. The implication of panel three seems to be that Black Hat isn't ''stating'' his value but is stating his ''change'' in value to "I'm less than zero." This is similar to the phrase, "I'm less than impressed." The change in value ''causes'' Cueball to vanish. In the fourth panel, Black Hat is whistling a happy tune; pleased at having removed an annoyance. --[[User:David.poole.9000|DP9000]] ([[User talk:David.poole.9000|talk]]) 02:44, 22 February 2016 (UTC)

If Cueball only exists for non-negative integers, how can he be irrational?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.16|141.101.76.16]] 16:08, 3 January 2018 (UTC)

;fish red dwarf

honestly my first thought was Rimmers advanced theory on pourus circuits in his astro navigation exam in which he wrote i am a fish numerous times saluted and passed out but a hot second was 'i am a fish merchant'? {{unsigned|Strawdog}}

Also trivial piece of trivia: one of the comics drawn on graph paper {{unsigned ip|172.71.26.64|00:17, 13 April 2023‎}}
:Covered by the [[:Category:Checkered paper]] appended to the page... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.67|172.70.85.67]] 00:23, 13 April 2023 (UTC)

I managed to get here with the random comic button after the second press. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 15:26, 21 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3210: Eliminating the Impossible

2026-02-20T22:57:44Z

Xkdvd:

I’ve found that when looking for an item, I’ll search harder and more thoroughly in the places where the item is supposed to be, which is just frustrating and usually unsuccessful.
Then I realized that if the item isn’t where it’s supposed to be, then it’s somewhere ''it isn’t supposed to be'' - so I start looking in those places.
[[Special:Contributions/170.64.111.76|170.64.111.76]] 20:51, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

It also assumes exclusion of the middle.
[[User:MithicSpirit|MithicSpirit]] ([[User talk:MithicSpirit|talk]]) 20:59, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

These guys sure are some professors of logic (I'm not sure if they own any doghouses, is what I mean). [[User:Fephisto|Fephisto]] ([[User talk:Fephisto|talk]]) 21:07, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

As and when the Explanation gets written (I imagine that someone's right in the middle of that now), it must be noted that Sherlock Holmes's self-proclaimed "Deductive reasoning" is really {{w|Abductive reasoning}}. (I actually blame Sir Arthur, rather than Sherlock (or 'narrator' Watson), for that error... But then he also believed in fairies, so obviously he's less than perfectly rational.) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:17, 20 February 2026 (UTC)
:Well, nobody did do anything with it, in the last hour or so, so I scrawled something pretty basic for others to ruthlessly dismember and 'remember' in their own prefered fashion. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 22:27, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

I think its pretty nice how this comics number is a countdown from 3. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 22:57, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3209: Plums

2026-02-20T02:03:35Z

Xkdvd:

Referencing William Carlos Williams [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56159/this-is-just-to-say "This is Just To Say"], an apology for eating the plums. [[Special:Contributions/2600:1001:B000:6009:F81B:2869:73B7:339|2600:1001:B000:6009:F81B:2869:73B7:339]] 03:31, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Robert Frost is my first cousin five times removed. [[User:Pgn674|Pgn674]] ([[User talk:Pgn674|talk]]) 03:36, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

You could easily trap Edgar Allan Poe by training a crow. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 05:07, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
:You could easily trap Edgar Allan Poe scholars by training an orang-utan [[Special:Contributions/2001:9E8:E129:8700:A4BD:2D19:5AC4:826B|2001:9E8:E129:8700:A4BD:2D19:5AC4:826B]] 13:19, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

I just described the scene in the transcript, it doesn't look quite right to me, I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be brackets or something, could someone fix that if I did it wrong? [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 05:12, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

The characterization of the poem as an apology needs an [actual citation needed] tag. [[Special:Contributions/2001:8004:4E50:6B3:A564:E93B:1878:3634|2001:8004:4E50:6B3:A564:E93B:1878:3634]] 06:00, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
:The words "forgive me" aren't good enough for you? [[Special:Contributions/174.127.214.79|174.127.214.79]] 06:46, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Seems pretty simple. Eat the plums for the cred, and then book reservations for a romantic breakfast the next morning. [[Special:Contributions/73.42.229.109|73.42.229.109]] 06:22, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
:Might just make things more awkward if the trapper is just a roommate. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:10, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Could the caption style also be a reference to the poem? [[User:New editor|New editor]] ([[User talk:New editor|talk]]) 07:08, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

It would be much more difficult that Robert Frost if one is to follow Gulzaar's [https://bollywoodtranslations.blogspot.com/2024/10/is-mod-se-jaate-hain-translation-of.html "Is Mod se"] [[User:Mitradranirban|Mitradranirban]] ([[User talk:Mitradranirban|talk]])

Does the joke rely on any connection between Frost's surname and the Icebox? [[Special:Contributions/79.161.109.128|79.161.109.128]] 10:35, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
:Wouldn't say so, given that they're referring to two different poems. If it did rely on that, I would say it didn't work! [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 11:39, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Tangent here: can someone explains to me how the structure of WCW's poem works? I find neither rythm nor rhyme. --[[Special:Contributions/94.73.51.255|94.73.51.255]]
: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_verse [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 11:36, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

I'm trying to link Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy, but it's not appearing, even if the text is there. Anybody know why? Also, does anybody else find it odd that this is CUEBALL creating the spatial anomalies and not Beret Guy? --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 14:11, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
:You have to put a : before “Category:” when linking to a category because otherwise it puts the page in the category instead of making a link to the category. [[Special:Contributions/2A09:BAC3:88C3:188C:0:0:272:3F|2A09:BAC3:88C3:188C:0:0:272:3F]] 14:23, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
::Ah. Thanks! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] (BLM) 14:44, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
::The captions and title texts aren't speech bubbles. They aren't necessarily attributed to a particular character, or someone appearing in the comic. In this instance, it seems like the caption reflects Cueball's thoughts, but the title text is more likely to belong to the offscreen speaker. [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 00:29, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

I believe it may be possible to make a network of infinitely branching straight line paths, even in an infinite universe, because the requirement is that if you keep travelling on the path you'll reach no end no mater your choice of branches, i.e. no matter how you choose your branches you'll choose infinitely many, but I can't think of a possible configuration right now. (It's trivial if they can be curved) [[User:Cobl703|Cobl703]] ([[User talk:Cobl703|talk]]) 14:51, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

I'd conjecture that Frost's algorithm (take the path which has been taken fewer times) should fully explore any finite wood and find the exit; he's a pretty tough cookie. [[User:Cjmaloof|Cjmaloof]] ([[User talk:Cjmaloof|talk]]) 21:46, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

How do I edit my user page? Is there supposed to be an edit button somewhere? [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 02:03, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:803: Airfoil

2026-02-20T01:46:54Z

Xkdvd:

This has been dubbed "the equal transit-time fallacy." [[User:Wbeaty|((((((_(_(__(___billb(a)amasci.com___)__)_)_))))))]] ([[User talk:Wbeaty|talk]]) 07:59, 10 June 2022 (UTC)
:For more information have a look at my paper here-https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.00690 [[User:AerospaceDoctor|AerospaceDoctor]] ([[User talk:AerospaceDoctor|talk]]) 03:09, 30 September 2022 (UTC)

Since gases are unique in the way they convert pressure change to heat or cold, none of the above can be true. The schema shows more columns of air under the wing than pass above. How come?
We know that an actual wing pulls air down from the layers above rather than bludgeon the air in front of it.

What happens is that vortices are engendered. Wing design is all about getting them past the control sections (the major problem to aircraft design in the 1940's.) [[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 01:15, 26 January 2015 (UTC)

It is a convention in fluid dynamics that the flow always comes from the left. Nobody working in this field would ever draw a picture with the flow coming from the right side. So this is a hint by its own that the image may be wrong.

Regarding the last comment: The image is from wikipedia. The original comment tells us that the wing influences the flow even at a great distance. The flow at the top is still a lot faster than below the wing.

[[Special:Contributions/108.162.231.68|108.162.231.68]] 21:01, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

My high school math teacher said there were three ways for a teacher to say "I don't know" -- "I don't know", "It's beyond the scope of the course", and "You wouldn't understand it if I told you." So, whenever we asked a question like the one in the comic, he'd say "It's beyond the scope of the course, and you wouldn't understand it if I told you anyway! Dumb kids!" We loved that guy. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.189.181|172.68.189.181]] 17:01, 5 July 2018 (UTC)

This airfoil problem is a 2D problem and the classical Bernoulli's equation is a 1D equation. If you use velocity vector(speed and direction) instead speed the equation works.

I suspect most school children have seen a paper airplane, maybe even built one. Those wings are, for practical purposes, 2D. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 15:56, 6 March 2023 (UTC)dead

I feel like Miss Lenhart's head looks... squarer in the last panel. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 01:46, 20 February 2026 (UTC)

3137: Cursed Number

2026-02-20T01:13:40Z

Xkdvd: Adding black bars around the skull in the transcript.

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

==Explanation==

It is quite common on mathematics to not know the value (or existence) of a number but be able to put bounds on it. For example, we know the first counterexample to the {{w|Collatz conjecture}} is at least 10^21, if it exists. There are also constants where we have an upper bound.

In this case, there is apparently postulated to exist a number that extremely harmful to the human mind to read it without eye protection - an {{w|information hazard}}. Dangerous pieces of writing like this are a fairly common trope in speculative fiction, such as the {{w|Necronomicon}} in the {{w|Cthulhu Mythos}}, [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-033 cognitohazards] in the {{w|SCP Foundation}}, the Basilisk in {{w|BLIT_(short_story)|BLIT}} by David Langford, and {{w|Monty Python}}'s {{w|The Funniest Joke in the World|Funniest Joke in the World}}. It is also very similar to the concept of an {{w|illegal number}}, or the {{w|Number of the beast}}.

Saying that it is once ''again'' safe to view large random numbers without eye protection may imply that the cursed number used to not be cursed (as opposed to no one realizing that the cursed number existed). This might indicate an evolutionary change in human brain structure, or, [[2332: Cursed Chair|considering previous comics]], someone with magical powers literally placing a curse on it (but not telling humans which). In the latter case, the fact that mathematicians have been able to place a lower bound might suggest that the magic-wielder gave some sort of hint, such as a hashed or encrypted version or a mathematical puzzle/riddle. Alternatively it could be that after the existence of the cursed number was discovered, but before there was a lower bound on it, people were advised to wear eye protection when viewing any large number, because no one could be sure which large number was cursed. The mechanism by which the eye protection works is not explained; theoretically any eye protection which allowed someone to view the cursed number at all shouldn't work, as being able to see or read the number means you can perceive it.

Naturally, the mathematicians of this world are doing their best, in the interest of public safety, to keep this number away from as many human eyeballs as possible. Through some process they have figured out the number is at least 22 digits long. Numbers this large (greater than 1021, i.e. at least a {{w|Orders_of_magnitude_(numbers)#1021|'sextillion'}}) are extremely unlikely to be found in the day-to-day lives of non-mathematicians (and almost all mathematicians); even if a person spent their entire lives looking at random strings of 22 digit numbers flashing by every millisecond, for a 100 year lifetime, they would still only have about 3 in a (short) billion chance of seeing the number. Because of the low risk, public officials have deemed it safe for people to go about their daily lives reading numbers again without eye protection, which apparently protects you from the number.

Despite this, there are some instances of large numbers (more than 21 decimal digits) that may be encountered relatively frequently. IT professionals may encounter "{{w|Universally unique identifier}}s". These are 128 {{w|bit}} binary numbers requiring up to 39 decimal digits to display. However, with 2^128 possible possible numbers of that length, even if you look at UUIDs all day long you are extremely unlikely to see this "cursed number" if it exists.

In the title text another group of mathematicians are trying to narrow down the number's identity even further. The more attributes of the cursed number the mathematicians identify, the easier it is for someone with morbid curiosity or someone researching more attributes of the number to discover the number themselves and get their mind damaged. This includes the researchers themselves, as they are now willingly going above the lower safe limit, increasing their chances of encountering it accidentally. Furthermore, the cursed number may appear as part of another number; for example, 223 appears as part of 2237. Worse, if the number could be determined in some controllable way that didn't necessarily expose its discoverers, it {{w|BLIT (short story)|might be used as a weapon}}, and this might be easier with the upper bound discovered, if the method used to find the number is brute force. This echoes concerns about knowledge gained from research on nuclear forces having been used to create atomic weapons. This was also how the Funniest Joke in the World was used in Monty Python.

==Transcript==
:[A large screen with one equation in the middle is shown to the left of three people. The left part of the equation shows a black bar with a skull in the middle:]
: ██💀██ > 2.6 x 1021

:[Cueball is standing to the right of the screen and further right is Blondie. Blondie is standing behind a lectern with a label in front. Hairbun stands further and holds a paper up in front of her using both hands. The paper shows illegible text surrounding what is visibly the same equation as appears on the screen, with a skull, but not the black bar. None of the text can be read and the skull can only be made out as such, knowing what it is from the screen.]
:[The lectern reads:]
:Math Dept

:[Caption below the comic:]
:Good news: Mathematicians have put a new lower bound on the '''Cursed Number that destroys the minds of all who perceive it'''!
:It's at least 22 digits, which means it's unlikely to be seen by any human no matter how many random numbers they look at.
:They say it's once again safe to view large random numbers without eye protection.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Comics with cursed items]]

885: Recycling

2026-02-19T14:42:53Z

Xkdvd: Changed "to quickly" to "too quickly"

{{comic
| number = 885
| date = April 13, 2011
| title = Recycling
| image = recycling.png
| titletext = And given how much of my stuff they go through, they definitely know where I live.
}}

==Explanation==
Recycling plants often can only process one type of material at a time, which necessitates some form of sorting facility. [[Randall]] shows some degree of thoughtfulness in separating his paper from metals for the convenience of the people working at the facility, but then he leaves congealed juice in a bottle, rendering it unrecyclable without cleaning and extra effort on the part of the recycling facility.

Obviously, this would be very annoying, causing the [[Cueball]] in the comic (who works in one such facility) to call him an asshole.

The title text implies that the workers know his address, most likely from various envelopes and junk mail that he has recycled.

It is likely in reality that the workers must process quantities of material too large too quickly to be able to pick up on these details and to analyse them to the point of reading addresses. However, such details might be gleamed by automated scanners if they were installed for such purposes.

As always, Randall is both a self-conscious man and a paranoid man.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is picking through various items of trash or recycling on a conveyor belt. A juice bottle, empty cardboard box, opened tin can, bottlecap, crumpled and flat sheets of paper, a soda or pop can, and miscellaneous junk are visible.]
:Cueball: This guy tears the labels off his cans, so he clearly understands they're going to be sorted somewhere—
:Cueball: Yet in the same batch he includes a bottle with like an ounce of congealed juice in it.
:Cueball: What an asshole.

:I worry a lot about what the people at the recycling center think of me.

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

Talk:3209: Plums

2026-02-19T05:12:11Z

Xkdvd: asking for a bit of help

3209: Plums

2026-02-19T05:10:11Z

Xkdvd: Editing transcript to describe the scene

{{comic
| number = 3209
| date = February 18, 2026
| title = Plums
| image = plums_2x.png
| imagesize = 251x409px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = My icebox plum trap easily captured William Carlos Williams. It took much less work than the infinite looping network of diverging paths I had to build in that yellow wood to ensnare Robert Frost.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a rebellious icebox. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This is a reference to the poem [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56159/this-is-just-to-say This Is Just to Say], where the narrator is apologizing for eating the plums in the icebox. In this comic, the joke is that Cueball cannot resist eating the plums from the icebox as a reference to the poem.

The title-text is a joke about trapping poets with references to their own poems, referencing another well-known poem, [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken The Road Not Taken] by Robert Frost.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:Cueball sitting at a desk with a laptop on it looking backward towards the source of speech off-screen.
:Out of view: I got you the ingredients for dinner tonight.
:Out of view: Oh, and the plums in the fridge drawer are for my yogurt tomorrow; you should just leave them.
:Out of view: Be back later!
:Cueball, thinking: Oh no.
:Caption: Help. It actually happened. I shouldn't, but how can I not!?
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Talk:3209: Plums

2026-02-19T05:07:22Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:3158: Shielding Chart

2026-02-19T01:17:46Z

Xkdvd: Double checking that I'm allowed to edit

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
::::Bobby Tables is good at deleting tables, not filling them out :) -[[User:Ash Crow|Ash Crow]] ([[User talk:Ash Crow|talk]]) 10:47, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::My name is Billy Tables, Bobby Tables' mild-mannered twin brother. Bobby is my evil twin here to cause mischief and mayhem in small wikis.--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User_talk:DollarStoreBa'al|converse]] 14:09, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

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)
: The best shield of all is distance. You just need enough of it. [[User:KelOfTheStars!|KelOfTheStars!]] ([[User talk:KelOfTheStars!|talk]]) 00:33, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:: No - the best shield of all is the Hylian Shield. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:31, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

Me & my brother read this whole thing and cracked up about it for several minutes. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 03:03, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:This is definitely one of my favorite xkcd comics. I love the confusion matrix ones. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 03:05, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

Wait, why no “raptors” row? I really want to see that. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 03:09, 24 October 2025 (UTC)

I'm noticing that the transcript isn't looking too good right now, but I don't exactly have the time to fix it right now. Can someone look at [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects#Transcript]] and copy that format? Thanks, '''[[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]][[User talk:42.book.addict|Talk to me!]]''' 03:44, 24 October 2025 (UTC)
:There's now an "effect vs shield" row for ''every'' tile, plus (following on from how the first row started) a "effect-row" scene-setting description placeholder.
:I put a list of the rows and columns at the top, just for quick 'scan down/along' reference by anyone reading that bit, but each cell explicitly starts with the "what vs what" and can (where it hasn't already been) be given the hue of the tile and then a followup line (or more!) which addresses the mini-vignette that depicts its particular clash of row header and column header.
:Please '''do not''' bother with text-colo(u)rs. For one thing, set on default white page-background, the Yellow would be hard to read (by those who can read it) and also likely of zero value (by those who use text-to-audio to read it). The light grey would be bad enough, and the dirty-yellow could be as bad as either.
:The reason I did this much is because someone had put a suggestion about copypasting the #hex HTML colour-codes which either was going to lead to the thing I've just said shouldn't be done or would have to be converted into the colour-code-equivalent descriptive plaintext, and still would not have the 'important everything vs. everything' reference which I quickly cobbled together to provide this structure.
:Anyone with a text editor can still constructively search/replace anything within that basic structre that I've perhaps not done the way they think should be done (wrong capitalisation, the way the " - " sits between the "vs." and where the colour should be, whether "vs." is even the right way of describing it!), but the big job is actually trying to describe with sufficient detai what Cueball (or the fish/ice/whatever) is doing to prevent the appropriate effect by the (in)appropriate shield. Which I'm leaving for those in a time-zone more westerly than me (who aren't well beyond their healthy bedtimes) or far more easterly than me (for whom dawn has at least started to approach), or possibly just until people not significantly far from me in either direction find that they're more wide awake than anybody else around the world.
:Of course, there's always a possibility that someone has been beavering away at it, offline, for a while now and is going to overwirte all that I did. Which is Ok too, and hopefully all credit to them. I may even now have spent more time writing this than I did putting my framework in, and I frankly hope to find this reply to be superfluous by the next time I check in, anyway, so I can delete it entirely and replace with a congratulatory message. ;) [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 00:43, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

So, with lead, water, vacuum, oven mitts, and either glass or a bio-hazard suit, I would be ''invincible''. [[Special:Contributions/67.4.71.239|67.4.71.239]] 22:01, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

Randall's clearly only seen the film Jaws but not the book... --[[User:Darth Vader|Darth Vader]] ([[User talk:Darth Vader|talk]]) 10:16, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:Or [[585: Outreach|a popular webcomic]]... ;) [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 18:16, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

;cat proximity reference?
do you think shark vs water illustration could be a reference to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/231:_Cat_Proximity 231:Cat Proximity] ? [[Special:Contributions/129.222.167.167|129.222.167.167]] 00:19, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
:Almost certainly (the brick joke thrown back a second time with the Shark/Faraday Cage setup, etc).
:I mean, it's also possible that they're depicting a {{w|Scyliorhinidae|catshark}}, but they generally aren't the threat that even dogfish sharks are (and are probably as harmless to humans, or their insufficiently shark-proofed cages, as cat''fish''...), but I can't see it being any more advanced real-world reference like that. [[Special:Contributions/2.98.65.8|2.98.65.8]] 00:49, 2 November 2025 (UTC)

;"cetacean needed" in-joke

Greetings! Regarding the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3158:_Shielding_Chart&diff=405243&oldid=405238 cetacean needed] wording, it is actually a dank meme from the Wikipedia editors' community. Not only has some joker stuck the phrase into {{w|List of cetaceans}}, but the editor Tamzin is quite prolific and well-known for {{w|Talk:Salaam (disambiguation)|using this pun}} in their signature. So it is really an appropriately-worded in-joke for this comic explanation. Please keep it; it is not a typo or a mistake. [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 14:02, 9 February 2026 (UTC)

I haven't edited before, so just making sure, I just changed one case Hairy to two cases Hairy(Neutrons/Armor and Light/Bio-hazard suit). If I wasn't supposed to do that, let me know. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 01:17, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

3158: Shielding Chart

2026-02-19T01:15:10Z

Xkdvd: Changed one case hairy to two cases hairy

{{comic
| number = 3158
| date = October 22, 2025
| title = Shielding Chart
| image = shielding_chart_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x720px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Sharks can occasionally travel short distances through air when pursuing prey, but their attenuation coefficient is pretty high.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is part of a series on [[:Category:Confusion matrices|confusion matrices]].

Various hazardous (or merely obnoxious) materials, objects, and effects can have their danger reduced with specialized protective equipment. The yellow squares are where the shield fails to protect against the object. The grey-yellow squares are where the shield is partially successful, but still presents some risk. The grey squares are where the shield succeeds.

The first five barriers are materials/conditions which may be used to block some things and not others, which makes for a relatively normal comparison matrix. The last five barriers are devices which are deliberately designed and manufactured to block the last five materials/effects. Comparing those with effects for which they aren't designed is presented for absurdity.

The first three hazards - Gamma Rays, Neutrons, and Alpha Particles - represent different types of radiation. Their associated "beep" and "click" sounds mirror real detection behavior: "beep" corresponds to ionizing radiation like gamma and alpha particles, detected by modern radiation detectors, while "click" refers to neutron detection, which uses a separate type of counter designed for neutral particles. {{w|Geiger counter|Geiger counters}}, an earlier form of radiation detector, also clicked.

All but two tiles feature [[Cueball]] (or in two cases [[Hairy]]) trying to make use of that column's chosen 'protective shield', although in the case of some scenarios (involving vacuum or water) he may also be sufficiently equipped against the environment he finds himself in. Also present will be the row's specific 'effect', either in its own right (an object or creature that embodies the phenomenon automatically) or as conveyed by [[Megan]] (when not just present as onlooker) who may also have had the 'shield' primarily delegated to her. The two main exceptions are where Cueball himself emits the sound (from within 'protective' suits that turn out to be ineffectual sound-blockers), to apparently annoy Megan, and depictions of radio reception (which always show Cueball's attempt to transmit, whether or not it shows a successful incoming message).

Some hazards, such as {{w|alpha particles}}, a form of radiation with particularly low penetrative power, can be easily deterred by common things; even a relatively short distance through air is enough to minimize their impact. Comparatively, more dangerous hazards, such as the far more penetrative {{w|gamma rays}}, are unaffected by all but the shielding methods actually intended for them. No effect is either all effective or all ineffective, against each form of 'shielding', and neither is any instance of shield consistent against all effects.

The title text notes that, while the shark hazard is shown on the chart to be entirely nullified by a sufficient air barrier, in reality sharks are capable of attacking prey even if it is a short distance out of the water. However, it claims a high "attenuation coefficient", which is an {{tvtropes|ExpospeakGag|overly scientific way of saying}} that you don't need a ''lot'' of air between you and the shark before it can't hurt you. Indeed, while sharks can jump out of the water to a certain height, there's a hard line between "vulnerable" and "out of reach", and a person can be within arm's reach of a shark's attack while they themselves are in no danger whatsoever. So long as they ''don't'' unwisely reach out to tempt fate.

This table might imply that lead is the best defense against everything in general, but it is toxic, so don't bring lead with you at all times.

Cueball saying "Kitty!" in the shark hazard row most likely is a reference to [[231: Cat Proximity]].

===Table===
{| class="wikitable" | style="background:#E6C3C3;"
! Shielding Chart
! scope="col"| {{w|Air}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Lead}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Water}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Glass}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Vacuum}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Oven mitts}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Armor}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Hazmat suit|Bio-hazard suit}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Faraday cage}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Shark cage}}
|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Gamma rays}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Gamma rays are not significantly shielded by air.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Lead is commonly used as {{w|Lead shielding|shielding}} against gamma rays. Lead works because of its density and high atomic number, scattering gamma rays.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Water can be used to shield against gamma rays, but you need at least 10 feet of water between you and the gamma rays for it to work.
|colspan=7; style="background:#FFF978;"|Gamma rays have the highest energy of any type of light and have no mass or charge, making them pass through most materials easily.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Neutrons}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Neutrons are not stopped by low density materials such as air.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Lead's high density means that neutrons will keep bumping into lead nuclei, losing their energy through inelastic scattering. However since lead nuclei are much heavier than neutrons, most of the energy will remain with the neutron; as a result, many collisions are needed to slow the neutrons. Some neutrons will also be absorbed by the nuclei, although the {{w|Cross section (physics)|cross section}} is rather low.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Since protons and neutrons have almost the same mass, a collision with a hydrogen atom in water will result in the neutron losing almost half of its energy, resulting in a very rapid attenuation. Moreover the cross section for the fusion of neutrons and protons is high, leading to most neutrons being captured to form deuterium.
|colspan=7; style="background:#FFF978;"|None of these materials are dense enough to slow or absorb neutrons in significant quantities.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Alpha particles}}
|colspan=4; style="background:#C4C5C7"|As alpha particles are almost completely unable to travel through most materials, any of these would effectively stop them. Even if they didn't, the intervening air and distance to Cueball would prevent them being detected in any case. In the third panel, Cueball questions if his equipment is working, as this is the only thing which isn't detected within the first four shields.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|While alpha particles are unable to travel through air, they can move freely in a vacuum. As such, alpha particles are able to reach Cueball in this scenario, activating his detector and allowing Cueball to know that his equipment is indeed working properly.
|colspan=3; style="background:#C4C5C7;"|As with the first four shields, any of these materials would block the particles, and in any case they would have a hard time travelling through air to reach Cueball regardless of the shield provided.
|colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|There are gaps in both the cages through which the particles could pass. In both cases, the emitter has been moved closer to the observer, because otherwise the effect would be masked by the intervening air.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Light}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Light passes easily through air; if it didn't, we would not be able to see.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|As lead is a solid, opaque material, light is not able to pass through it.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Water is mostly transparent to visible light. It will attenuate over long distances, but won't be quickly blocked.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|As glass is a largely transparent substance, light is usually able to pass through it.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Because a lack of air does not impact the travel of light, it reaches Cueball without issue.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Cueball is able to use the opaque oven mitts to cover the light source, successfully preventing the light from reaching him.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|The helmet Cueball is wearing is opaque, blocking the light from reaching him. It also makes this a fairly useless set of armor.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|As with the oven mitts, Hairy uses the helmet part of the biohazard suit to block the light source.
|colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|As both types of cages have holes in them, it is easy for the light to pass through the holes and reach Cueball.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Sound}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air is the most common medium through which we perceive sound. It would not serve as an effective barrier between a source of sound and someone's ears, unless it was over a very great distance.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Lead is very dense, and is in fact used for soundproofing due to its resistance to buffeting by airborne sound waves. But, as an extremely dense solid, it is a very fast conductor of vibration within itself (so long as the thickness of the material does not invoke the dampening softness and attenuate those vibrations). In this case, Megan is directly knocking upon the lead screen itself, which seems to be enough for the sound of the knocking to emerge at Cueball's side.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Sound travels significantly faster and further in water than in air, making it difficult to locate and understand, but certainly not doing any good when it comes to ''blocking'' sound. The image in this square is of a dolphin,[[[285: Wikipedian Protester#top|''cetacean needed'']]] detecting fish using sound waves, which it is very good at doing precisely ''because'' its sounds travel very well through water.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Glass, while useful for muffling sound, cannot block it entirely, as anyone whose neighbors mow the lawn at 6:00 can attest to.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|"In space, no one can hear you scream." In a vacuum (like space), there are no atoms or molecules to carry sound waves.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Oven mitts are thick enough that they block some of the sound if a person shouts into them, but it will not be enough to fully block out the sound.
| colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|The two cases of whether sound can penetrate suits are the only two cases where Cueball is trying (successfully) to inflict the phenomenon on [[Megan]], who otherwise features only as the (attempted) instigator. Neither suit is able (or intended) to significantly block sound waves.
| colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|The cages are open enough that their ability to block sound is negligible, and standing in one will do very little to block out sound.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Heat}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air can be a fairly effective thermal insulator when constrained, as in {{w|aerogels}} and many types of insulation. However, freely moving air as depicted in this panel flows as it heats up, transferring heat from the campfire to Cueball's marshmallow. Additionally, air does little to block thermal radiation from the heat source.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Lead conducts heat, allowing Cueball to toast a marshmallow on the surface of the shield. However, since lead is poisonous, he should not do this.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Heat will raise the temperature of water. If the temperature is raised high enough the water will start to boil; boiling has long been used by humanity to prepare food. Marshmallows however are not meant to be boiled.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Cueball appears to be holding a glass bottle over an open fire, into which he has presumably placed his marshmallows. Depending on the temperature, the type of glass and its thickness, it is possible to heat the contents of a glass container, but if the container is unsuitable this can be dangerous to the user. Also, it is unclear how he proposes to consume the sticky marshmallow mess this would create.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|The lack of matter in a vacuum completely blocks transmission by conduction and convection, the two main ways in which heat is spread. It still allows transmission by radiation, which is less efficient. For the specific example of the thermos shown in the image, the way they are constructed completely blocks radiation, but there are enough residual air particles for a very slow convection. The fact that the shielding is made from one single (very thin) piece, and it has lips, also allows some conduction.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Cueball is holding a pan over an open fire while wearing oven mitts. Pans whose grip or handle is not made of a material that conducts less heat than the pan proper are dangerous to grab onto with one's bare hands: wearing oven mitts protects the user from heat. It should be noted that, depending on the weight of the pan and the time the pan needs to be held over a fire to prepare its contents, this can be quite tiring for the user. Also, this implies that oven mitts are a better heat shield than a vacuum, which isn't correct (at least as far as pure heat conduction goes).
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A suit of armor is made of metal, which will conduct the heat and do little to protect one's hands against an open flame. The inside of the gloves will be made of some kind of cloth and/or leather, which, as well as giving little protection, might pose a fire hazard.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Bio-hazard suits are designed to help filter air and allow the user to handle dangerous chemicals. However, most bio-hazard suits are made out of fabrics with a laminate coating, both of which are prone to burning and allow heat to pass through.
| colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|Both cages have a minimal effect on the heat from a fire. Depending on the intensity of the fire and the distance from the cage this can create a comfortably warm temperature to the person inside of the cage.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Swords}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air has a negligible force against objects and is unable to stop Megan's sword's thrust.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Lead is a heavy and dense metal, and as a result, it can stop blows from a sword.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|While water has a greater force than air against objects, it is still not enough to stop Megan's attack.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Glass is easily broken by sharp blows, especially if it isn't tempered, and as a result does not stop Megan's sword.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A vacuum has no resistance against objects and unsurprisingly is not able to stop Megan's attack.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Oven mitts are typically made of fabric, which would provide only limited protection. They also do not cover the full body.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|The metallic armor Cueball is wearing was probably designed to stop penetrating and slashing sword blows, with further layers beneath to dampen impacts.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Swords are sharp, and as such are able to break through the thin hazmat suit Cueball is wearing.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A Faraday cage can be a fine mesh, optimal to screen out various radio frequencies of EM radiation but not intended to stop anything else and comparatively delicate against any physical penetration.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A shark cage, while able to provide resistance against larger threats, has holes through which Megan's sword can go.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Particulate matter#Health problems|Toxic dust}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Dust can travel through air, hanging onto small currents. Air does nothing to protect Cueball.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|{{w|Lead poisoning|Lead is poisonous}}, so while a solid lead barrier would prevent toxic dust from passing through, any dust or metal fragments from the shield would still be dangerous.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Water actually can be {{w|Dust abatement|used to prevent the spread of dust}}. However, toxic dust that gets into drinking water will {{w|Water pollution#Groundwater pollution|contaminate it}}, and could cause health problems, just as airborne toxic dust can.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Dust cannot travel through glass, and being fully encased in a glass bell protects one from dust (though it would bring its own problems).
| style="background:#FFF978;"|With no air to slow it down, dust in space can move at dangerously high speeds, possibly fast enough to tear through Cueball's space suit.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Oven mitts are worn on the hands and do not normally interfere with one's breathing. However, if there is a notable amount of toxic dust in the air, holding an oven mitt over one's face is better than no protection.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A suit of armor still allows the wearer to breathe, and provides no particular protection from dust.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A biohazard suit is fully enclosed with its own internal oxygen supply, and so protects the wearer from airborne particles.
| colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|Both cages are too open to provide any significant protection against dust.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Radio}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Radio waves are more than able to travel through air. This is what allows walkie-talkies to work.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Although lead is a relatively poor conductor and therefore attenuates radio waves less than most metals, a lead enclosure can still work as a Faraday cage with a sufficiently thick layer of lead.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Radio waves from two-way radios, like the kind shown in the comic, {{w|Radio propagation#Direct modes (line-of-sight)|cannot penetrate deep water}}. There are {{w|Radio propagation#Surface modes (groundwave)|radio frequencies that ''can'' penetrate deep water}}, but these have a much lower frequency, require more powerful transmitters, and (in the case of {{w|Extremely low frequency#Difficulties of ELF communication|extremely low frequencies}}) cannot transmit audio.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|In a similar way that glass is transparent to visual light, it is also transparent to radio waves, allowing them to pass through.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|As there is nothing getting in the way of radio waves in a vacuum, radios work very well in space. This allows ground control to communicate with astronauts in space.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Oven mitts, typically being made of fabric, have no effect on radio waves.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A metal suit of armor blocks radio waves. This is because metals are very good electrical conductors, which block the radio waves.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Biohazard suits do not block radio waves, and someone wearing such a suit can send and receive radio transmissions without issue.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A {{w|Faraday cage}} is specifically designed to block electromagnetic fields such as radio waves. In fact, this is the ''only'' 'hazard' here that it blocks.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|The openings in a shark cage are too wide for the cage to experience the properties of a Faraday cage.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Sharks}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Sharks cannot travel very far on land or in the air.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Shielding yourself with lead plates will effectively protect you against sharks.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Sharks live in water, so water is not an effective shield against sharks.{{cn}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Glass will effectively protect you against sharks, provided that it is thick enough. In fact, sharks are commonly (and safely) shown to the public in aquariums.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|In the vacuum of space, Cueball is very far from sharks' ocean habitat (though he may be at risk of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5xcvAoKojo dolphins]).
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Although shark-shaped Oven mitts are quite common due to their similar appearance, oven mitts are not very effective at stopping sharks.{{cn}}
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Depending on the design of the armor, a shark might be able to permanently deform it enough that it causes injury, though the more flexible {{w|Chain_mail#Practical_uses|chain mail}} ''is'' successfully used to prevent actual piercing damage from bites.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A biohazard suit is weak enough that a shark can rip through it.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A Faraday cage is weak enough that a shark can rip through it.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A shark cage is specifically designed to protect against sharks. In fact, this is the ''only'' hazard here that it blocks.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[The whole comic is in one panel]
:[A 10x10 matrix sits in the middle with rows labelled as follows:]
:Gamma Rays
:Neutrons
:Alpha Particles
:Light
:Sound
:Heat
:Swords
:Toxic Dust
:Radio
:Sharks
:[The columns are:]
:Air
:Lead
:Water
:Glass
:Vacuum
:Oven Mitts
:Armor
:Bio-Hazard Suit
:Faraday Cage
:Shark Cage


:[In all of the Gamma Ray boxes, Cueball stands next to a gamma ray emitter with a smattering of dots a short distance away from it, which is perched on a table as necessary, a geiger counter held in his hand or worn.]

:[Gamma Rays vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Just standing a few feet from the emitter. The geiger counter Cueball wears beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep!

:[Gamma Rays vs. Lead - gray tile]
:[The gamma ray emitter and the table have a lead enclosure covering them. The geiger counter, held towards everything else in Cueball's hand, does not beep.]

:[Gamma Rays vs. Water - grayish-yellow tile]
:[The gamma ray emitter and table are placed in a large, nearly full, glass of water. Cueball's outstretched geiger counter beeps once:] Beep!

:[Gamma Rays vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[A glass 'bell-jar' covers the gamma ray emitter, atop the table, the geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep!

:[Gamma Rays vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[The gamma ray emitter appears to be held within an open hatch of a satellite. The satellite, together with a spacesuited Cueball, can be seen to be in orbit around the Earth. His chest-mounted geiger counter is transmitting three beeps:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Gamma Rays vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile]
:[Megan stands to the left of the gamma ray emitter, wearing oven mitts and covering the emitter with one hand. Cueball’s body-mounted geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Gamma Rays vs. Armor - yellow tile]
:[Cueball stands to the right of the gamma ray emitter wearing a suit of plate armor. From inside the armor, his Geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Gamma Rays vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Cueball stands to the right of the gamma ray emitter wearing a bio-hazard suit. From inside the suit, his Geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Gamma Rays vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is surrounded by a mesh cage. His geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Gamma Rays vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is within a barred cage. His geiger counter beeps three times:] Beep Beep Beep

:[In all of the Neutron boxes, Cueball stands next to a neutron emitter, that looks like two half-sphere shells that are angled slightly open in Cueball's direction, in similar scenarios to the above but with a heftier pedestal in place of the table. No visible effects emit from the emitter. Cueball holds the top handle of the same large detector in each scenario.]

:[Neutrons vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[The detector emits two clicks:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Lead - grayish-yellow tile]
:[The emitter and pedestal are within their lead enclosure. The detector clicks once:] Click

:[Neutrons vs. Water - gray tile]
:[The emitter and pedestal are in the large glass of water. The detector makes no noise.]

:[Neutrons vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[The glass bell-jar covers the pedestalled emitter. The detector clicks twice:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[The emitter sits in the satellite's open hatch. Spacesuited Cueball's hand-held detector transmits two clicks:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile]
:[Megan wears oven gloves and covers the emitter, on its pedestal, with both hands. Cueball's detector clicks twice:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Armor - yellow tile]
:[Cueball has removed his armor’s helmet and placed it over the emitter. His detector clicks twice:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Cueball stands as normal, having draped his unworn biohazard suit over the emitter, leaving the hood on the floor. His detector sounds two clicks:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Within his mesh cage, two clicks come from Cueball's detector:] Click Click

:[Neutrons vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Within a barred cage, the detector Cueball holds clicks twice:] Click Click

:[In all of the Alpha Particle boxes, it is a small spherical mass or flask with 'fizzy' strands or dashes, set in the same base scenarios as previously.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Air - gray tile]
:[Cueball is holding a detector and looking at it. The detector is doing nothing.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Lead - gray tile]
:[There is a lead wall between the alpha particle source and Cueball. Cueball's worn detector is doing nothing.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Water - gray tile]
:[The alpha particle item is stood in a large glass of water. Cueball is holding a detector and looking at it. The detector is doing nothing.]
:[Cueball:] Does this thing even work?

:[Alpha Particles vs. Glass - gray tile]
:[The source, on its table, is covered by a bell-jar. Cueball stands looking at it, wearing a detector that does nothing.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[The source of alpha particles is inside the open satellite hatch. Spacesuited Cueball floats nearby, with a detector that transmits three beeps:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Alpha Particles vs. Oven Mitts - gray tile]
:[Megan wears over mitts, placing one over the source on its table. Cueball looks ok, his worn detector doing nothing.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Armor - gray tile]
:[Cueball, in his full suit of armor, has picked up the source from its table and is holding it directly in his hand. There is no sign of any detector activity occuring.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - gray tile]
:[Cueball, wearing the bio-hazard suit, looks impassively at the source on the top of its table. There are no beeps.]

:[Alpha Particles vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[The table with the source has been moved to be right next to the mesh cage. Cueball, inside the cage, presses right up to the inside of the same mesh edge, putting his detector right next to it. There are three beeps:] Beep Beep Beep

:[Alpha Particles vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Again, the source, on its table, is right next to the bars of the cage. And, again, Cueball is pressed right up against (and perhaps through) the inside edge of the cage. Three beeps sound:] Beep Beep Beep

:[In all of the light boxes, Megan points a brightly lit battery torch towards Cueball.]

:[Light vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Megan points the torch towards Cueball. Rays of lights splay out over Cueball's face as he instinctively holds one arm protectively over his eyes.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Light vs. Lead - gray tile]
:[Megan points the torch towards Cueball, but only illuminates a lead wall that stands between them. Cueball makes no reaction.]

:[Light vs. Water - grayish-yellow tile]
:[Megan stands nose-deep in the giant glass of water, aiming her shining torch out through the water and out of the glass towards Cueball. Cueball shields his eyes with his arm, but is silent.]

:[Light vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[Megan stands within a person-sized bell-jar, shining her torch towards Cueball, who is outside and shielding his eyes.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Light vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[Megan and Cueball, in spacesuits (i.e. with 'fishbowl helmets'), are seen orbiting high above the planet below. Megan holds a torch, shining it towards Cueball.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Light vs. Oven Mitts - gray tile]
:[Megan points her torch towards Cueball. Cueball wears oven-gloves, and casually holds one begloved hand over the end of the torch, from which no light is seen.]

:[Light vs. Armor - grey tile]
:[Megan shones her torch upon the armored figure of Cueball, whose helmet visor is down.]
:[Cueball:] Nope.

:[Light vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - grey tile]
:[Megan makes to point her torch at Cueball, who is dressed in all but the hood of his bio-hazard suit. He holds the hood out, fully covering Megan's torch.]

:[Light vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[The torch is pointed by Megan towards Cueball, arm across his eyes as he stands within in his mesh cage.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Light vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Megan's torch shines through the bars of the cage at Cueball, his arm protectively held up.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[In most of the sound boxes, Megan appears to be screaming in Cueball's direction.]

:[Sound vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Cueball stands with his hands over his ears, as a tensed-up Megan lets out a loud scream.]
:[Megan:] AAAAAAAAA!

:[Sound vs. Lead - yellow tile]
:[Between Megan and Cueball is a full-height thick lead wall. Megan is tapping on her side.]
:[Megan:] Knock Knock
:[Cueball:] Who is it?

:[Sound vs. Water - yellow tile]
:[An underwater scene, showing sea-floor with various corals/sea-plants. Just above is a dolphin, projecting sound waves towards two small fish.]

:[Sound vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[Megan is stood within her person-sized bell-jar, screaming loudly. The bell-jar is vibrating. Cueball is covering his ears.]
:[Megan, in notably distorted text:] AAAAAAAA!

:[Sound vs. Vacuum - grey tile]
:[Megan and Cueball float in space, high above the planet. They are both wearing space helmets. An abortive speech-bubble emerges from Megan's helmet.]
:[Megan:] .....

:[Sound vs. Oven Mitts - greyish-yellow tile]
:[Megan stands to the left of Cueball, wearing oven-gloves. Her hands are over her mouth, muffling her attempts to say anything.]
:[Megan:] <two lines of unintelligble sounds>

:[Sound vs. Armor - yellow tile]
:[Megan is holding her hands over her ears. Cueball is wearing his suit of armor, which is vibrating, while he emits a large scream.]
:[Cueball:] AAAAAAAAA!

:[Sound vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Megan has her hands over her ears. Cueball is screaming from within his bio-hazard suit.]
:[Cueball:] AAAAAAAAA!

:[Sound vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Megan is yelling at Cueball, standing within his mesh cage with his hands over his ears.]
:[Megan:] AAAAAAAA!

:[Sound vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Megan yells, as Cueball holds his hands over his ears behind the bars of the cage.]
:[Megan:] AAAAAAAA!

:[All of the fire boxes show a small campfire, or other more expansive flames. In all but one case, Cueball is present. In most of these instances, he is holding a marshmallow, sometimes at the end of a long stick.]

:[Heat vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[There is a campfire, with Cueball extending a stick-speared marshmallow over it.]

:[Heat vs. Lead - yellow tile]
:[A campfire has a lead slab propped up above it. Cueball's marshmallow-stick is being held to its upper surface.]
:[Marshmallow:] TSSSSS
:[Voice from off-panel:] NO!

:[Heat vs. Water - yellow tile]
:[A campfire heats a cauldron/cooking-pot held over it. Cueball dips his stick with a marshmallow into the container as splashes/vapor emerge. Megan stands behind Cueball.]
:[Cueball:] They're better boiled.
:[Megan:] NO!

:[Heat vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[With a campfire between them, Megan and Cueball stand with sticks in their hands, held close to the fire. Megan has speared her own marshmallow. Cueball holds something, that looks like a wine bottle, in a forked/looped end, a few small puffs of vapor emerging from open top of the bottle.]

:[Heat vs. Vacuum - greyish-yellow tile]
:[Surrounded by a general setting of flames, there appears to be a cross-section of a vacuum flask. The neck of the flask is plugged. The inside of the flask appears to be half full of liquid with some solid chunks floating in it.]
:[Arrowed label, pointing at the flask's chunks:] Ice

:[Heat vs. Oven Mitts - grey tile]
:[Megan and Cueball stand around the campfire, Megan holding her marshmallow-on-a-stick. Cueball is wearing oven gloves and, with one hand almost over the flames, is holding the handle of a frying pan that is actually in the flames. Something (possibly a marshmallow) seems to be sizzling in the pan.]

:[Heat vs. Armor - yellow tile]
:[Megan is holding her marshmallow stick over the campfire. Cueball is holding his marshmallow over the fire, directly in his gauntleted hand, as he wears the full armor.]
:[Cueball:] OW! OW!

:[Heat vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Around the campfire, Megan toasts her marshmallow normally. Cueball wears his biohazard suit, holding his gloved hand close to the flames whilst holding a marshmallow.]
:[Cueball:] Ow! Ow!

:[Heat vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[The campfire is built just to the left of the mesh cage, within which Cueball is standing.]
:[Cueball:] Mmm, warm.

:[Heat vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball's cage has a campfire just outside its bars.]
:[Cueball:] Mmm, warm.



:[In all of the sword boxes, Megan is thrusting a sword rightwards, towards/into Cueball, in this row. Cueball also holds a sword, in all but one case, but lowered and not in a defensive manner.]

:[Swords vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Megan is poking Cueball with a sword.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Lead - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a lead container as Megan hits her sword against the outside of it, making a metallic sound:] Clank

:[Swords vs. Water - yellow tile]
:[Cueball and Megan are both underwater, wearing diving gear. Megan is poking Cueball with her sword.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[Megan is standing in her person-sized bell jar; however, she has smashed a hole in the side and is now poking Cueball with her sword through the hole.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[Cueball and Megan are floating in space, wearing spacesuits. Megan is poking Cueball with her sword.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile]
:[Cueball stands next to Megan, wearing oven mitts. Megan is poking him with her sword.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Armor - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a suit of armor next to Megan. She tries to poke him but cannot penetrate the armor, instead producing a metallic "clink"]
:[Cueball:] Ha!

:[Swords vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is wearing his biohazard suit as Megan pokes him with her sword.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing inside a person-sized Faraday cage as Megan pokes him with her sword through the mesh.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Swords vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing inside of a shark cage as Megan pokes him with her sword through the bars.]
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[In all of the tiles in the Toxic Dust row, clouds, and further particulate specks, illustrate the toxic dust, in several cases, apparently being discharged by a burning brazier. All tiles have Cueball in the scene.]

:[Toxic Dust vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing next to a container resembling a metal trash can, with flames visible on top and a cloud of smoke and particulates rising from the flames.]

:[Toxic Dust vs. Lead - grayish-yellow tile]
:[The burning trash can is encased in a rectangular lead box. Cueball is touching the outside of the lead box as a few particulates are coming off of it.]
:[Cueball:] This shield is also ''producing'' toxic dust.

:[Toxic Dust vs. Water - yellow tile]
:[Cueball and Megan are both standing (presumably) outside, watching as particulates hover in the air. There are a few clouds present as well.]
:[Cueball:] Don't worry, this will all be safely absorbed by the groundwater.

:[Toxic Dust vs. Glass - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a person-sized bell jar as toxic dust floats around the outside of it.]

:[Toxic Dust vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is floating in space next to a satellite with an open hatch that is emitting toxic dust.]
:[Satellite:] Achoo!
:[Cueball:] My suit!

:[Toxic Dust vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing next to the burning trash can and covering his face with an oven-mitted hand.]
:[Cueball:] ''Cough''

:[Toxic Dust vs. Armor - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing next to the burning trash can in a suit of armor.]
:[Cueball:] ''Cough''

:[Toxic Dust vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing next to the burning trash can while wearing his biohazard suit. He is unaffected by the toxic dust it is producing.]

:[Toxic Dust vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing next to the burning trash can in a person-sized Faraday cage.]
:[Cueball:] ''Cough''

:[Toxic Dust vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a shark cage next to the burning trash can.]
:[Cueball:] ''Cough''

:[Most tiles in the radio row depict Cueball carrying a two-way radio handset, except where the transceiver appears to be part of the various protective suits that he is wearing.]

:[Radio vs. Air - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is holding a handheld two-way radio in his right hand, close to his face, and speaking into it. A voice from the radio is responding to him.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base, come in.
:[Radio:] Go ahead.

:[Radio vs. Lead - gray tile
:[Cueball is standing inside a lead box, again holding the radio close to his face.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base, come in? Hello?

:[Radio vs. Water - gray tile]
:[Cueball is underwater, in a diving suit. He is once again holding a hand radio. Bubbles are rising from his helmet and a shark is swimming underneath him.]
:[Cueball:] Hello?

:[Radio vs. Glass - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing inside a person-sized bell jar, holding the radio close to his face.]
:[Cueball:] Is this... part of the mission?
:[Radio:] Sure.

:[Radio vs. Vacuum - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is floating in space next to the satellite. He is not visibly holding a radio, implying that it is integrated into his spacesuit.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base, I have the package.

:[Radio vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile
:[Cueball is wearing oven mitts while holding the radio close to his face.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base, tactical mitts acquired.
:[Radio:] Copy that.

:[Radio vs. Armor - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a suit of armor. He is not visibly holding a radio.]
:[Cueball:] Repeat that? My suit radio is having issues.

:[Radio vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is wearing his biohazard suit. He is not visibly holding a radio.]
:[Cueball: Copy that.]

:[Radio vs. Faraday Cage - gray tile
:[Cueball is standing inside a person-sized Faraday cage, holding the radio close to his face.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base? Come in?

:[Radio vs. Shark Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is standing in a shark cage, holding the radio close to his face.]
:[Cueball:] Eagle Base, why am I-
:[Radio:] Don't worry about it.

:[All tiles in the Shark row depict a shark, except when only the shark's fin is seen emerging from a body of water. Cueball is somehow present in each case.]

:[Sharks vs. Air - gray tile]
:[Cueball is standing on land next to a body of water. A shark fin is protruding from the surface of the water.]

:[Sharks vs. Lead - gray tile]
:[Cueball, wearing diving gear, is standing on the ocean floor in a person-sized lead container. A few small fish are swimming above and to the left of him and a shark is floating below the fish.]

:[Sharks vs. Water - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is again underwater, wearing diving gear. He is very close to a shark and seems to be pointing at it.]
:[Cueball:] Kitty!

:[Sharks vs. Glass - gray tile]
:[The shark is now in a water tank, behind a wall of glass. Cueball and Megan are standing next to the tank, looking at what is likely an informative plaque in front of it.]

:[Sharks vs. Vacuum - gray tile]
:[Cueball is floating in space. Earth is visible in the background, with a shark fin visibly protruding from a body of water.]

:[Sharks vs. Oven Mitts - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is underwater, wearing diving gear and oven mitts, he gently touches the shark's snout.]
:[Cueball:] ''Boop!''

:[Sharks vs. Armor - grayish-yellow tile]
:[Cueball is underwater, now wearing a suit of armor. The shark appears to be biting his armored right hand.]
:[Shark:] cronch cronch
:[Cueball:] Ow.

:[Sharks vs. Bio-Hazard Suit - yellow tile]
:[Cueball, underwater and wearing his biohazard suit, is now petting the shark on its snout.]
:[Cueball:] Good kitty!

:[Sharks vs. Faraday Cage - yellow tile]
:[Cueball is inside an underwater Faraday cage, which is suspended by a tether going straight up. The shark is in the process of tearing apart the cage.]
:[Cueball:] ''No! Bad kitty!''

:[Sharks vs. Shark Cage - gray tile]
:[Cueball is underwater, in a shark cage suspended from one side by a tether going straight up. The shark is swimming a short distance away from the cage.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Confusion matrices]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

Talk:3179: Fishing

2026-02-18T23:48:57Z

Xkdvd:

The tug on a fishing line would be measured in newtons, not kilograms. [[Special:Contributions/76.187.17.7|76.187.17.7]] 04:30, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
: It's at least a C+ [[Special:Contributions/65.35.15.18|65.35.15.18]] 05:12, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
: Yes, but he is not measuring the force, he is measuring the "weight" (mass) of the thing he thinks he hooked. (e.g. a 5 lb fish)[[Special:Contributions/2603:8000:5E00:2913:EE02:2D56:E960:2CDE|2603:8000:5E00:2913:EE02:2D56:E960:2CDE]] 05:21, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
::[[123:_Centrifugal_Force]] --[[Special:Contributions/88.65.244.212|88.65.244.212]] 20:18, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
::He can't be weighing the object, it is under water. He can only be estimating its mass. BTW, the Earth is weightless, as it is in free fall. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 15:02, 13 December 2025 (UTC)

YAY BERET GUY![[User:Mathmaster|Mathmaster]] ([[User talk:Mathmaster|talk]])

Beret Guy's estimate is, of course, absurd (or it would be for anyone else). His lifting capacity, the breaking points of his line and rod, the buoyancy of his boat and the force to break loose an individual piece of rock (the lowest of which would mark the upper bounds for his estimate) are (many) orders of magnitude lower than the force required to haul a 10^24 kg catch into the boat [citation needed, I guess] [[User:627235|627235]] ([[User talk:627235|talk]]) 11:42, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:He's not saying that he can reel it in, just estimating the size of the "fish" he's hooked. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 14:57, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:When he pulls, there is a little bit of give (infinitesimal) as the planet moves - he might be sensing that and estimating based on it. Assuming you know the properties of the fishing line, like its stretch, and of the boat's surface area, buoyancy. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to estimate given perfect knowledge of the water, boat, line, forces, etc, even if the Earth is much more massive than the boat being pulled downwards [[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 15:22, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:At that massive scale, wouldn’t the upper bound of weight he could detect the buoyancy of the boat - beyond that he is no longer pulling anything up, but pulling himself down - so that the resistance he feels is the buoyancy keeping the boat up? [[Special:Contributions/71.17.36.59|71.17.36.59]] 16:18, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:You have to have a 'feel' for the potential elongation of the line (which depends a bit upon knowing how much you've deployed), the properties of the rod and (at least for fish, which weigh 'nothing', when they wish to be neutrally buoyant, but have a muscle-related resistive power and a degree of swim-bladder 'weight adjustment) the pseudo-weight that a given size of likely catch (of a likely species) fights against your line-tug with. You can get fooled that a static-snag is actively fighting you if you think you're ''only'' dealing with a fairly shallow fish when you've managed to snag onto something somewhat deeper so that the resonance of your attempts to pull give you the feeling of a reaction that's more just some kind of Young's Modulus/Hooke's Law artefact. It all feels completely different from a fish finally wrested entirely out of the water, and even allows a catch that's heavier than the eventual breaking-stress of your line (or weight+its effort to be greater than that) to be gradually played towards you while in the water, tiring it and bringing it into reach of your grasp/catch-net that will do the actual work of landing it.
:Though, in this case, I think that Beret Guy ''knows'' how much line he is using/etc, and that he's hooked a planet (however that feels) rather than a more actively resisting (and tiring) seacreature. But by the ''very subtle'' reaction of the body to 'test tugs' (accounting for how this also moves the boat) he has correctly (within an order of magnitude!) assessed its 'dry mass'.
:(A cynic might ask what ''other'' masses he might have caught, between Earth-sized and the next most massive mass that's hookable in this manner... a large part of the Titanic..? Having established that it 'tugs back' more than the latter, then Earth would be the only logical target to lead to such a 'logical guess' of mass. Though even establishing that it isn't a massive shipwreck probably needs extremely well tuned supersenses to rule out. So we can probably still consider it a preternatural Skill Of Beret Guy, even to do that.) [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 19:56, 11 December 2025 (UTC)

Planets don't have a catch size limit. By definition, a planet has cleared its neighborhood, meaning there's no need to maintain a breeding population. Now, dwarf planets and small solar system bodies are a different story, and the rules are rather strict. [[Special:Contributions/209.188.63.98|209.188.63.98]] 19:08, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:I don't know whether you're ''supposed'' to throw planets back, if they're too small, but everybody knows that ''nobody tosses a dwarf''... [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 22:11, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
:: Throwing planets back can have catastrophic effects on the local neighbourhood if you're not very careful about ''how'' you throw them back. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:40, 12 December 2025 (UTC)

Beret Guy is surprisingly inaccurate on this one. You'd need to divide the actual weight of Earth by 6 to his estimated weight. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 19:23, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
: I was wondering about that, and at first considered that he was either only referring to the mass of the Earth's crust (two orders of magnitude lighter), or including the mantle (factor or 4 heavier). Both options are way off. It's probably just a Fermi estimate. [[Special:Contributions/2A02:590:1200:E001:EC09:A5D:4C27:42F3|2A02:590:1200:E001:EC09:A5D:4C27:42F3]] 21:32, 11 December 2025 (UTC)
: He did say it was *at least* 10^24, which is not wrong... But you're right, he is off by quite a bit. [[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 13:44, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
:: I'd like to see you do any better. ;) [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 19:31, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
::: Just gave a rock a tug. Feels like six trillion trillion kilos, roughly. lmao [[User:R128|R128]] ([[User talk:R128|talk]]) 20:03, 12 December 2025 (UTC)

Any reason to believe this is an ocean instead of a lake? I changed the transcript to make it more generic, but like "seafloor" better than "bottom," so would change it back if there is some reason to know it is an ocean. [[User:Bobthegoat123|Bobthegoat123]] ([[User talk:Bobthegoat123|talk]]) 19:48, 11 December 2025 (UTC)

Has anyone considered that Beret Guy might be fishing on a different PLANET entirely? That would the explain the different mass he found. [[Special:Contributions/47.152.132.12|47.152.132.12]] 19:03, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
:What different mass? "At least 1024 kilograms" is pretty darn close. ''And'' not even slightly excessive. Seems like a (very) good estimate of the Earth's mass to me. [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 19:29, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
:: The Earth's mass is 5.97 x 1024 kilograms. The actual mass of the Earth is around 6 times 1024. [[Special:Contributions/47.152.132.12|47.152.132.12]] 03:25, 13 December 2025 (UTC)
::: Yes, pretty darned close, given the magnitude. Almost 97% the same, comparing ln/ln. [[Special:Contributions/78.144.255.82|78.144.255.82]] 19:43, 13 December 2025 (UTC)

What's incomplete about the transcript? [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 23:48, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:980: Money

2026-02-18T21:48:30Z

Xkdvd:

"Show me the money" was popularised as a quote from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character in Jerry McGuire with Tom Cruise. {{unsigned ip|80.254.147.164}}

Since 1950s the work of the production workers got largely automated, so there is a much lower skill requirement. The skilled jobs have largely moved to the post-industrial economy. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.111|108.162.245.111]] 02:26, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

The typical annual housing cost looks like a vast underestimation (by approximately a factor of 2 or more). If not just cities but the whole metro areas are included, it looks closer to reality. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.111|108.162.245.111]] 02:26, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

The year 2009 was a very pessimistic one for the evaluation of net worth, both stock and housing investments being down. By the year 2014 the stock had rebounded by a factor close to 2, and the housing had grown in price as well (by a lesser factor). A large portion older people's net worth would be kept in bonds which not only didn't lose value but even grew in value in 2009, which would account for the difference in the distribution. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.111|108.162.245.111]] 02:26, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

The reason why the US state taxes are declared to be regressive on the chart is that a large part of them comes from taxing the consumption (sales tax, real estate tax, excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, gasoline and vehicle taxes for road maintenance). The higher-income households invest a larger portion of their income instead of spending it on consumption. The actual state income tax rates are universally progressive. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.111|108.162.245.111]] 02:26, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

A bunch of odds & ends:
1. In the J.K.Rowling reference in Millions, I think what's going on is that MC Frontalot claims that given how her career has gone, her net worth -is- the 1 billion dollars on the left, but if she had been a rapper, it -would be- the $82,000 on the right.
2. In the Book Publishing Industry box in Billions (bottom left), there's a figure of Waldo from the Where's Waldo book series.
3. In Billions, the Coca-Cola related box at top center refers to an ad from the late 1960s. The jingle was based on a then-popular song (I forget the artist), and included the lyrics:
"I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
"I'd like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company..."
4. In Billions, under the Coke box, is US State governments' spending. Randall has tried to imitate the states' shapes and relative positions.
5. In Billions, in the Individual Tax Deductions section (top center), one sort of deduction listed is Cafeteria Plans. This has nothing (at least, extremely little) to do with food. A cafeteria plan is a form of benefit offered by some corporations, in which employees can choose from a menu of benefits which ones they want. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.40|108.162.219.40]] 09:55, 7 March 2014 (UTC)
"Show me the money" is also a cheat code in Starcraft. [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 22:03, 9 June 2014 (UTC)

I tried to make a transcript. But [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] did not like that? I have asked why on his [[User_talk:Dgbrt#980:_Money|talk page]]. I was planning to do some collapse of the transcript like in the themes for [[1350#Themes|Lorenz]]. So it would not take up so much space. As the explain is now it is hopeless... [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:52, 11 June 2014 (UTC)
:In my opinion that belongs to the explain section. The simple, but original, transcript is ok — any further details would shown up twice. The explain section is the right place for your nice adds. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:28, 11 June 2014 (UTC)
::I have now moved the transcript out of the explanation. For the full transcript see [[980: Money/Transcript]] (there is a link from the short - visible in small image only - transcript. So far the first two section, Dollars and Thousands are completed. But that was the easy part... So everyone feel free to help. There is an explanation on how I have designed it at the top. Once it is finished it would be possible to use it in the explanation by referring to the sections in this complete transcript.[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:25, 13 June 2014 (UTC)
:::Well I guess no one wished to join in, but at least I can take credit for making a complete transcript of this huge comic. Today I completed the last section I was missing, and it only took me 18 days to finish... I hope it can be used to build up a complete explanation by way of referring to this in the explanation. Please enjoy what amounts to 50 pages of A4 or almost 20.000 words (122.455 signs) Auuch :-) [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:49, 24 June 2014 (UTC)

Got a link?[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:46, 22 January 2015 (UTC)

The same vague incomplete tag has been on this comic since february, with more than 50 edits since. Kynde has done an great job with the transcript, and I'm not sure what is left for it to be marked complete. Either we mark complete, or we need to specify clearly what is remaining to do. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 15:48, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
:Wow, Kynde has done a lot of work! If there's actually anything left, can someone say what it is? (Like Pudder was saying.)--[[User:Davak72|Davak72]] ([[User talk:Davak72|talk]]) 02:57, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
::Thanks guys. That means allot. Yes I think there is lot to say yet. But of course not on the transcript. I had fun making it, but it took a looong looong time. So I lost the wind after I finished it. But now I have linked to the transcript. And moved the Price tables to a new page. But there is almost now explanation for the individual items. And I found out how many interesting things there are in this comic. Maybe the tables on the main page should also have their own page, they could make reference to the transcript and then at least have some explanation for each minor section from the transcript. This will take a long time too. But my transcript will help allot. And for one thing no one has mentioned here that there is a Waldo from Where is Waldo. I have done this now ;-) Enjoy the search! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:41, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
:::Cool! Thanks [[User:Davak72|Davak72]] ([[User talk:Davak72|talk]]) 15:33, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Where's Star Wars? There's a category but... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.52|172.69.62.52]] 00:12, 9 March 2018 (UTC)
:''{{w|Star Wars (film)|Star Wars}}'' (meaning ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'') is in the '''Billions''' section, along the left edge, within the '''Box Office Revenue''' box, at 1977. Its revenue is listed as $1.681 billion, "adjusted for monetary inflation but not ticket price inflation," and by that measure is third overall in this list, behind ''{{w|Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind}}'' ($3.157 billion, 1939) and ''{{w|Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|Snow White}}'' ($2.8417 billion, 1937), and ahead of ''{{w|Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar}}'' (2009) at $0.78351 billion. (You can also find these in the [[980: Money/Transcript#Box office revenue|transcript]], and in the [[980: Money/Prices in tables#Box office revenue|tables]].) I'm wondering if this only considers ''U.S.'' box office revenue, since, for example, ''Avatar'' earned over $2 billion worldwide at the box office? – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 15:44, 16 September 2020 (UTC)

Where is Eminem... He had a net worth of $131,541?,684 at the time, definitely enough to qualify on the chart. Not to mention he is arguably more famous than anyone else on that list. ⟨Winter is coming⟩ [[User:Marethyu|Marethyu]] — [[User talk:Marethyu|Tᵃˡᵏ]] 22:04, 9 May 2022 (UTC)

Why is this in [[:Category:Ghostbusters]]?
:That would be the mention under the "Box office revenue" section. (Whether this means that many other potential categories should now also be added is a different question.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.163.166|172.70.163.166]] 12:16, 5 March 2025 (UTC)
:Ctrl + F is your friend: [[980: Money/Transcript]] --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:20, 5 March 2025 (UTC)

The US foreign aid section has a typo---it lists economic/humanitarian aid as equaling military aid when in fact (as of publication) it was much greater. Plus, the boxes have sizes not reflecting the numbers shown, further suggesting that this is a typo [[Special:Contributions/35.151.32.161|35.151.32.161]] 03:57, 6 December 2025 (UTC)

This features Ron Paul. in the millions section, the chunk that has a thick bar of blue, and a square of red and white to the right of the blue, the small rectangle of red at the top right corner of the biggest chunk of white in that chunk is Ron Paul's. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 21:48, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3208: SNEWS

2026-02-17T23:20:50Z

Xkdvd:

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)
: No, you're wrong. It stands for Southeast, North East West South, since those are the directions where it can detect them. - [[Special:Contributions/45.178.1.151|45.178.1.151]] 01:41, 17 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)
::I could see it as a missing word "setting off of fireworks indoors" seems OK in American to me, though then I'd want a the: "The setting off of fireworks indoors"[[User:Lordpishky|Lord Pishky]] ([[User talk:Lordpishky|talk]]) 05:57, 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)

: Yes, but the threshold is too far away to have happened yet. Supernova neutrinos have [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_neutrinos 10^10 to 10^20 MeV]. Judging by the table at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurements_of_neutrino_speed Overview on neutrino speed], assuming we are about right about the mass of a neutrino, neutrinos that energetic would be traveling within a factor of 10-42 of ''c'', so they would need to have traveled for "a few"×1042 light hours, or a few 1038 years for the photons to catch up. Since the universe is less than 1.4×1010 years old, it'll be another few 1038 years until that happens. [[User:DoSnews|DoSnews]] ([[User talk:DoSnews|talk]]) 03:46, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
::Ah, interesting. And at that distance, the supernova would have to be unimaginably big to even notice/detect? Also, wouldn't it have to be far away enough that it would have traveled for so long the light gets redshifted into oblivion? [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 04:17, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
:::Since SN neutrino detections are tens of neutrinos an increase of even a few times the distances currently detected would render the neutrino pulse undetectable. And the optical event is stretched by time for the photons to migrate to the surface as well as glow from material heated by the explosion and decay heat from ejected material. If we consider only those photons from the explosion "lucky" enough to manage not to hit anything on the way out of the star/remnant they should arrive first by an undetectable time. Also, the explosion itself once triggered has to propagate across millions of miles of the stellar core so the explosion event is at least several seconds long.[[User:Lordpishky|Lord Pishky]] ([[User talk:Lordpishky|talk]]) 05:47, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
::Not 1010–1020, but 10–20. [[Special:Contributions/84.2.109.134|84.2.109.134]] 06:30, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
my first edit in almost 5 months i think lol [[User:Psychoticpotato|P?sych??otic?pot??at???o ]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 01:45, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

One of the firework launchers on the device is aimed directly at the bed. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 03:06, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
:Is it? Hard to tell in a 2d drawing... --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:11, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
::By that logic, its also hard to tell if hairy is pointing at the device or not. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 23:20, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

"Ponytail is showing Hairy her bedroom." is the most hilariously euphemistic explanation of what's going on. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:24, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Contrary to the current explanation, a foe is *exactly* equal to 10^44 joules, by definition. 1 erg is 10^-7 J and 1 foe is 10^51 erg. Also, I feel there is a [Citation required] somewhere in the section about the dangers of indoor fireworks. (Not happy about having to run Google's Javascript and helping train their image recognition algorithms on unfamiliar foreign street scenes in order to post here.) [[Special:Contributions/78.33.10.10|78.33.10.10]] 11:22, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
:I took it as being that while a foe is exactly that many joules (being a cm/g/s system derivative, not a m/kg/s one), neither a foe nor the equivalent value in joules are exactly the size of that which we might call a 'foe event', for which it was coined. But might have needed rewriting, as with the whole page (loads of little paragraphs and additions to paragaphs, now, at least needs more sensible reordering/grouping of facts and conjectures). [[Special:Contributions/82.132.239.216|82.132.239.216]] 11:58, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

I'll take the slightly disturbing take that Ponytail would rather die than miss a supernova, hence the fireworks [[User:SevenTheGamingKitty|SevenTheGamingKitty]] ([[User talk:SevenTheGamingKitty|talk]]) 19:46, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

The combustion number for sucrose is wrong. Heat of combustion is 1350kCal/mole, mass per mole is 342g, so you'd need about 2.5kg of sugar, not 0.6 grams. [[User:Dkfenger|Dkfenger]] ([[User talk:Dkfenger|talk]]) 21:11, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

I'm half tempted to mention that it ''might'' not be advantageous to go outside and watch a supernova flare up. It ''shouldn't'' be a problem, as none of the likely candidates are anywhere near close enough to us, but I'm thinking of the story setup for The Day Of Triffids... "Hey, everyone, look up there, where there'll suddenly be a bright light!" ''could'' end up to be not ideal. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:55, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:2262: Parker Solar Probe

2026-02-17T23:15:08Z

Xkdvd:

I thought "down" meant towards the center of the Earth. Apparently I was wrong. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.148|162.158.214.148]] 23:17, 31 January 2020 (UTC)
:Our usual understanding of "down" means "towards the center of the Earth", here Randall is using it as "towards the center of the Sun". If you think about it, down means "towards the pull of gravity", Randall is just changing the gravity source he's referencing. :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:16, 1 February 2020 (UTC)

I think the reference frame used here is a reference to "the enemy's gate is down" from ''Ender's Game'', which is a book that the comic references often. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.69.238|172.69.69.238]] 23:57, 31 January 2020 (UTC)
:No, see my above comment. :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:16, 1 February 2020 (UTC)
::Considering Sagittarius A* is not in picture, I think we can't rule out Ender's Game completely. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:07, 2 February 2020 (UTC)
::This is common in space travel. When entering a new system, down is towards the main star.[[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 04:53, 4 February 2020 (UTC)

To be fair, Ender's Game only applies in a zero-G environment. signed, Mr. Buzzkill. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 14:48, 6 February 2020 (UTC)

Cueball and Megan standing on Earth remind me of the illustrations from {{w|The Little Prince}}. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 00:16, 1 February 2020 (UTC)

Whether or not the use is 'official', I can't help feeling that describing it as a "robotic" probe gives a different impression to some other term such as "(semi-?)autonomous". At the moment it makes me think of VINCENT from {{w|The Black Hole}} (*surely it can't be too long before the Disney trend to re-release "Live Action" remakes of its old features starts to include this, ''The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes'', ''Blackbeard's Ghost'' and ''Herbie Goes Bananas'' - jus' sayin' in passin'...) or Huey/Louie/Dewey from {{w|Silent Running|The Valley Forge}}. But I must check to see how much actuator use it has, other than for once-only 'deployment' like unfolding of solar panels/shielding. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.241|162.158.154.241]] 16:44, 1 February 2020 (UTC)

The orbit GIF moves a little too quickly to see clearly (and might not be fully accurate), but there seem to be some close calls between PSP and Venus, and PSP and Mercury. [[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]]) 00:24, 2 February 2020 (UTC)
:That is correct and intentional. The probe is using [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_assist Gravity Assists] to slow down. As a result, the close flyby with Mercury and Venus are all essential parts of going to the Sun. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.141.148|172.68.141.148]] 01:39, 2 February 2020 (UTC)
::Note the resolution of the picture: what looks as close calls is not THAT close. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:07, 2 February 2020 (UTC)

Who put an extra explanation? We don't need two of the same thing. Could we get that copy cleared, except for the table chart? That can go with the first one.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.226|108.162.241.226]] 14:32, 3 February 2020 (UTC)

Randall was doubly sloppy on the title text. It should be 9-10 ''radii'' form the ''center'', not 9-10 ''diameters'' from the ''surface''. Clarified this in both explanations on this page, I agree that someone should delete one of them.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.98|108.162.229.98]] 12:50, 5 February 2020 (UTC)

As of 2026, 2025 has passed. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 23:15, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:497: Secretary: Part 4

2026-02-17T22:29:08Z

Xkdvd:

The "pew" sound effect that Ron Paul fires back is also a joke -- go look up Pew Charitable Trust on Wikipedia: "Although today the Pew Charitable Trusts is non-partisan and non-ideological, Joseph Pew and his heirs were themselves politically conservative. The mission of the J. Howard Pew Freedom Trust, one of the seven funds, was to "acquaint the American people with the evils of bureaucracy and the values of a free market and to inform our people of the struggle, persecution, hardship, sacrifice and death by which freedom of the individual was won"." {{unsigned ip|64.20.186.2|21:07, 5 March 2013 (UTC)}}

Also, I am 99.9% sure that Tron was not based on a video game; any video games were based on the movie. {{unsigned|‎64.20.186.2}}

:It would appear the Light Cycles portion of Tron is based on a game called "Blockade". In fact, before Tron appeared, I fondly recall playing various versions of this game ([[wikipedia:Snake (video game)]]) on home computers before it became repopularised on Nokia handsets and what-not. Light Disc appears to be based on Pong, although the element of the player having a 2D field of movement was a cool touch. [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 08:04, 25 September 2013 (UTC)

I know this is a really old comic, but I'm wondering if it's possible that the 'gold' thing was a reference to Firefly? (I.e., "Jaynestown") Just because in other comics it's clear that Mr. Munroe is very familiar with that show (i.e., 577-581). [[User:Berets|Berets]] ([[User talk:Berets|talk]]) 00:12, 13 July 2017 (UTC)

I don't think that Cory's gun is a visual joke about Daleks; if it had been, I think Randall would have made sure to design Ron Paul's turret differently. [[User:OriginalName|OriginalName]] ([[User talk:OriginalName|talk]]) 23:50, 1 February 2018 (UTC)

Isn't the first panel a Star Trek reference? A common phrase right before battles is "Sir! the <Klingon or Romulan or Borg> ship is hailing us!" {{unsigned|LankyWhisper624}}
:Jean-Luc is hailing them, Ferengi, Cardassian,... you name them all. And of course Worf often reports something like "...they are hailing us". So I'll be happy about new insights at the explanation. Nobody can figure out everything. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:50, 8 June 2018 (UTC)

Should this be in the Doctor Who category because of the Dalek? [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 02:14, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
:There's no Daleks here, just gun-turrets. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.239.216|82.132.239.216]] 11:24, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
:Ok, I wasn't sure if the gun turret looking like a Dalek being stated in the explanation made it eligible for that category. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 22:29, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:109: Spoiler Alert

2026-02-17T04:10:52Z

Xkdvd:

Trinity doesn't look dead, he looks like he's dodging the sled. He'll be back in two movies. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 03:41, 30 October 2012 (UTC)

:''He?'' Did Carrie Anne Moss get gender reassignment surgery? ;) -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 20:19, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

::"I always thought... you were a guy." "Most guys do." [[User:Alivechihiro|Alivechihiro]] ([[User talk:Alivechihiro|talk]]) 07:59, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

::Larry (Lana) Wachowski did. {{unsigned ip|108.162.249.223|00:59, 19 October 2015‎ (UTC)}}

Upon the release of The Matrix Reloaded, a series of false spoilers on Slashdot incorrectly claimed that Trinity died at the end (she didn't die in that movie -- she died in the one afterward.) [http://beta.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=63031&cid=5873903 Example: search this post for "Trinity".] In that community, "Trinity Dies" became recognized as a reference to this Slashdot trolling phenomenon. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.66|173.245.54.66]] 20:22, 8 June 2014 (UTC)

''The event depicted in the comic did not actually occur in any movie.'' No shit, Sherlock.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.190|108.162.250.190]] 00:59, 19 October 2015 (UTC)

:Well, this comic actually does contain a spoiler for Citizen Kane. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.11.45|172.68.11.45]] 21:20, 11 June 2016 (UTC)
::I think most people would conclude that it's a wooden door with motion lines -[[User:Kazvorpal|Kazvorpal]] ([[User talk:Kazvorpal|talk]]) 22:24, 19 September 2019 (UTC)
::It contains spoilers for every movie it references. I took the liberty of graying them out unless you highlight them. [[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|{)|(}]][[User:Quillathe_Siannodel|Quill]][[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|{)|(}]] 14:52, 21 April 2021 (UTC)

The chick in The Crying Game is really Keyser Soze (and he doesn't know he's dead). [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 15:12, 12 October 2025 (UTC)

The Matrix trilogy? They only made one movie.(in case you don't understand, https://xkcd.com/566/ ) [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 04:10, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3208: SNEWS

2026-02-17T03:06:14Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:497: Secretary: Part 4

2026-02-17T02:14:52Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:3208: SNEWS

2026-02-17T02:10:30Z

Xkdvd:

Talk:2480: No, The Other One

2026-02-17T01:39:28Z

Xkdvd:

We might want a table for this comic, with three columns: one for the name of the town, one for which state the copycat is in, and one for the original. We could also add a column for "why the original is well known," but that might be a bit much. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.124|108.162.245.124]] 20:38, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
: I agree, this feels like a very table-able comic. Especially to get all the cities and not make readers try to see "hey, did I miss one?" [[Special:Contributions/172.70.117.158|172.70.117.158]] 20:49, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
:: I think the term copy-cat should not be used here, since Lincoln, IL, for instance is older and carries the name longer than Lincoln, NE.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.74|162.158.88.74]] 21:05, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
::: Although the people in Lincoln, UK (also Boston, Washington, Richmond, Plymouth, Newhaven...) might have prior claims - Richmond is an even more interesting case, in fact. And of course I also recognise Lisbon and others. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.244|141.101.98.244]] 21:26, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
:::: May I suggest merging the first two columns and just listing [City, State] under "Place name in comic"? [[User:MajorBurns|MajorBurns]] ([[User talk:MajorBurns|talk]]) 21:38, 23 June 2021 (UTC)

In the map there are (at least) three Lincoln, two Jamestown, five Houston... [[User:Vdm|Vdm]] ([[User talk:Vdm|talk]]) 20:52, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
: There is a Jamestown in NY and PA also. I would expect to find a Jamestown in at least half of the states. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 22:06, 23 June 2021 (UTC)

There seems to be an extra dot in the northeast corner of Colorado - It looks like it might correspond with the Atlanta label, but there is no Atlanta in Colorado. Based on the position of the dot I'm guessing it may correspond to Akron or Yuma.--[[User:MajorBurns|MajorBurns]] ([[User talk:MajorBurns|talk]]) 21:56, 23 June 2021 (UTC)
: Google Maps says there's an Atlanta, Colorado, but it is in the south-east corner of the state, not where the dot is. It looks like it is in the middle of nowhere outside of Springfield. [[User:Blaisepascal|Blaisepascal]] ([[User talk:Blaisepascal|talk]]) 00:42, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

Jersey Shore PA - I just drove from New Jersey across the state of Pennsylvania, and saw the sign for Jersey Shore in the mountains in the middle of PA. What the? Turns out there was a town founded by two brothers from New Jersey called Waynesburg. When a neighboring town wanted to insult them by calling them "Jersey Shore" they went ahead and officially made Jersey Shore the name of the town. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Shore,_Pennsylvania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Shore,_Pennsylvania]. I wonder how many people turn off the highway in the middle of PA wanting to go to the Jersey Shore hundreds of miles away. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 22:06, 23 June 2021 (UTC)

Why no Hollywood, Florida? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_Florida https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_Florida]
: Same reason there's no Richmond, Dublin, or Pittsburg (admittedly, a different spelling), California, just to name some of the closest ones to me. The map would be solid black if it labeled every "other one." [[User:Borglord|Borglord]] ([[User talk:Borglord|talk]]) 01:57, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

..''No'' Springfields? Really? There's gotta be 30+ of them! [[User:Danish|Danish]] ([[User talk:Danish|talk]]) 02:00, 24 June 2021 (UTC)
:The comic doesn't seem to include the duplicates that are fairly well known, like Hollywood, FL. And the prevalence of Springfield is well known due to "The Simpsons". I think Groening chose that name ''because'' it wouldn't be associated with any particular state. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 04:06, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

`The most frequently occurring community name varies through the years. In a past year, it was "Midway" with 212 occurrences and "Fairview" in second with 202. More recently, "Fairview" counted 288 and "Midway" 256. The name "Springfield" is often thought to be the only community name appearing in each of the 50 States, but at last count it was in only 34 states.` https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-most-common-citytown-name-united-states [[User:Steve|Steve]] ([[User talk:Steve|talk]]) 02:48, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

The comic has been updated to remove Charlestown and move Salem, CT. The extra dot in Colorado remains, however. The image attachment has been updated, but I think I'm still seeing the cached version. [[User:Orion205|Orion205]] ([[User talk:Orion205|talk]]) 03:47, 24 June 2021 (UTC)
: While we're on the subject, I thought it was more likely referencing {{w|Charles Town, West Virginia|Charles Town, WV}}. There are quite a lot of {{w|Charlestown}} locations and I don't think any of them are particularly famous. Which is probably why it was removed. [[User:Shamino|Shamino]] ([[User talk:Shamino|talk]]) 13:54, 25 June 2021 (UTC)

Since so many of the names are duplicated multiple times, shouldn't the title be "No, ''An'' Other One"? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 04:06, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

I'm surprised he missed Minneapolis, Kansas (about 75 miles west of Manhattan). Though maybe it would've made Kansas too crowded. --[[User:Aaron of Mpls|Aaron of Mpls]] ([[User talk:Aaron of Mpls|talk]])

:I'm surprised he missed Duluth, GA too, but we can't have everything we want. ( --Don from Rochester . . . but not from New York ;^) Oh yeah; there's also a Buffalo in MN too. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.190|172.70.34.190]] 11:00, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

::In Indiana, there's also another Nashville, another Columbus, a Kokomo... even a Mexico. If every fairly well-known place name were included, wherever it was duplicated, it would need one of those scrollable mega-maps, just to fit it all. -- Just visiting from Indiana, 12:53 UTC 24 June 2021

I'd like to see a map of all these. Lines linking each of the dots to the location of the more famous town. Possibly with lines in different colours connecting to the oldest and largest other ones, where they're not the same as the most famous one. (I suspect a significant number of the "oldest" lines would point off the right edge of the image) [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 08:37, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

:There's also a Bowling Green, Missouri. [[User:WhiteDragon|WhiteDragon]] ([[User talk:WhiteDragon|talk]]) 13:12, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

I wish Lansing Illinois (just south of Chicago off I-80) had made the list. When I was traveling there for work, our hotel reservations were frequently messed up, because the central booking office had us in Michigan. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.144|172.70.130.144]] 13:17, 24 June 2021 (UTC)
: Reminds me of the time a "Microsoft tech support" scammer called and claimed to be calling from Lansing despite obviously being in a call center in India. When we asked what state Lansing was in, he claimed to be calling from "Lansing, Miami." [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.121|172.69.63.121]] 13:41, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

I feel like there is an opportunity for adding "Other examples not in comic" such as Brooklyn, Iowa or the absurd number of Mount Pleasants [[User:OddOod|OddOod]] ([[User talk:OddOod|talk]])

: At first, I thought about suggesting this, as well. But, it would be an enormous list (orders of magnitude longer than the ones that _are_ in the comic), and therefore not really tenable. For example, I sometimes describe the place I live as being on the line from Jamaica to Florida, adjacent to Jacksonville and just off Halifax. That's Florida, MA and the rest in southern Vermont. That's four just within 20 miles of where I sit. Also, I grew up in Bristol (RI, not England), but there are about 40 places in the US with that name. And, on a different tack the nearby "city" actually promotes itself in being the _only_ place named Brattleboro. [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 22:27, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

I can't believe they missed Dublin and/or Albany in the SF bay area in California!

I actually have a place in Bangor,NY it confuses people all the time [[User:Mr.Do|Mr.Do]]

Is the {{w|Washington_(state)|State of Washington}} not considered more significant than a mere district? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.35.149|172.69.35.149]] 18:14, 24 June 2021 (UTC)
: I mean, Washington DC is the capital of the entire country, so both are very significant. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.97|172.69.33.97]] 20:08, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

Ontario, CA - I have gotten packages that originated in Ontario, CA and wondered why they were shipping from Canada, until I realized that they were coming from Ontario, California. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 20:57, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

How did Lebanon come to be such a popular name (sixth most common according to the Wikipedia list)? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.182|162.158.92.182]] 09:04, 25 June 2021 (UTC)

How about entries for what the lesser-known city is known for? I can start: Austin MN is home of Hormel, maker of Spam, and features the Spam Museum. Who is next? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.58|172.70.126.58]] 10:29, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
:Richmond, VT is home of a person (also apparently given the job of "Weigher Of Coal") who helped to establish the name of Spam (as in unwanted advertising)... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.79|141.101.99.79]] 11:14, 25 June 2021 (UTC)

So, anyway, the Transcript is both empty and marked incomplete. Really, it would at best be a Transcriptised non-tabular list of the named places, grouped to their 'other one' states. I can't see much more that can be done, save for "line-drawn state lines and dots" being mentioned. It's very much an inferior copy of the table itself, but definitely should be there to fulfil the general needs of the Transcript. I'll do it myself if nobody else has (or otherwise resolved) by the time the next comic goes up. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.79|141.101.99.79]] 11:14, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
:Agree that there should be a transcript. It should mention what type of map and that all states have their abbreviation in gray text. Then proceed approximately in reading order giving each states abbreviation and then the cities mentioned in each state. That would be great. Do not have the time the next week, else this was something I often have done with large transcripts. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:54, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
::I prepped a version that satisfies almost all your demands, already, except that it's arranged alphabetical to state ID, because that seemed more logical to dive into than to try a 'reading order' of any kind. I also took a couple of other small liberties with the usual Transcript notation to improve understanding, not having found a prior example that has done this in a 'better' way. I'll pop it in right now and then leave it to the multitudinous Gods Of Wikiediting to correct it, 'correct' it, improve it and 'improve' it as they see fit. Fill yer boots! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.124|141.101.98.124]] 21:42, 25 June 2021 (UTC)

here is a challenge: find a regex that matches all the cities in this map in the top half of the US, but not the ones in the bottom half. have fun and dont use the auto-regex-golf thing, thats just no fun. :) [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.7|172.69.63.7]] 16:40, 25 June 2021 (UTC)Bumpf
:Unless I misunderstand you, it's probably impossible. Houston in Ohio is in the top half of the map (however you define that line) while the Houston in the usual Alaska map-discontinuity is in the bottom half of the map. And I bet that a moment's search will find others amongst the shared names. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.104|141.101.99.104]] 17:35, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
::Bowling Green (OH and FL) splits even on true latitude, at well within each band of top/bottom value ranges. Assuming you don't add the home-state code (which could be the only thing needed to even try to regex, if you do), there's no wedge you can apply. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.105|162.158.158.105]] 22:10, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
:Using Automatic tools is always fun! fun-ctional. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.183|162.158.91.183]] 12:32, 28 June 2021 (UTC)

Bloomington MN is an odd one — it is both larger
by area and by population than Bloomington IN! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.206|141.101.98.206]] 20:31, 25 June 2021 (UTC)
:Bloomington, IL is comparable in population and slightly larger in area than Bloomington, IN; Bloomington, MN has IL beat in both metrics. If counting Bloominton-Normal, IL as one twinned city, it easily beats both [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.87|172.70.130.87]] 01:51, 30 August 2021 (UTC)
Even if there's no plans for a wall around Mexico, NY, maybe that's who Trump expected would pay for his wall. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 13:19, 26 June 2021 (UTC)

I'm really annoyed that he included Portland. Doesn't everybody know about Portland, ME?

NYC here - I had no idea about Portland, ME [[Special:Contributions/172.70.117.92|172.70.117.92]] 01:44, 3 July 2021 (UTC)

Here's how he might have come up with this list. (1) Find all duplicates in a list of U.S. city names. (2) Select the top 100 (searched on the web, occurring on the web, etc.) names (or enough to fill the comic nicely). An alternate (2) is select the top 100 (or some number) largest cities of those.
Moscow,ID

I likewise wondered about the omission of Hollywood, FL (as well as Miami, OH) but it’s true that it can’t list every single one. It would be interesting to list some of the other pronunciation differences, as is currently done for Newark. (E.g., Albany, GA is pronounced al-BEN-ee) [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 18:15, 2 July 2021 (UTC)
:I think you mean Oxford, Ohio; home to Miami ''University''. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami,_Ohio] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.166.117|162.158.166.117]] 07:28, 15 July 2021 (UTC)
:There's also Cleveland, Mississippi; Princeton, Indiana; and Jackson, New Jersey. [[User:JsfasdF252|JsfasdF252]] ([[User talk:JsfasdF252|talk]]) 00:18, 6 August 2021 (UTC)

In the New England area, there are quite a few towns with duplicate names, probably brought over with the colonists. Seems all the New England states have a Milford, a Bedford, a Plymouth, A Belmont, a Winchester...

How do you miss London, OH?

There are places in China whose name literally translates to "Pennsylvania", "Connecticut"{{citation needed}} and "Texas" respectively, and this can lead to confusing translations on public signs. Imagine that you see "Welcome to Pennsylvania" in China. {{citation needed}} Additionally, a word that literally translates to "Washington" can be found in names of apartment groups. {{citation needed}} --[[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 10:45, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

Also, there are 3 places called Buda in the US – [[wikipedia:Buda, Texas|a city in Texas]], [[wikipedia:Buda, Illinois|a village in Illinois]] and [[wikipedia:Buda, Nebraska|an unincorporated community in Nebraska]]. In the same county as the latter, there is also a city called [[wikipedia:Ravenna, Nebraska|Ravenna]] and a township called [[wikipedia:Odessa, Nebraska|Odessa]]. There are so many place names in the US that are homographs or homophones of other place names (both in and outside the US) that they just require a much bigger map. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.126|172.68.50.126]] 20:09, 15 May 2023 (UTC)
:Just done a bit of checking, and currently Washington seems to be the most popular US placename (named for the person, I would imagine, rather than the ancestral home that he was patronimically named for), then Springfield (descriptively geonymic, probably), Franklin (again, mostly for the man?) and Greenville (another geonym). ((Above, "Midway" and others were mentioned, it's possible that my checked list has a different qualifying criterium than the list looked at for that answer.)
:Looking worldwide, San José has thousands of examples, by some counts, but also with a heavy emphasis on "San"s and "Santa"s in that obvious thematic vein as you continue down that particular list. Maybe a few "no horse" 'town's in that tally, though.
:In the UK, we have almost a dozen Newports, scattered around. And more if you count names with Newport in them, like Newport Pagnell. Which (as an example) is 70 miles from the sea, but then Newport (as it was, give or take spelling, in Norman and even pre-Norman times before being gifted to the Pagnell family) actually means "New ''Market-town''", just to indicate why you shouldn't expect all Newports to be coastal (or on significantly navigable trading rivers of some historic note). – And there are dozens of Newport places in the US, but how many are purely descriptive of originally being an actual new ''port'' and how many are more just imitative of original places (or named for people, themselves named for places of (familial) origin) in a suitable/unsuitable geophysical locale to match the inference, I wouldn't care to say. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.170|172.70.162.170]] 22:28, 15 May 2023 (UTC)
I actually live in "the other" Bloomington.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.53|108.162.216.53]] 01:27, 28 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello from Phoenix, Oregon! {{unsigned ip|172.71.146.18|17:37, 24 January 2024}}

This comic was posted 6 years after https://xkcd.com/1541/ and I am sad that ponytail isn't here. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 01:39, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:935: Missed Connections

2026-02-17T01:31:08Z

Xkdvd:

A "Juggalo" is a fan of the band Insane Clown Posse, about as diametrically removed from a democratic politician as you could think of. [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206|75.103.23.206]] 17:09, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
:More specifically, she has a reputation for being stern and somewhat humorless making her an even better contrast to a Juggalo [[User:KingDragonlord|KingDragonlord]] ([[User talk:KingDragonlord|talk]]) 17:30, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

I'm new so I don't want to overstep bounds and just edit the page but I think it would be clearer to just say the TARDIS is a time travel device. Anyone not familiar with the tv series is not going to care what TARDIS is an acronym for. [[User:KingDragonlord|KingDragonlord]] ([[User talk:KingDragonlord|talk]]) 17:27, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

:I think having the expansion of TARDIS is fine, but you are correct there should be a mention of what a TARDIS is, and a link to the wikipedia article for the TARDIS. You are fully free, and welcomed to edit any explanation that you think is lacking information. The worst that could happen is someone reverts your edit and leaves a note on your talk page about why. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]_a ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:22, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

According to Craigslist itself, Missed Connections has ''never'' worked. They're still waiting for a testimony for its first success.[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 18:20, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

The Nancy Pelosi/Juggalo entry was a specific reference to an event at the White House that Republican commentators branded as a wild party even though it was not. {{unsigned ip|108.162.221.86}}

I thought that the second entry was a reference to Plato's cave... Anyone else think that? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.185|141.101.98.185]] 18:22, 5 February 2015 (UTC)
:Apparently not! -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 02:11, 15 February 2016 (UTC)

I think the Babe Ruth joke is likely a reference tothe Abbott and Costello Who's on First sketch, where The Doctor =Doctor Who = The Who that is on first = Babe Ruth. I've added it to the description but think it could be done better. I also don't know enough about baseball - would Babe Ruth ever be on first? (I know that The Doctor hasn't been called "Doctor Who" person for a long time, but people do still refer to him as Doctor Who) [[Special:Contributions/172.69.43.170|172.69.43.170]] 21:28, 8 October 2023 (UTC)

Somebody needs to make a Doctor Who category. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 01:31, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:393: Ultimate Game

2026-02-16T17:46:13Z

Xkdvd:

Why would Gygax choose to play such a luck-heavy game for his life? '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 02:18, 23 February 2013 (UTC)
::You are kidding, right? Just in case not: Because it can be really long to finish it (therefore gains time by just playing it) and also because he created it. [[Special:Contributions/189.135.40.161|189.135.40.161]] 19:44, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
::In this situation, I'd rather play a luck-heavy game than a strategy one. Not that I'm a bad chess player, but Death is probably better. He's probably not better at Chutes/Snakes and Ladders, though.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.148|108.162.219.148]] 03:43, 24 June 2015 (UTC)

----

'''"...Death's boss (satan?) would like."'''
I'd guess Death's boss, in this case, is Jesus - at least he is addressed like that in the last frame ;-)[[Special:Contributions/95.113.60.8|95.113.60.8]] 20:25, 22 May 2013 (UTC)
:I would think that the "boss" is not meant to be any specific or well-known figure, Satan or Jesus. Based on his depiction, he seems rather generic. I think "Jesus" in the last panel is just used as an exclamation. [[Special:Contributions/24.41.66.114|24.41.66.114]] 03:15, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

------

Couldn't Gygax just get a terrible role that makes him fail initiative and keep missing, then get totally pwned by a critical hit from Death?
:Terrible rolls (or roles, if a bad character choice?) aside, with the alternative being eternal-''whatever'', it's probably worth a go to spin things out unless you're convinced that the eternity concerned is a better thing. (And ''actually'' a thing, not oblivion.) And if Gary's rotating new members into the party, as seen, then it could become a very long campaign indeed, lasting long after all the original group of characters have retired, become NPC flavour or individually succumbed to the many and various trials and tribulations thrown at them. Unless Death is the DM/GM/whatever (rather than a shared participant in some freeform collaborative game, which probably gives Gygax more than enough leeway to keep going) with enough experience to succesfully bring about a "Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies" event or foresee and prevent useful tricks such as the casting of Air Wall in naval battles to slew odds in the Adventurers' favour (<-true story... and even when the caster had run out of power, he bluffed enemy ships into colliding with each other by just waving his arms as ''if'' he had created yet another invisible barrier in their paths!) I could see him as outclassed in D&D as Discworld's Death apparently could sometimes be by chess ("REMIND ME AGAIN," he said, "HOW THE LITTLE HORSE-SHAPED ONES MOVE.")  [[Special:Contributions/178.98.31.27|178.98.31.27]] 14:54, 18 June 2013 (UTC)
::Death might be the DM,though, just with clearly defined rules on how he can kill Gary. Or maybe 1e/2e/3e has something wirid that does that by default, I've never played them. {{unsigned|Stallman|06:02, 20 November 2024}}

-----

"Anyone want to play Dungeons and Dragons for the next quadrillion years?" [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.45|141.101.98.45]] 21:11, 7 March 2014 (UTC)
:Me! {{unsigned|Stallman|06:02, 20 November 2024}}

-----
Now if you could challenge Death to any game, would not "The Game" be the ultimate win against Death, as he would then always be the looser? {{unsigned|Para}}
:you made me lose. goddammit. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.155|108.162.250.155]] 08:58, 3 June 2015 (UTC)
::AAAAAARGH I LOST THE GAME {{unsigned|Stallman|06:02, 20 November 2024}}
::I lost the game
:::Just read the comic where you win the game and you're immune for life. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al |'''''Converse''''']][[DSBContribs |'''''My life choices''''']] 18:40, 29 April 2025 (UTC)
-----
This is the page image for the TV Tropes page "Rules Lawyer". Just wanted to let you know. :) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.155|108.162.250.155]] 09:42, 14 May 2015 (UTC)
-----
Can Someone make a D&D topic page? We really need one. [[User:Lols0827|Lols0827]] ([[User talk:Lols0827|talk]]) 18:58, 4 November 2019 (UTC)

What I would do is, make a game, and then put in the rulebook that I automatically win, and then challenge death to that game. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 17:46, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:2843: Professional Oaths

2026-02-16T17:08:02Z

Xkdvd:

added transcript [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 05:47, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

every /^H.*ic$/ would be 4 syllables if it wasn't for hydroelectric [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 05:55, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Maybe that should be "hydrœlectric", then! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.85|172.71.242.85]] 21:59, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

His-tor-ic[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.77|162.158.146.77]]SomeoneElse1624

Clearly some lone editor had a grudge against hermeneutics, putting 'study' in scare quotes like that. AzureArmageddon 07:38, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hippopotamic Oath: First, lead your horse to water. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.139|172.70.86.139]] 08:02, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Cap doffed. Cap very much doffed. [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 20:16, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hypobolic Oath: Do your worst! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.250.73|172.70.250.73]] 09:55, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hypochondriac Oath: First, pretend to be sick! [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:05, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Nitpick: Hypochondriacs don't pretend to be sick, they believe they have an illness or are unduly worried about the possibility of having an illness. Someone who pretends to be sick is a malingerer. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.135|172.69.70.135]] 16:43, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
::Ok, fair :) So: Hypochondriac Oath: First, consult your doctor! [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:32, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

"A hippodrome is a circular arena" The classical Greek/Roman was not circular:
"One end of the ancient Greek hippodromos was semicircular, and the other end square with an extensive portico"
Maybe it would be more correct to talk about '''pairs''' of hypergolic substances?
[[User:Rps|Rps]] ([[User talk:Rps|talk]]) 12:19, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

I think the hyperbaric oath is probably referring to hyperbaric chambers, which are used in medical settings, such as treating scuba divers suffering from the bends. 14:08, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:I wonder if the "holigraphic" one is directly inspired by [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67080941 this recent display]. (Although, by my reading, that's not ''really'' holographic, just an advanced form of stereographic display.) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.171|172.71.178.171]] 06:01, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

I missed the Hydroponic Oath (“first, maintain nutrient concentration”), the Hypocritic Oath (“first, judge others as you ''don't'' wish to be judged”), and the Hyperbolic Oath (“first, take two intersecting asymptotes”). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.60|108.162.221.60]] 15:34, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Isn't the Hypocritic Oath just "First, don't do this"?

I prefer the Hypocritical oath (insert political party of your choosing here). [[Special:Contributions/172.71.219.106|172.71.219.106]] 17:29, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:All of them. [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Miscellaneous#Help_with_Creating_a_User_Page|Trogdor147]] ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Miscellaneous#Help_with_Creating_a_User_Page|talk]]) 18:18, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypodermic Oath: "I've got you, under my skin..." [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 20:20, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypoglycemic Oath: "First, eat some sweets!" [[Special:Contributions/162.158.19.56|162.158.19.56]] 00:17, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypothetical Oath: "First, presume there is an oath." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.18.71|162.158.18.71]] 00:23, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hieroglyphic Oath - “First, do no tomb-robbing.” [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 04:16, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

Hippy Oath: First, chill out, man! 
Hip-shaker Oath: First, do a shimmy. 
Hypotenuse Oath: First, find the squares of the other two sides. 
Hyperactive Oath: First, eat no sugar. 
[[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.236|172.70.91.236]] 10:36, 20 October 2023 (UTC)
::Hip-shaker Oath: First, do not lie.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.146.241|172.71.146.241]] 20:18, 23 October 2023 (UTC)

Hydrophilic Oath: First, attract water! 
Hydrophobic Oath: First, repel water! 
Hydrox Oath: First, enjoy a cookie! 
[[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]]) 14:24, 22 October 2023 (UTC)
::Hydrogenic Oath: First, make water! [[User:TenGolf MathHacker|TenGolf MathHacker]] ([[User talk:TenGolf MathHacker|talk]]) 14:13, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Quite surprised that he didn't include a "Hypocritical Oath".
[[User:Nico31415926|An idiot]] ([[User talk:Nico31415926|talk]]) 06:11, 24 October 2023 (UTC)
:Hypocritical Oath: First, don't take this oath. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 20:23, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

I'm struggling to accept the shape of the hydroelectric turbine which appears more like a table fan to me. Is there something that could be explained? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.103|141.101.104.103]] 19:05, 25 October 2023 (UTC)
:Randall also had to draw all of the bricks in the wall. Maybe his hand was just tired. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.135.35|172.69.135.35]] 21:59, 27 October 2023 (UTC)
:{{w|Kaplan Turbine}}s are still popular and do indeed look just like that, ranging from 3-8 blades. There are other types, they all have their tradeoffs and sweet spots. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.38.8|172.70.38.8]] 21:23, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

Hula-hooping Oath: First, buy a large inedible donut! 
Hylonomic Oath: First, be a small forest lizard! [[User:TenGolf MathHacker|TenGolf MathHacker]] ([[User talk:TenGolf MathHacker|talk]]) 14:13, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Hypergiant Oath: First, die and swell [[Special:Contributions/172.71.22.108|172.71.22.108]] 12:49, 18 September 2024 (UTC)

Hyperbolic Oath: First, take this Oath as a matter of life and death.{{unsigned ip| 108.162.237.112|17:53, 31 October 2024 (UTC)}}

Hypothermic Oath: First, have a very low body temperature. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:28, 12 February 2026 (UTC)

Hyperspace Oath: First, go fast.-Hyperkinetic Oath: First, twitch.-Hydrogen Oath: First, be first.-Hydrox Oath: First, be first, second, be forgotten.-Hyperion Oath: First, be bright.-High-five Oath: First, increase your height through the power of muscles.-High Tide Oath: First, grab a surfboard.-Hindsight Oath: First, do something to have hindsight on. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 03:32, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:2765: Escape Speed

2026-02-16T16:52:01Z

Xkdvd:

<noinclude>
</noinclude>"A special feature it that it does not have its own gravity, so the ship continues to be attracted to the crystal sphere regardless of which side of the planet you're on." This seems wrong. You are attracted to the Click and Drag planet and can land on it on any side. It is just that the gravity of the crystal sphere is so relatively huge that it quickly overpowers the gravity of the planet when too high above the surface on the near side makes the ground appear sloped on the "sides", similar to the moon of Origin. It would be really cool if someone could make a map that showed the gravity field everywhere. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.203.39|162.158.203.39]] 11:09, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

When Beret Guy says "Wow!" on the starting planet, isn't it actually a reference to the alt text of [[1117: My Sky]], and not [[502: Dark Flow]]? --[[User:BrightBlackHole|BrightBlackHole]] ([[User talk:BrightBlackHole|talk]]) 18:13, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

With an old browser (all I have, this moment) I just have the starscape, the hovertext and a button in the bottom right corner to seemingly reset (same starscape, and briefly the message "Welcome back pilot", or words to that effect). I look forward to trying it on something more interactive, on this very-late-for-Wednesday special comic... [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.87|172.71.242.87]] 17:02, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:For me, Firefox 112 and Chrome 112 work just fine. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.133|172.68.50.133]] 15:10, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
The only cheat is "window.python("import antigravity"). (To my knowledge) "ze.goggles()" dosen't work/do anything. Arrow keys, WASD, and HJKL work for movement. (Working on an object table) --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 17:04, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

<s>I tried to correct a BOT error, but the BOT [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2765:_Escape_Speed&diff=310745&oldid=310744 reverted the correction back to an error]. (Or my 'poor browser', see above, is also going wrong with the hovertext). So we need the BOT's human pappy to override it. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.87|172.71.242.87]]</s>
:NVM, done now. Somehow... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.159|172.70.162.159]] 17:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
::Looks like the original title text contained the error, but has since been fixed. —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 18:12, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Spoiler but there is hollow space between the rollercoaster and the St Louis arch 17:17, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Okay I'm still working on it but here's the link to my object table: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xhw3oVb4fMktZB_KEIF9fGkYCkfbpRMHKBLI63laTgc/edit#gid=0] --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 17:27, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm having trouble using the arrow keys, because it keeps moving the browser window up and down. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.11|108.162.245.11]] 18:02, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:Try clicking on the comic itself, which should move focus there. --[[User:Moble|Moble]] ([[User talk:Moble|talk]]) 18:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I managed to escape the larger planet's gravity well by jumping off the start planet and perfectly manipulating to barely miss it. it wasn't until afterwards thatI found the tunnel --[[User:Toriski3037|Toriski3037]] ([[User talk:Toriski3037|talk]]) 18:12, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

The tunnel is how you escape the planet. Fall through and when you get to the center use your thrusters to leave. --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

There is a way to escape the crystal dome. Fly to the edge and continue around until you find the crack. You need to get enough power ups on your ship in order to make it out. --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:19, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:You can also find the crack pretty easily by finding the 6th Lagrange Point and finding the sign that says "Exit" and heading straight there. [[User:AdmiralMemo|Admiral Memo]] ([[User talk:AdmiralMemo|talk]]) 19:11, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Absolutely no idea what you’re even talking about. I see a mostly black picture with some white spots. Your ‘explanation’ explains nothing, just makes the confusion worse.
: You probably need a relatively modern browser and Javascript turned on [[Special:Contributions/172.70.251.107|172.70.251.107]] 19:44, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

There is an area that is a huge maze with cities marked on it -the subway system. In Washington DC there is a black hole, which even with lots of power ups I think is inescapable once you land on it (you can reset and retain your powerups). The map of the subway system is from xkcd 1196.
:I'm pretty sure the area is Boston. Also, the black hole just has very high, not infinite, gravity. --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 18:27, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Re:"there is a way out" - I went farther down and launched upwards as quickly as I could while not hitting the sides to get past the intense gravity. You can get to the top on the left side, but the gravity is so strong that you're basically stuck to the ground. If you scoot along farther to the left you see a spot that says "the end". Just past there, there is a small dip that, due to how strong the gravity is, I couldn't get out of. I wouldn't be surprised if you got enough upgrades you could get past it.
: If you go right instead, you can go all the way around the "crystal dome" and there is a point of interest a long the way (half way around maybe?) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.214|172.71.154.214]] 19:34, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Should we start saying what planets things are on? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.41|162.158.146.41]]

Once you get off the planet by falling through the tunnel and shooting out the other side you can fly around space, visiting other planets. There are power ups in the form of balls with stars in the center. Each power up gives your ship more thrust, faster recharge, etc. If you keep flying straight eventually you get to a white barrier that goes all around space. This is the crystal dome that is mentioned on the "origin" planet. If you fly along the dome long enough you will eventually come across a crack in it. As you fly up through the crack the gravity gets stronger and stronger. Eventually you will not be able to any further. You have to get enough power ups to fly out. Once out there is a dome of text that just says "The end." --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:52, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

::Which is not remotely actually the end. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.254.100|172.71.254.100]] 22:30, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I have raw images for the points of interest here: https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/ [[User:Aeromancer|Aeromancer]] ([[User talk:Aeromancer|talk]]) 21:00, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

::Cool! There are apparently quite a bunch of places I missed... (which is unsurprising given that I mostly navigated by flying in random directions while hoping to get to where I wanted (still haven’t figured how to reliably find Subway) [[User:Nleanba|Nleanba]] ([[User talk:Nleanba|talk]]) 12:06, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

apparently if you exit the page it saves your "you've found:" stuff and your position, and a spoilery upgrade that shows a gray line, but not any of the upgrades you got to your ship. (the upgrades do NOT reappear anywhere, so you can't collect them again.) thanks firefox for randomly closing to install an update --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.214|172.70.110.214]] 21:52, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

^this is a major buzzkill. The page crashed on me twice, and both times I lost my upgrades. It's essentially non-functional now.

you can probably hack back the upgrades quickly somehow. for me, i found a handy variable to use for 'accessibility' (if you want to cheat/skip parts) is to set the starting position to that of some other location, for example to skip to 'mtba' (the +1000s are just so you're not warped to the center of the object, you'll need to tweak for other locations):
window.Comic.voyager.opts.startPos = [window.Comic.map.locations[61].pos[0]+1000, window.Comic.map.locations[61].pos[1] + 1000]
to reset to the original starting location:
window.Comic.voyager.opts.startPos = window.Comic.map.player.pos
in firefox anyway, you can use this to browse the game objects to poke around more:
console.dir(window.Comic)
in particular, .voyager and .map.locations are interesting, as is .gamestate.
i didn't look into forcing upgrades, i grinded those out myself, just didn't want to hunt down all the subway tokens manually ... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.55|172.69.134.55]] 22:04, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

:Try these
* _.updatePlayerConfig({ thrustDuration: _.playerConfig.thrustDuration + 2.5 })
* _.updatePlayerConfig({ thrustDuration: _.playerConfig.thrustDuration + 0.4 })
These are the commands run when the most powerful upgrades are run. --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 23:30, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

You can refer to https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2712:_Gravity#Hacks for Console commands ...

In Microsoft Edge on Windows, you can change your speed and refuel-rate as shown. At speed=2, you can escape the black hole in Washington, DC.
Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.speed=0.9
Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.thrustRecoveryTime=0.000001

Looks like I'll have to wait awhile for someone to make a map I can simply scroll around instead of playing interactive mode. As much fun as it was in the beginning, it's miserable once you've lost your upgrades.

Was floating around in space and found a point where the ship just sits there and the screen orientation spins dramatically when moving around that point. Makes me think there's either a microsingularity there, or maybe something cloaked that only leaks gravitation (mentioned by some characters). Is there a way to check what my coordinates are so I can report the anomaly [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.73|172.70.230.73]] 23:16, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
Found this as well. It was a marked location, and there was a heavy subway token at this point. After you pick up the token, the location appears to be empty.

Ah, okay. So the residual gravitation field was left behind. Thanks! Still looking for a way to read out my current coordinates though - you know, for science [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.141|162.158.154.141]] 23:26, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I think I figured it out. Just added "Comic.voyager.pos.x" and "Comic.voyager.pos.y" to the "Watch Expressions" portion of the Web Developer Tools -> Debugger. Simple for those who know. But something new to me. The coordinates for the microgravity well is [-20473, 3682] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.143|162.158.154.143]] 23:33, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Has anyone found the orange line token? I thought it would be with the group singing a Boston song on Origin, but it doesn't seem to be? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.68|162.158.63.68]] 23:48, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Skimming through the code, it looks like the MIT cloaking system also cloaks the subway lines or something? And MIT harbors a hyperdrive?? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.79|162.158.63.79]] 23:59, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

If you've lost your upgrades, you can reset the game to its original state by deleting your xkcd.com cookies. [[User:Whoop whoop pull up|Whoop whoop pull up]] ([[User talk:Whoop whoop pull up|talk]]) 00:07, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Looks like resetting shouldn't be necessary anymore, just hard-refreshing: https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12t8e9i/xkcd_2765_escape_speed/jh2tvpl/ [[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.208|162.158.146.208]] 00:09, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

There's Quite a bit outside the crystal shell and "the end" rainbow. on the opposite side of the shell there's a small dot with "the platinum cylinder formerly used to define the kilogram", directly above the "rainbow" there's a stream of missiles leading to 2 areas (follow them either way), and even more engine upgrades for some reason. I stopped exploring after that - [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.155|172.69.33.155]] 00:29, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

guess this is the late april fools comic. [[user:lettherebedarklight|youtu.be/]][[user talk:lettherebedarklight|miLcaqq2Zpk]] 01:34, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

::Probably, the captain of the Corellian corvette adds a message signed April 3rd 2023 to his log. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.86.116|162.158.86.116]] 10:09, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

If you get stuck with your engine in a weird mode like warp or infinite improbability drive you can fix it by using the command ship.engines = “lander” and the ship gets set back to normal. I don’t think it keeps any upgrades though.

You can also escape the planet with the sign that you can never leave, simply by starting there and keeping your finger down. The rocket will return a few times but gets further away each time and eventually lands on your home (start) location. No need to visit the rollercoaster.
[[User:XKCDnl|XKCDnl]] ([[User talk:XKCDnl|talk]]) 04:51, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Found out that when landed on a surface, with the shield not automatically active, in some condition (maybe some thrust score) using the down-arrow retro thruster allows you to slowly "back up" through surfaces. Can be used to back-through some of the MBTA path blockers thereby reducing the need to deactivate all the blocked paths [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.174|162.158.154.174]] 05:02, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

::Yeah, when slamming into a surface with high enough speed (possible even without hyperdrive, but very easy with), the ship seems to clip through the ground. It's possible then to navigate (very slowly) through the solid mass, which makes it even possible to leave the crystal sphere without hyperdrive (you are, however, stuck very close to the ground outside). Annoyingly, this also allows the ship to get stuck occasionaly: e.g. when slamming into Boston in the lettering or blocked lines, or on the Earth-map in lakes. [[User:Nleanba|Nleanba]] ([[User talk:Nleanba|talk]]) 12:19, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I've found about 80 total subway tokens, but for the life of me cannot remember where the subway planet was.

:: If you travel straight through the hole right next to the starter planet, you'll land at a guiding planet [[User:Toby|Toby]] ([[User talk:Toby|talk]]) 13:37, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Am I hallucinating, or is this a sequel with the same basic "space UI" as a previous comic? (I can't find it in the index, but I remember an extremely similar xkcd comic, with a spaceship being navigated between distant planets.) If such a comic exists, it should be mentioned in this one's description. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 14:02, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I found the the "gold crown Archimedes stole" (which significantly boosts thrusters) and "a necklace of element samples whose symbols spell out your name (note: hopefully you are not named 'Katherine' or 'Brandon')" whilst traveling around the crystal sphere. How should I add those to the list?[[User:MeZimm|MeZimm]] ([[User talk:MeZimm|talk]]) 14:14, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

The end is not the end - you will need a lot of speed BUT the "there is a way out" leads to the outside of a round planet that everything you have discovered is inside. Continue flying up and you will see a second planet in the wayfinder. There is a line of torpedos and a tunnel up there playerPos: (1361.094208512935,-62444.80167042731) Megan(??) is talking to cuebal and firing torpedos "we have not photon torpedos so I'm firing regular ones"

"You found a Juicero Juicer"

Megan to cueball "Prediction: Seconds before you die you will remember these words" while walkint to an icecream cooler

"you found and out of control trolley"

skateboarder in a bubble going AAAAAAAAaaa (2206.485760681366,-64359.17874192683)

There are multiple ways through this layer in these tunnels

"you found a lymphocyte" (-5565.828800080446,-64207.654606168755)

Outside this layer seems infinite currently have made it past y = -5,000,000

Wayfinder is no longer changing headed back to circle the outer layer and confirm that the layer past the end is the end

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.57|162.158.146.57]][[User:Frogg|Frogg]] 15:43 April 21

The orange token is near the spiral planet. It's on a floating stadium-like thing with "BOSTON" labeled on it.

The outer layer is not a layer it seems like some sort of ship, perhaps a star destroyer, roughly triangular shaped.

Found and emperor in a cloak "My Emperor... We all share in yuour newfound enthusiams for birdwatching but normally one watches them in the wild, rather than drugging them and imprisoning them in a house of stairs."

Cueball "Aha! Darth Vaders secret Gold Bullion Reserves! We'll be rich!"
Megan "I'm not sure this is cannon"

Definitely a star destroyer, found the command tower. cool stuff! (22067.78723320221,-71701.23138735193)

For complete Locations list see Comic.map.locations it is a 75 item array accessible in developer tools it gives coordinates and names that will be useful to the wiki I think.

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.57|162.158.146.57]][[User:Frogg|Frogg]] 16:21 April 21 2023 UTC

I got stuck in VANCOUVER. Literally. I was flying so fast I clipped into the N and will have to reset to get out. I had many engine upgrades and was going in random directions since my "regular search pattern" had stopped finding things, so I don't know how to get back. I only know it exists.... [[Special:Contributions/172.71.170.94|172.71.170.94]] 16:26, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
* Still not found my way back to VANCOUVER, but I love the hint that the space shuttle was a dinosaur. Straight off the nose of the shuttle is the compromise projected Earth. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.174.101|162.158.174.101]] 16:46, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
* OK, I think I found VANCOUVER. I gave up on looking for it and went for other things and after finding MONTERREY on the Subway Planet I suspect that VANCOUVER is somewhere here too.
* Also, if someone does a long edit of this Discussion page they will overwrite your edits made in the mean time. You can find them in the History if you want to restore them. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.166.248|172.71.166.248]] 17:47, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm sure that "17 angels on the head of pin" is a Calvin and Hobbes Reference, but I can't seem to find the comic online.[[User:Argis13|Argis13]] ([[User talk:Argis13|talk]]) 18:13, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
::Okay, so, after sleeping on it, and reading trough the entire online archive of Calvin and Hobbes, I'm pretty sure that I was misremembering a Dilbert Strip as a C&H strip, and I don't think that would put an intentional reference to Dilbert anymore. Also I'm not paying money to Scott Adams to search the Dilbert archives. [[User:Argis13|Argis13]] ([[User talk:Argis13|talk]]) 03:32, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
::: The angels on the head of a pin thing is a long-standing theological debate point (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_many_angels_can_dance_on_the_head_of_a_pin%3F) - however, the use of precisely 17 is likely a reference to "The Science of Discworld II", in which Ridcully is certain that the number of angels that can fit on the head of a pin is precisely 16. 17 would be a deliberate disproof of Ridcully's claim. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.64.157|172.69.64.157]] 04:40, 2 May 2023 (UTC)

CHEAT: window.noclip = true; is pretty handy if you're struggling with navigating through some mazes. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.29|172.70.34.29]] 18:24, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

The absolute best I can get out of this page (across multiple browsers and platforms) is on my Android versions of Chrome and Firefox. It forces itself into full-screen mode and then by using touch regions at either side of the scene I can get one/both "turning thruster" plus the main-thruster to show a 'flame'. I can get it to turn, both ways, very very slowly but I seem to have no forward-thrust ability at all. I can be parallel to the ground and the side thrust from pressing both sides doesn't move me sideways any noticable amount (nor will a turning craft "roll" away from the palm-tree), free of gravitational resistance in that direction. If I stay facing upwards (or return to it) I just settle down under the weak (but stronger than any thrust!) gravity, spawn landing-gear and I no longer can even induce a rotation now being perched on legs. This is consistent in both browsers, so I rule out javascript-running inconsistencies in any obvious way.
 I presume (from reading the above) that I can get better thrusting, but whether by collecting things that I can't reach or by 'cheating' (more awkward, on mobile browsers, to edit page-variables/etc), I can't help thinking that it's already going wrong for me in ways it isn't for everyone else. And none of my desktop browsers even play ball for me at all (all I have is star background and the reset-button).
 On mobile browsers I've got a short thin line on the right-hand edge of the (fullscreen) background that I thought might be some sort of draggable power-bar (at 50% position, perhaps), but it doesn't respond to touch/dragging, or change at all. Might be just a relic of being on a wider-than-expected aspect ratio screen. Or it's something jutting (barely) on-screen from another nearby on-screen object/destination. As the viewpoint never moves, it's hard to say either way.
 This ''is'' more functionality than I ever got with Gravity, so maybe I'm just unluckily using incompatible browsers/platforms. A pity, though, that this is where I'm left with this. It looks like everyone else (or many, at least) are getting a lot out of this (and that), just not me. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.79.137|172.69.79.137]] 21:41, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

: I couldn't play this at all on mobile (neither chrome nor firefox worked: I got the same behavior as you). It works fine on desktop, though. (I'm using Firefox 112 on Ubuntu 23.04). Granted, controls kinda suck at the beginning, but that's intended. You should get at least a little forward trust if pressing UP on a physical keyboard (at least enough to get you off the ground). [[Special:Contributions/172.69.3.212|172.69.3.212]] 04:09, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

I think the giant spider might be a Tintin reference (see The Shooting Star). [[Special:Contributions/172.64.238.140|172.64.238.140]] 00:31, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Two things: First, you don't need the warpdrive to be able to exit the crystal sphere or to even explore the area outside of it like the cruiser ship. It's enough to have most of the other upgrades from inside the sphere and do some careful flying/orbital mechanicsing. Second with the warpdrive and most other upgrades you can escape from the black hole in the air and space museum. You likely can escape without the warp drive as well with some very careful flying but it's quite tricky to time the thrusters correctly to get a nice elliptical orbit going. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.64|172.69.59.64]] 18:47, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Given the occasional occurrences of D&D as a topic in xkcd and the recent re-publication of the Spelljammer setting for fifth edition D&D, the Crystal Sphere might be a reference to Spelljammer (which likely drew on the already-mentioned story ''The Crystal Spheres'' by David Brin for the idea since Spelljammer was published 5 years after the short story). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.68.204|141.101.68.204]] 22:57, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm having a similar reset problem as everyone else. My game crashed, my speed upgrades stayed, but my energy regen upgrades are gone. Which is quite annoying. Does anyone know of a solution to this?

Most of the upgrades I've collected with a given star token have not been the same as what's listed here. I think that which upgrade you get is either semi-random, or that there is a sequential list and you get the upgrades in a predetermined order - with the exception of the "significant" boost upgrades, and perhaps some that specifically relate to the message when found (like the Tank recharge upgrade on Andal, or the Thruster Efficiency upgrade at the Shuttle Skeleton). [[User:Dansiman|Dansiman]] ([[User talk:Dansiman|talk]]) 22:23, 27 April 2023 (UTC)

;Time slowed
I got the "A single molecule of caffeine" upgrade, and it didn't seem to make my tanks recharge faster. Instead, it made my rocket's movement speed extremely slow. Is anyone else experiencing this? I tried reloading and even deleting all cache data stored on XKCD. It still didn't fix it. Any ideas?

Did not personally experience this issue, but if you're looking to reset your progress, try pasting this into your browser console and refresh the comic page: localStorage.save = ""; [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.29|172.70.34.29]] 21:22, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Experiencing a similar issue. It was also right after getting a power up, but a different one. "A significant engine boost for a curious pilot". My forward speed and turning speed have been cut down significantly, and gravity seems lower as well. I checked in an incognito page, and turning speed is still much slower than when I initially played, so it seems to affect any instance of the game. I'd love a solution that doesn't require wiping my progress. Maybe I'll try warping to an upgrade I haven't gotten (since getting there myself is basically impossible) and see if collecting it fixes it. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.85|172.70.130.85]] 03:26, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Inspecting element and putting Comic.voyager.opts.speed into the console showed that my current speed was 0.285, which seems low. I manually changed it with Comic.voyager.opts.speed = 1.0 which mostly fixed things. I still feel that my turning speed is lower than before, but otherwise I'm moving around like I used to. Option to avoid resetting progress. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.85|172.70.130.85]] 18:47, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

I had the same problem. I played around with console, but it seems like the issue is related to browser tick speed, since things like falling to the ground when returning to the start position are also very slow. The problem went away after I closed some other tabs and plugged in my laptop (not certain which of those fixed it). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.177|162.158.155.177]] 04:12, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

That happened to me too, but I plugged my computer in and now it's working fine.

Guessing it's just a power saver feature reducing the tick speed then. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.140|172.70.110.140]] 03:46, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Turning off chrome's "energy saver" worked for me. [[User:Rotartsi|Rotartsi]] ([[User talk:Rotartsi|talk]]) 17:07, 29 April 2023 (UTC)

;Full map of the whole thing, what do?
Someone called u/Boojum on the XKCD subreddit ([https://old.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12tmw01/escape_speed_2765_maps/ old reddit link], [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12tmw01/escape_speed_2765_maps/ new reddit link]) managed to reverse engineer how the game encodes the map data and posted the whole thing for us to enjoy, should we just put it at the very top or be more measured?

Full zoomable version here: https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/map.html [[Special:Contributions/172.69.135.75|172.69.135.75]] 23:19, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

"A sparking Gem" in the Gulf of Boni in Indonesia [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.178|162.158.155.178]] 23:38, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

There's also [https://xkcd2765-map.kuilin.net/ this map] ([https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12txn1o/i_made_an_interactive_map_for_escape_speed/ from Reddit]), which shows the location of all the collectables and seems to load a bit faster than the other one --[[User:CruseCtrl|CruseCtrl]] ([[User talk:CruseCtrl|talk]]) 13:49, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

;Article structure and explaining
I have the impression, that the article structure is a bit messy, and I like to make some suggestions to improve it. Currently, the article is structured with a section for each planets. I suggest to keep that structure roughly but create several list below each of those sections

1. First I suggest to rename the "List of planets" to "List of planets and space objects".

2. Second, I'd like to point out, there are several things to collect, which you can categorize clearly as following:
* '''"You've found"-items''': They appear as a collectible dot. When collected, there is a message of the style "You found WHATEVER". And that WHATEVER item gets added to the list "You've found:" below the comic.
* '''Upgrades''': They appear as large circle with a star.
* '''Messages''': They only display a message when you reach a certain spot. I think it is not visible that there is a message, before you reach that spot.
* '''Subway puzzle tokens.''' They appear as dot with a "T" letter in it and unlock passages at the second subway planet.
Basically you can get a good overview about those at https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/map.html if you turn on those 4 things in the layer menu in the upper right corner. Beside from that you might also discover:
* '''Fixed text messages.''' From xkcd characters or on signs. You could also add the subway station names.
* '''Interesting looking objects'''. This is a bit vague, as it is not clear, what to add there.
However, those are completely passive things which do not interact with the space ship of the player.

I think we should describe those four types of collectibles in the explanation section.

3. Currently, the lists at the planets do not separate the categories which I mentioned at 2. or only separate '''Messages''' from other collectibles. Sometimes it seems to me some of the passive objects or messages went into the list, too.
So I suggest to always separate the these six categories and add at least the first four of those to each planet and space object, unless the list is empty. For '''Fixed text messages''' I am not sure, if it is worth to always list them, but it is a clearly defined group. For the '''Interesting looking objects''' I would not make a list because it is not clear what to add or not. Instead I suggest to always describe them in the description text for the planet/space object.

4. Note, that players get that "You've found:" list below the comic. Many would like to find out, if their list is complete and whether they have found everything. Currently with the list in that article this is not possible at all. Therefore, I think it is important, that the lists for the "You've found" matches exactly the list which appears below the game.

5. Explain xkcd is about explaining. Many of the '''You've found''', '''Upgrades''', and '''Messages''' are (more or less funny) jokes or references to real things and/or other xkcd comics. We should explain them very shortly for each. So, behind each '''You've found''', '''Upgrades''', and '''Messages''' I suggest to put a very short explanation. You can separate this with a hyphen, a line break, start with italique font or do some other optical separation.

6. Another option would be to create a huge sortable table with four columns:
* Planet / Space Object
* Type ('''You've found''', ''Message''', '''Upgrade''', '''Subway token''', '''fixed text message''')
* Text (1 to 1 as in the game)
* Explanation for the joke or reference.
However, I am currently a bit more in favor for the planet/space object sections and just going with list.

What do you think about those 6 suggestions? Are you with me? Should we start with this restructuring? --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.246.39|172.70.246.39]] 12:53, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
:I think it is good suggestions. Although text on the image should also be added to the full transcript. But yes in principle all references and jokes should be explained. But it is a huge project. I have also been taking some screenshots that I would like to add for reference but again it is such a huge and tedious job to upload them all. I think there should be a table of all the collectible items that would be nice to have with sortable so you can check alphabetically but also with planet/place so you can sort on that. Maybe no explanation there, but go to planet sections for that? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:20, 25 April 2023 (UTC)
::Hi, I have just finished the (hopefully) full transcript of the objects inside and on the outer edge of the Crystal Sphere. I have transcribed all the dialogues, monologues, signs and inscriptions. As for the messages of "You found" kind, I have copied them from the spreadsheet, just to be sure. Screenshotting is uncomfortable and my memory is short, so I have made a lot of mistakes until I noticed the spreadsheet. However, I have not put in the (shortened) object names as they appear on the "you've found" list. I think it may be a good start to take all the texts from there and put them in a table, so people can start writing explanations for everything. I will try to transcribe the rest (the big ships and the Click and Drag planet), but I am a bit tired of it already, maybe someone would take over. It's almost midnight here, have a good sleep everybody! --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]], late April 26th.

Fun little game. You can even do a little antigravity park without the antigravity cheat on! https://imgur.com/a/sJ72VvW [[Special:Contributions/108.162.227.49|108.162.227.49]] 14:01, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Outside the shell I found a powerup called "it is very lonely out here". I forget what kind of powerup it was...I had left the star destroyer and orbited counter-clockwise around the shell for several seconds before I saw it by chance, and after a bit of searching I was able to backtrack and pick it up. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.127.133|172.70.127.133]] 00:04, 23 April 2023 (UTC)Nathan

If anyone needs a hint, black hole moon [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 23:33, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

;Glitches?
Anybody else got duplicate items? After picking up "very lonely out here", I fell into the crystal sphere hard enough to glitch and get stuck, so warped back home… and then noticed that the orb wren seemed to have respawned. Looking down the list (with the help of ctrl+F), I see that it does indeed appear twice in the list of objects I've found. No idea what happened there. I then went back to the outside and eventually managed to find the last item (the one talking about the "source"), but as soon as I touched it the ship became stationary. The messages appeared, but the item didn't vanish, and the controls were unresponsive. Refreshing the page left me in deep space, so I resorted to using the wayfinder script to find the dot again; and it confirmed that I'd collected everything.

Is there something I've missed, or are these both weird little glitches? -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 11:57, 24 April 2023 (UTC)
i cant teleport it puts me in the middle of the starry void my thrusteres work but i dont move [[Special:Contributions/172.71.222.132|172.71.222.132]] 13:09, 26 April 2023 (UTC)

I can't say this happens on every planet, but on a few I've tried (What-If planet, small starting planet) if you are landed (no shields on) you can reverse thrust into the ground and dig into the planet. In most cases there is nothing to find, but the "What-If Planet" has a Megan and Cueball floating around the open core. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.141|172.70.126.141]] 21:23, 28 April 2023 (UTC)mlganser3

;Click and Drag Planet Trivia
Didn't know where to put this, so I made a new category: The Water tower on the click and drag planet is placed on the location with the highest gravity potential (which makes sense, of course!) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.88|172.70.114.88]] 21:13, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

;What-If Planet Core
Once the hyperdrive has been obtained it is possible to travel to the centre of the What-If planet by parking on top of the volcano, accelerating forwards for a couple of seconds, stopping, then powering in reverse. Keeping reverse held down down for a very long time once in reverse, it will gradually travel to the centre of the planet where you meet Megan and Cueball. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.101|172.70.90.101]] 17:00, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

If you keep going in reverse past Megan and Cueball, eventually you pop out on the opposite side of the planet, just on the other side of a short pillar from where another Megan is sitting. (Megan sits on a block looking at a short pillar. On the other side of this pillar is where you emerge if entering from the volcano.) You can also enter here by landing then powering in reverse. Also, I was able to enter here in forward thrust, going quite fast (lucky shot, maybe?) but I got all the way into the center of the planet in very short order.

I've found that I can reverse thrust from any standing location and dig into any planet, not just the What-If Planet. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.127.134|172.70.127.134]] 21:13, 28 April 2023 (UTC) mlganser3

::Yeah, there seems to be a corridor of sorts through the What-If planet centre, between the volcano and the pillar that Megan is contemplating. Since it takes soooo long to go down the volcano, I definitely recommend starting at the pillar and reversing in. If you land on the pillar itself and reverse, it should get you to the centre space relatively quickly.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.123.148|172.71.123.148]] 10:47, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

;Inital Statrting Bug
I have a bug in my game where when I start, I am pushed off of the starting planet, and I continue to get pushed around. My shield is up and everything, and sometimes it tries to land. I have tried many of the cheats, but they aren't working. I need some help! AlabroX201 - 13:22, 26 April 2023 (UTC)
Update: NoClip stops the bug, but only when it is true. 13:28 26 April 20203 (UTC)

;Making a table to organize EVERYTHING

Good heavens, y'all - format table so text is at the top of the cell.

I'm currently making a table to organize planet (file)names, coordinates, and explanations, and the four item types and their explanation, inspired by the comments from [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/User:Kynde Kynde], [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/User:Malgond Malgond], and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/172.70.246.39 172.70.246.39]. Here's my progress so far, do you have any suggestions or feedback? A few things to note:
* I will try to add all explanations for each item found
* The "???" are there because the spreadsheet with all the items doesn't include the message shown to the user. I temporarily put the words that the wiki used instead
* All the "Z" between items will be replaced by a new line. The editor I'm using doesn't support adding new lines directly
* Can someone let me know how to find the coordinates of each planet? Many thanks

----

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Filename
! Description
! Tiles (X, Y)
! Explanation
! "You found" items
! Upgrades
! Messages
! Subway tokens
|-
| <code>tiny-world</code>
| Starting planet
|
| To return here from anywhere, click the "Home" button in lower right corner. The planet is tiny, grassy, a has few trees. Beret-Guy says 'Wow!'.
| a rock with neat stripes!Za cool bug!Za pretty leaf!
|
| Wheeee!
|
|-
| <code>origin</code>
| Origin
|
| To get here, simply fall from the starting planet by thrusting off from Beret Guy's place. The planet has a sign saying 'Welcome to Origin! You can never leave™'. A large shaft leads from below the rollercoaster to the St. Louis Arch on the opposing side. Lots of landmarks (many on small pedestals) each mark the direction to a different planet.
| a secret gladeZa holographic Charizard business cardZa tiny meteorite!Za 5G seagullZa DVD of The Core (2003)Za normal-looking leafZa marsh wrenZan orb wrenZa single grain of saltZ11 squares packed into a larger squareZa tumbleweed
| Nice flying! (Your tanks recharge faster now.)
| Welcome to liminal spaceZThe St. Louis arch is also known as the gateway to space.ZBe careful; this roller coaster can be disorienting!
|
|-
| <code>hollow-shell</code>
| Hollow Planet
|
| To get here, swing through Origin's central shaft and out the St. Louis Arch. The planet is just a shell with some gaps. On the outside, there are signs pointing at the directions to a few other planets.
| a handful of the quantum foam that makes up the fabric of space!
| You found a sixth lagrange point! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found a glass of heavy water (engine a little more powerful???)
|
|
|-
| <code>orb</code>
| Round Planet
|
| To get here, launch from the sign on the Hollow Planet or the tower with an orb on it on Origin. The planet is moderately small with no vegetation and some architecture such as Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China.
| a swatch pop-out wristwatch
| You found a sensible cheese platter (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now)Z??? (engine a little more powerful???)
|
|
|-
| <code>uzumaki</code>
| Uzumaki
|
| To get here, launch from the sign on the Hollow Planet, Origin's spiral monument, or below the plane-towed banner on the Round Planet. The planet is a large spiral of grass inspired by the manga ''{{w|Uzumaki}}'' by Junji Ito. A Roomba is loose, a reference to [[1558: Vet]].
| a golden radio tuned to 1.618 MHzZa scroll lock keyZa primordial black holeZa cool pair of shoes with flames on the sideZan ink cartridgeZa podcast episodeZa festive but somehow unnerving holiday card from Junji ItoZa friendly beeZa spiral-cut diamondZa burrito
| You found a tree-filled grove and a nice spot for quiet contemplation (Your thrusters are significantly more efficient now.)ZYou found a single caffeine molecule! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)
| Exit OnlyZYou're going the wrong way!Z
|
|-
| <code>guitar-ship</code>
| Guitar Ship
|
| To get here, launch from near Uzumaki. The planet is an enormous guitar labeled 'Boston' with the city skyline under a dome on the back (a reference to the cover art of the album {{w|Boston (album)|''Boston''}}). A guitar shaped UFO with "BOSTON" written on it and the skyline of Boston under a dome at the bottom.
| a guitar pick
|
|
| Orange line deactivated!
|-
| <code>soccerfield</code>
| Spacetime Soccer Field
|
| To get here, launch from the pyramid with a soccer ball on top on Origin. The planet is reference to [[2705: Spacetime Soccer]] and consists of a central pure-white body, goals on the poles and intangible lines farther away.
|
| GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZGOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! (Thrust Speed???)ZYou found the 3 million point line (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found a sunspot! (Your launch speed has increased.)
|
|
|-
| <code>saturn</code>
| Saturn
|
| To get here, launch from the pyramid with a ringed on top on Origin. If you instead see the Spacetime Soccer Field, you're too far left. The planet has a soccer ball inside it, a reference to [[2513: Saturn Hexagon]]
| a really cool data point
| You found a pair of platonic solids, not quite touching! (Thrust power???)ZYou found a block of scandium! (Thrust power???)
|
|
|-
| <code>platform-planet</code>
| Andal
|
| To get here, launch from below Saturn's equator, when the soccer ball is oriented to the bottom left compared to the rocket, or from the miniature of Andal to the left of the pyramids on Origin. The planet is small and has a T-shaped tower, mountains, and grass. On a grass patch Blondie says to Cueball "The MIT cloaking device only affects the electroweak and nuclear forces. Gravity is the odd one out, as usual.", hinting that 'A random point out in space' is the Subway Planet.
|
| You found two Andalites, one canonical! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZWhat a nice place for a ship to sit! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)ZYou found a friend (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found baby shoes (and baby)! (Engine power???)
|
|
|-
| <code>earth-map</code>
| Compromise Projection of Earth
|
| The planet is a huge distorted map of all land masses on Earth. The rocket can fly where water would be, but it can't go over land
|
|
|
|
|-
| <code></code>
|
|
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|-
| <code></code>
|
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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|}

Do you have any suggestions or feedback? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:57, 28 April 2023 (UTC)
:There's a bit of a mix in the game itself between messages, "You found" items and powerups. At first it looked like a small grey dot is an item, a bigger grey star is a powerup. Sometimes they're collocated, i.e. a dot inside the hollow center of a star. But further in the game, I have found hollow stars (i.e. without the dot inside) which leave a "you found" list item anyway. Also, sometimes the "you found" message contains a description that differs from the name on the list below the game viewport. The ultimate source of all is the spreadsheet linked at the start of [[2765:_Escape_Speed#List of planets|List of planets]] section. Any Message (including "you found..." messages) can be accompanied by an Item and an Action (an upgrade or some other things like decloaking or subway token), both of them or none of them. I think it shall be somehow reflected in the table. For example: one column for Message (a value always present), another for Item name (may be empty) and another for Effect (may be empty). Unfortunately, the spreadsheet does not contain the kind of visual representation (a dot, a star, a star with a dot inside, or none at all). --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]]
:Another comment: the Explanation column is currently a short description (of a planet) and some of its features, the way to get there, only sometimes containing an explanation of what the planet name refers to. These should be separate. Explanation shall be a short paragraph about a pun or reference connected to the name of a planet or the text found in the game. For example, explanation for the Message/Item of "11 squares packed into a larger square" shall have a reference to [[2740:_Square_Packing]] and a short description of the mathematical problem involved. I also think we may need separate tables for planets (with very general descriptions and directions), features on the planets, possibly one table per planet (containing architecture, vegetation, animals, people etc. - if worth noting or there's some pun or reference), items and messages to be collected by the player (maybe one per planet), and for words spoken by the people and messages written somewhere (again, only if they contain a pun or a reference). Otherwise, the table would be too big. --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]]

::Hey, thanks for replying.

::>''[...] ... I think it shall be somehow reflected in the table. For example: one column for Message (a value always present), another for Item name (may be empty) and another for Effect (may be empty). Unfortunately, the spreadsheet does not contain the kind of visual representation (a dot, a star, a star with a dot inside, or none at all).''

::Yeah I noticed that too, but tbh I don't think it's SO important that needs to be included in the table or even in the entire page. Also, it would be very time-consuming.

::> ''the Explanation column is currently a short description (of a planet) and some of its features, the way to get there, only sometimes containing an explanation of what the planet name refers to. These should be separate.''

::I don't think they should be separate, because it would mean that the table would get even bigger and navigating it would be harder. You're welcome to add any information in the explanation section, as I'm not editing its contents.

::> ''explanation for the Message/Item of "11 squares packed into a larger square" shall have a reference to [[2740:_Square_Packing]] and a short description of the mathematical problem involved.''

::I totally agree, and as I said in the initial message (above the table), I plan on adding item-specific explanations next to the item "names".

::> ''I also think we may need separate tables for planets (with very general descriptions and directions), features on the planets, possibly one table per planet (containing architecture, vegetation, animals, people etc. - if worth noting or there's some pun or reference), items and messages to be collected by the player (maybe one per planet), and for words spoken by the people and messages written somewhere (again, only if they contain a pun or a reference).''

::I'm sorry but the amount of effort I'm putting in this ''"simple"'' table is already IMMENSE. This would probably require dozens of hours between exploration and formatting. I'm afraid I won't be doing that myself :) [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 13:57, 29 April 2023 (UTC)

:If you want to get rid of the "Z", you can make line breaks inside the wiki's editing window using the expression '''''' (remove the spaces--I couldn't type the phrase without getting a break). It's the html code for a line break. Technically, I think '''''' works, too. Really, though, just put ''openCarrot br closeCarrot'' wherever you want a break and you'll be fine. --Sorry, I don't have a name here, so I can't really sign this. 11:21, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

::Thanks, but i figured it out. I used Notepad++ to replace all uppercase "Z" with two line breaks and an asterisk. This thing took soooooooo many hours to make, I'm so proud I've finally published it. I'll never touch it again. Now I despertly need to sleep, g'night everyone! [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 23:24, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

:::General style that I use:
:::*The first linefeed/break in any cell content is fully respected
:::**(Because it takes a line that starts with a cell-markup and then one that doesn't, and actually understands it as a different qualification, so the LF between isn't collapsed to mere whitespace?)
:::**Other div-like markup starters (e.g. bullet points) enforce this.
:::*But, ''if'' you want to add linebreaks where it won't (third-and-later paragraphs?), I sugest using <code><nowiki> </nowiki></code>, the self-closing single-tag version that can't be misinterpretted by any (XML-aware, in general) markup-parser.
:::**You can even use it in the midst of some text flow, whhich might be useful for certain layouts (and their sources).
:::...Or double-LF can often do the job, too. But just Preview things to see what does/does not need additional tweaking... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.22|162.158.34.22]] 23:55, 30 April 2023 (UTC)
:I like the idea of the table thank for making it. I have added two more pages, one with overview images of the world and the planets and one with a place to post the screen shots needed for making a full explanation. Put some of the relevant images up already but will not have time to much more the rest of this week. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:26, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

;Speedrun
Has anyone started making speedruns of this yet? I'd absolutely love to see an any% run to vader, or to some other end game location. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.3.200|172.69.3.200]] 04:57, 30 April 2023 (UTC)
: Hi! I've done a couple speedruns to get the hyperdrive. Currently, my best time is 25:32. Pretty bad though. There's almost certainly a way to get straight to the center of Uzumaki, which takes like 5 minutes to do. I don't really have a route, just some planets I like going to. [[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]] ([[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al|talk]]) 18:04, 12 December 2024 (UTC)

;Gravity of shell

: Halfway thru the crack, gravity gets increasingly stronger as the spaceship feels the gravitational force of all the celestial bodies it is leaving behind.

It's the gravity of the ''shell itself'', no? A uniform shell has no net force on objects inside it.
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 23:09, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

I have removed the topic lines, as they mess with the main explanations table of contest. They are not needed here in the discussion and we try not to use them so do not ass new. Just make a heading with text like here above! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:29, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

:Good job, they were getting annoying. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:01, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

I'm not a fan of the new table. It's harder to use 'cause long text is limited to narrow column. How to get to where you're going needs to be its own column if we're doing this. And I used the old list to organized to order I wanted to do things in.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.19|162.158.154.19]] 20:08, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

: Hey, I'm not sure when you made the comment, but yesterday [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] noticed that an item message was one extremely long word (something like "GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!") and added a space that made the table look much better. I think it's readable enough, and it's way more organized that the old list (and i added more info that wasn't there).

: >How to get to where you're going needs to be its own column if we're doing this

: If you add another column it's gonna get even more narrow, I think it's best to keep it as is. One could argue the instructions to get there are part of the explanation for the planet. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:15, 2 May 2023 (UTC)

::I think it's important to keep the flow of conversation, so I'm putting this after what I'm replying to. I hope that's not too confusing.

::>It's way more organized that the old list (and i added more info that wasn't there).

::Yes, but in this particular instance, I think there are better ways of doing it. You can set a template up where every planet is dealt with typographically in exactly the same way. Each piece of information is in the same place relative to other pieces and handled typographically the same way in every single planet, the objects in interplanetay space and the objects in extraspherical space. You'd loose the ability of a table to sort by arbitrary columns which doesn't seem to be a help with this information, but you'd also loose the annoying short lines, the fact that for most entries, the column head way up there above the readable portion of the screen and because you can use typography to show what different data is, it's a little more intuitive to us monkey-brained folk.

:: For example '''Planet-name: Large, Bold.''' Colon, name in code, comma, coordinates as x=number and y=numers, all in regular wight roman. ''New line, Explanation of how to get there starting with "To get there" and in italics''. New line, any other notes in roman. New line, a bullet-pointed list of items and messages to find. Each entry is structured Name of object or message when found in roman, powerup text in prethases, And then any notes in italics.

::'''Andal''': Filename: Andal, x= 123456 y= -654321
::''To get here, launch from below Saturn's equator, when the soccer ball is oriented to the bottom left compared to the rocket, or from the miniature of Andal to the left of the pyramids on Origin.''
::The planet is small and has a T-shaped tower, mountains, and grass. On a grass patch Blondie says to Cueball "The MIT cloaking device only affects the electroweak and nuclear forces. Gravity is the odd one out, as usual.", hinting that 'A random point out in space' is the Subway Planet.
::* You found two Andalites, one canonical! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)
::* What a nice place for a ship to sit! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)
::* You found a friend (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)
::* You found baby shoes (and baby)! (Engine power???)

::This can be tweeked and I don't program in html ever so this can be improved. And I recognize that this is harder than a table, but it is much better.

::: I don't really agree this is better, the main reason we wanted to create the table in the first place was so that people could sort it at their liking: ''"there should be a table of all the collectible items that would be nice to have with sortable so you can check alphabetically but also with planet/place so you can sort on that"''. Imagine someone wanted to obtain as many upgrades as possible: they would just sort the table to put the upgrades first and discard planets without them, or sort by subway tokens, to get the hyperdrive and know exactly where to look. A table is the only way to have that, and it's also more compact than a list. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 14:28, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.47|162.158.62.47]] 22:52, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Hi [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]], thank you for the table version!
You can get the list of coordinates from the console with this js command:
console.log(Comic.map.locations.map(e=>[e.name,e.pos[0],e.pos[1]].join("\t")).join("\n"))
you will get a list with planet, x coordinate, y coordinate that is easy to manage. [[User:Hydra454|Hydra454]] ([[User talk:Hydra454|talk]])
:Thank you! I added all the coordinates and moved the planet filenames to the Planet Name column to make more space for the other columns

My game restarted after I hadn't played it in a while, but now there seems to be items missing? Like for instance, I can't find the small meteorite item on origin or the quantum foam on the hollow planet? I've searched both planets inside and out and can't find them anywhere. I have all the other items from those planets, it's just those two that are missing. I haven't searched any other planets yet, any idea why this is happening? [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 02:35, 10 May 2023 (UTC)

'''Another attempt to explain EVERYTHING'''
:Hi everyone, I have made a [[User:Malgond/Drafts/Escape_Speed|DRAFT]] of ''explanation of everything'' as two tables, one for planets, another for objects, and put in what I think is interesting or worth noting and explaning for initial four planets. I am basing this work on the [[2765: Escape Speed/Transcript|full transcript]], which I also made. Do you think it is any better than the current form? -- [[User:Malgond|Malgond]] ([[User talk:Malgond|talk]]) 21:39, 13 May 2023 (UTC)
::I really like you table. Maybe we should make seperate pages for the tables used for the explanations? But anyway I like how your look Malgond. Good work. I think it would be a good idea to use those in the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:17, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
:::For instance here [[2765: Escape Speed/Tables]] --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:21, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
::::Hey, I've said this in my user page and I'll add it here too. I think the structure of the current table in the article is better at a few things than the one you've been working on: for example, it's easier to sort for upgrades and items (which was the main reason [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] wanted to make a sortable table in the first place), is more compact, and is easier to browse. Why don't we just add a "transcript" column like the table on [[2712: Gravity]] to put what things and people say, and add the rest of the information on the respective columns on the current table? Personally, I think the new one is a little bit too complicated to browse. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:26, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
:::::Also, we're already trying to move on from the old list and transfer everything to the "new" table. If we add a "newer" table, won't it become even harder to keep track of what needs to be moved and added to what? [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:39, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
::::::Here's what I think we should do: we keep the compact, easy-to-use and easily sortable table in the article, but we put a notice above it that links to the /Tables page for people who want an even more in-depth look description and explanation of everything. The /Tables page is longer than the entire article page AND discussion page combined, so I think it would be too big to be added directly into the article. Do you guys like the plan?
::::::I'll start by adding a prominent link above the current table in the article that points to /Tables --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 13:53, 24 May 2023 (UTC)

'''Script to stop momentum of spaceship'''
Cool script to stop momentum of spaceship, useful when flying around and you see something but couldn't stop the spaceship.
<code>
window.onkeydown = function(e){if(e.key == 'p'){Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.maxSpeed = 0; setTimeout(() => {Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.maxSpeed = 100;},10)}}
</code>
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.58.75|172.69.58.75]] 01:04, 22 May 2023 (UTC)

:Thanks! I'll add that into the page

Is it just me or is Click-and-Drag at a different scale to everything else?
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.227|162.158.158.227]] 15:15, 5 June 2023 (UTC)

;"anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is a reference to the comic 470

https://xkcd.com/470/
"anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is a reference to the comic where someone shows up at a protest content; "anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is one of the signs he's holding. i'd like to add this because i'd love to contribute and this page helped me a lot during my playthrough. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.204|108.162.245.204]] 19:21, 6 June 2023 (UTC)
:Cool, feel free to add that to the article. I'm not sure why you wrote it here instead of editing the actual page, do you need help with anything? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:09, 7 June 2023 (UTC)

Apparently the objects (like the weird spaceship thing, transmitter, etc.) on origin points to planets so fly directly up and you'll get there. also does anyone know how to slow your velocity down bc everytime i fly past the planets {{unsigned ip|172.70.207.165|15:48, 24 July 2023}}
:Please remember to sign your post using the button in the toolbar on talk pages. [[2765:_Escape_Speed#Celestial_Bodies_and_Collectable_Items|The table in the article]] already describes how to reach any planet by using those landmarks. To slow down, use the arrow down button on your keyboard. It's the one below the arrow up button you use to accelerate. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:21, 24 July 2023 (UTC)
::Or, if playing on a touchscreen mobile device (though it works badly on my devices, that may just be because they aren't <12 months old, as with many things, and become fiddly to use for unsupportable reasons - it looks as if mobile interface has been thought about but perhaps insufficiently tested on a representative variety of devices that aren't "the latest iPad"/whatever), rotate to face backwards and retrothrust 'forward' to bleed off roughly the same amount of velocity you gained in the initial outward-phase of the journey. Standard space-sim (Asteroids, xPilot, countless other gravity-well games) methodology. Doesn't seem to be (nose-based) retrothruster-braking implemented for my touchscreen input, anyway. (hnless that's another thing that is the fault of my being on Android, even with updated browsers that ''should'' be transparently and platform-agnostically handling all that coded-guff.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.244|172.70.162.244]] 19:52, 24 July 2023 (UTC)

For some reason after I got one of the upgrades on the Mercator projection (forgot which one) my game just got really slow. Not lagging or anything, just time had slowed to like a tenth of the normal speed. Closing the tab doesn't fix it, neither does restarting chrome. If it's any help, I'm on google chrome version 116.0.5845.210. [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 18:53, 2 October 2023 (UTC)
:Hooray! Doing nothing fixed it!!!!!!????? [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 13:04, 3 October 2023 (UTC)
::The speed of the game has to do with your computer's internal framerate. Usually when your computer goes into low-battery mode, it automatically lowers the framerate, which is probably what you experienced {{unsigned|TheTrainsKid|08:07, 5 January 2025}}

How do you get to the center of the ''What If'' planet? I've been trying for ten minutes lol [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 20:42, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
:Ten whole minutes? Wow. Much effort! ::( [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.70|172.71.242.70]] 04:20, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

;I got to editing it in now
hi im on a different device now but still xkcd...ing? anyway i edited it in but, as my brain is as small as an acorn, i have no idea how to insert links! (this is my first time editing ANY wiki) i'm putting this up because if i do that, you might notice it quicker
now im at the end so hyphen(?) time! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.150.239|172.71.150.239]] 18:38, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

When I'd gathered all of the things, I took off from the sphere into the void. The stars started moving from 12 to 6 o'clock. But, as the months have rolled by, they have moved from there and are now going from 2 to 8 o'clock. I'm finding that interesting. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.116|172.70.111.116]] 16:21, 20 October 2023 (UTC)
:And now my ship has stopped dead. That's interesting. There is a further sphere that you can get stuck in. That takes a long time to get to. Cool.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.75|162.158.155.75]] 16:51, 9 November 2023 (UTC) Honestly, I'd expected my ship to fall back and hit the sphere eventually. I haven't tried to get unstuck.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.76|162.158.155.76]] 16:59, 9 November 2023 (UTC)
::Are you sure that you didn't just fall into the original one again? {{unsigned|Cloudstar|01:31, 18 March 2025}}

the "sixth larange point might be a reference to [[2717: L6 Lagrange Point]]--[[User:Bb777|me, hi]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 15:00, 31 March 2025 (UTC)

When people started to create maps for interactive comics: it all just became click and drag. [[User:Aprilfoolsupdate!|Aprilfoolsupdate!]] ([[User talk:Aprilfoolsupdate!|talk]]) 02:33, 4 April 2025 (UTC)

;Sprites/Assets?
Hello! Does anyone have the assets/sprites used for Escape Speed (Eg. Upgrade Items, Ship, Background, Etc). I need it for something {{unsigned ip|172.71.120.10|18:26, 27 April 2025}}

;Escape Speed speed glitch crash
:- Originally a Comic page overwrite, copied over to Discussion, verbatim, in case it's important [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.228|82.132.244.228]] 05:45, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

Why the game likely crashed
Physics engine exhaustion: The Crystal Sphere's gravity and collision mechanics are intended to trap I. When I repeatedly bypass this with extreme speed, the physics engine must perform a series of highly unusual and complex calculations. After four successful exploits, it's likely the fifth attempt created a state the engine wasn't designed to handle, leading to a crash.
Collision detection failure cascade: I am likely hitting the sphere at a "seam," a weak point where its polygon mesh connects. With each successful tunnelling, I am stressing the physics engine's collision detection. By the fifth time, it may have failed, leading to a fatal error.
Browser-specific issues: As a browser-based game, Escape Speed's performance can be affected by browser version, hardware, and open tabs. This is mentioned in some Reddit threads concerning the game. My high-speed exploit likely pushed my browser to its limit, resulting in the crash.
Physics time step error: The game uses a "constant physics tick rate" to smooth out gameplay. My high-speed "tunnelling" might be creating an event that conflicts with this fixed timestep, causing a calculation overflow or a data corruption that leads to a crash.
Ir recording is key
Since I am recording this, I have valuable evidence of a reproducible bug. Contact for more
Email: s223191@scusd.net
Subject: xkcd: Escape Speed - Reproducible crash on 5th physics exploit.
[[User:Me a meep sheep|Me a meep sheep]] ([[User talk:Me a meep sheep|talk]]) 04:12, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

I feel the need to say that the "cube of platinum formerly used to determine the kilogram" is on the OUTSIDE of the crystal sphere.
[[User:Headphones the stickman|Headphones the stickman]] ([[User talk:Headphones the stickman|talk]]) 18:47, 12 December 2025 (UTC)

I don't entirely understand how discussions work, but it should be mentioned that the giant spider planet is the exact same as the one in the last image of https://what-if.xkcd.com/136/ [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]]([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 22:43, 14 February 2026 (MST)
:{{Done}}! See the table. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:40, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Another thing that should be noted is that if you get going fast enough on a slow enough computer, you can pass through the crystal sphere before it loads and escape its gravity, giving you access to the star destroyer and click and drag planet before even reaching boston. You do need some upgrades to get going fast enough, but it is possible. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 16:52, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:2843: Professional Oaths

2026-02-16T03:32:29Z

Xkdvd:

added transcript [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 05:47, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

every /^H.*ic$/ would be 4 syllables if it wasn't for hydroelectric [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 05:55, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Maybe that should be "hydrœlectric", then! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.85|172.71.242.85]] 21:59, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

His-tor-ic[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.77|162.158.146.77]]SomeoneElse1624

Clearly some lone editor had a grudge against hermeneutics, putting 'study' in scare quotes like that. AzureArmageddon 07:38, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hippopotamic Oath: First, lead your horse to water. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.139|172.70.86.139]] 08:02, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Cap doffed. Cap very much doffed. [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 20:16, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hypobolic Oath: Do your worst! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.250.73|172.70.250.73]] 09:55, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Hypochondriac Oath: First, pretend to be sick! [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:05, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Nitpick: Hypochondriacs don't pretend to be sick, they believe they have an illness or are unduly worried about the possibility of having an illness. Someone who pretends to be sick is a malingerer. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.135|172.69.70.135]] 16:43, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
::Ok, fair :) So: Hypochondriac Oath: First, consult your doctor! [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:32, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

"A hippodrome is a circular arena" The classical Greek/Roman was not circular:
"One end of the ancient Greek hippodromos was semicircular, and the other end square with an extensive portico"
Maybe it would be more correct to talk about '''pairs''' of hypergolic substances?
[[User:Rps|Rps]] ([[User talk:Rps|talk]]) 12:19, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

I think the hyperbaric oath is probably referring to hyperbaric chambers, which are used in medical settings, such as treating scuba divers suffering from the bends. 14:08, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:I wonder if the "holigraphic" one is directly inspired by [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67080941 this recent display]. (Although, by my reading, that's not ''really'' holographic, just an advanced form of stereographic display.) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.171|172.71.178.171]] 06:01, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

I missed the Hydroponic Oath (“first, maintain nutrient concentration”), the Hypocritic Oath (“first, judge others as you ''don't'' wish to be judged”), and the Hyperbolic Oath (“first, take two intersecting asymptotes”). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.60|108.162.221.60]] 15:34, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:Isn't the Hypocritic Oath just "First, don't do this"?

I prefer the Hypocritical oath (insert political party of your choosing here). [[Special:Contributions/172.71.219.106|172.71.219.106]] 17:29, 19 October 2023 (UTC)
:All of them. [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Miscellaneous#Help_with_Creating_a_User_Page|Trogdor147]] ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Miscellaneous#Help_with_Creating_a_User_Page|talk]]) 18:18, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypodermic Oath: "I've got you, under my skin..." [[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 20:20, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypoglycemic Oath: "First, eat some sweets!" [[Special:Contributions/162.158.19.56|162.158.19.56]] 00:17, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hypothetical Oath: "First, presume there is an oath." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.18.71|162.158.18.71]] 00:23, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

The Hieroglyphic Oath - “First, do no tomb-robbing.” [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 04:16, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

Hippy Oath: First, chill out, man! 
Hip-shaker Oath: First, do a shimmy. 
Hypotenuse Oath: First, find the squares of the other two sides. 
Hyperactive Oath: First, eat no sugar. 
[[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.236|172.70.91.236]] 10:36, 20 October 2023 (UTC)
::Hip-shaker Oath: First, do not lie.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.146.241|172.71.146.241]] 20:18, 23 October 2023 (UTC)

Hydrophilic Oath: First, attract water! 
Hydrophobic Oath: First, repel water! 
Hydrox Oath: First, enjoy a cookie! 
[[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]]) 14:24, 22 October 2023 (UTC)
::Hydrogenic Oath: First, make water! [[User:TenGolf MathHacker|TenGolf MathHacker]] ([[User talk:TenGolf MathHacker|talk]]) 14:13, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Quite surprised that he didn't include a "Hypocritical Oath".
[[User:Nico31415926|An idiot]] ([[User talk:Nico31415926|talk]]) 06:11, 24 October 2023 (UTC)
:Hypocritical Oath: First, don't take this oath. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 20:23, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

I'm struggling to accept the shape of the hydroelectric turbine which appears more like a table fan to me. Is there something that could be explained? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.103|141.101.104.103]] 19:05, 25 October 2023 (UTC)
:Randall also had to draw all of the bricks in the wall. Maybe his hand was just tired. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.135.35|172.69.135.35]] 21:59, 27 October 2023 (UTC)
:{{w|Kaplan Turbine}}s are still popular and do indeed look just like that, ranging from 3-8 blades. There are other types, they all have their tradeoffs and sweet spots. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.38.8|172.70.38.8]] 21:23, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

Hula-hooping Oath: First, buy a large inedible donut! 
Hylonomic Oath: First, be a small forest lizard! [[User:TenGolf MathHacker|TenGolf MathHacker]] ([[User talk:TenGolf MathHacker|talk]]) 14:13, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Hypergiant Oath: First, die and swell [[Special:Contributions/172.71.22.108|172.71.22.108]] 12:49, 18 September 2024 (UTC)

Hyperbolic Oath: First, take this Oath as a matter of life and death.{{unsigned ip| 108.162.237.112|17:53, 31 October 2024 (UTC)}}

Hypothermic Oath: First, have a very low body temperature. [[User:RadiantRainwing|RadiantRainwing]] ([[User talk:RadiantRainwing|talk]]) 00:28, 12 February 2026 (UTC)

Hyperspace Oath: First, go fast.
Hyperkinetic Oath: First, twitch.
Hydrogen Oath: First, be first.
Hydrox Oath: First, be first, second, be forgotten.
Hyperion Oath: First, be bright.
High-five Oath: First, increase your height through the power of muscles.
High Tide Oath: First, grab a surfboard.
Hindsight Oath: First, do something to have hindsight on. [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]] ([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 03:32, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Talk:2765: Escape Speed

2026-02-15T05:44:37Z

Xkdvd:

<noinclude>
{{notice|Given the popularity of this talk page, please do not use the "add new topic" feature to avoid making the index confusing. To add a new talk section, just make your title bold/use the definition-list semicolon for that line.}}

</noinclude>"A special feature it that it does not have its own gravity, so the ship continues to be attracted to the crystal sphere regardless of which side of the planet you're on." This seems wrong. You are attracted to the Click and Drag planet and can land on it on any side. It is just that the gravity of the crystal sphere is so relatively huge that it quickly overpowers the gravity of the planet when too high above the surface on the near side makes the ground appear sloped on the "sides", similar to the moon of Origin. It would be really cool if someone could make a map that showed the gravity field everywhere. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.203.39|162.158.203.39]] 11:09, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

When Beret Guy says "Wow!" on the starting planet, isn't it actually a reference to the alt text of [[1117: My Sky]], and not [[502: Dark Flow]]? --[[User:BrightBlackHole|BrightBlackHole]] ([[User talk:BrightBlackHole|talk]]) 18:13, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

With an old browser (all I have, this moment) I just have the starscape, the hovertext and a button in the bottom right corner to seemingly reset (same starscape, and briefly the message "Welcome back pilot", or words to that effect). I look forward to trying it on something more interactive, on this very-late-for-Wednesday special comic... [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.87|172.71.242.87]] 17:02, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:For me, Firefox 112 and Chrome 112 work just fine. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.133|172.68.50.133]] 15:10, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
The only cheat is "window.python("import antigravity"). (To my knowledge) "ze.goggles()" dosen't work/do anything. Arrow keys, WASD, and HJKL work for movement. (Working on an object table) --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 17:04, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

<s>I tried to correct a BOT error, but the BOT [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2765:_Escape_Speed&diff=310745&oldid=310744 reverted the correction back to an error]. (Or my 'poor browser', see above, is also going wrong with the hovertext). So we need the BOT's human pappy to override it. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.87|172.71.242.87]]</s>
:NVM, done now. Somehow... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.159|172.70.162.159]] 17:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
::Looks like the original title text contained the error, but has since been fixed. —[[User:Theusaf|theusaf]] ([[User talk:Theusaf|talk]]) 18:12, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Spoiler but there is hollow space between the rollercoaster and the St Louis arch 17:17, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Okay I'm still working on it but here's the link to my object table: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xhw3oVb4fMktZB_KEIF9fGkYCkfbpRMHKBLI63laTgc/edit#gid=0] --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 17:27, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm having trouble using the arrow keys, because it keeps moving the browser window up and down. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.11|108.162.245.11]] 18:02, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:Try clicking on the comic itself, which should move focus there. --[[User:Moble|Moble]] ([[User talk:Moble|talk]]) 18:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I managed to escape the larger planet's gravity well by jumping off the start planet and perfectly manipulating to barely miss it. it wasn't until afterwards thatI found the tunnel --[[User:Toriski3037|Toriski3037]] ([[User talk:Toriski3037|talk]]) 18:12, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

The tunnel is how you escape the planet. Fall through and when you get to the center use your thrusters to leave. --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:15, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

There is a way to escape the crystal dome. Fly to the edge and continue around until you find the crack. You need to get enough power ups on your ship in order to make it out. --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:19, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
:You can also find the crack pretty easily by finding the 6th Lagrange Point and finding the sign that says "Exit" and heading straight there. [[User:AdmiralMemo|Admiral Memo]] ([[User talk:AdmiralMemo|talk]]) 19:11, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Absolutely no idea what you’re even talking about. I see a mostly black picture with some white spots. Your ‘explanation’ explains nothing, just makes the confusion worse.
: You probably need a relatively modern browser and Javascript turned on [[Special:Contributions/172.70.251.107|172.70.251.107]] 19:44, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

There is an area that is a huge maze with cities marked on it -the subway system. In Washington DC there is a black hole, which even with lots of power ups I think is inescapable once you land on it (you can reset and retain your powerups). The map of the subway system is from xkcd 1196.
:I'm pretty sure the area is Boston. Also, the black hole just has very high, not infinite, gravity. --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 18:27, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Re:"there is a way out" - I went farther down and launched upwards as quickly as I could while not hitting the sides to get past the intense gravity. You can get to the top on the left side, but the gravity is so strong that you're basically stuck to the ground. If you scoot along farther to the left you see a spot that says "the end". Just past there, there is a small dip that, due to how strong the gravity is, I couldn't get out of. I wouldn't be surprised if you got enough upgrades you could get past it.
: If you go right instead, you can go all the way around the "crystal dome" and there is a point of interest a long the way (half way around maybe?) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.214|172.71.154.214]] 19:34, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Should we start saying what planets things are on? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.41|162.158.146.41]]

Once you get off the planet by falling through the tunnel and shooting out the other side you can fly around space, visiting other planets. There are power ups in the form of balls with stars in the center. Each power up gives your ship more thrust, faster recharge, etc. If you keep flying straight eventually you get to a white barrier that goes all around space. This is the crystal dome that is mentioned on the "origin" planet. If you fly along the dome long enough you will eventually come across a crack in it. As you fly up through the crack the gravity gets stronger and stronger. Eventually you will not be able to any further. You have to get enough power ups to fly out. Once out there is a dome of text that just says "The end." --[[User:Silverfunk|Silverfunk]] 18:52, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

::Which is not remotely actually the end. ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.254.100|172.71.254.100]] 22:30, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I have raw images for the points of interest here: https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/ [[User:Aeromancer|Aeromancer]] ([[User talk:Aeromancer|talk]]) 21:00, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

::Cool! There are apparently quite a bunch of places I missed... (which is unsurprising given that I mostly navigated by flying in random directions while hoping to get to where I wanted (still haven’t figured how to reliably find Subway) [[User:Nleanba|Nleanba]] ([[User talk:Nleanba|talk]]) 12:06, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

apparently if you exit the page it saves your "you've found:" stuff and your position, and a spoilery upgrade that shows a gray line, but not any of the upgrades you got to your ship. (the upgrades do NOT reappear anywhere, so you can't collect them again.) thanks firefox for randomly closing to install an update --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.214|172.70.110.214]] 21:52, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

^this is a major buzzkill. The page crashed on me twice, and both times I lost my upgrades. It's essentially non-functional now.

you can probably hack back the upgrades quickly somehow. for me, i found a handy variable to use for 'accessibility' (if you want to cheat/skip parts) is to set the starting position to that of some other location, for example to skip to 'mtba' (the +1000s are just so you're not warped to the center of the object, you'll need to tweak for other locations):
window.Comic.voyager.opts.startPos = [window.Comic.map.locations[61].pos[0]+1000, window.Comic.map.locations[61].pos[1] + 1000]
to reset to the original starting location:
window.Comic.voyager.opts.startPos = window.Comic.map.player.pos
in firefox anyway, you can use this to browse the game objects to poke around more:
console.dir(window.Comic)
in particular, .voyager and .map.locations are interesting, as is .gamestate.
i didn't look into forcing upgrades, i grinded those out myself, just didn't want to hunt down all the subway tokens manually ... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.55|172.69.134.55]] 22:04, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

:Try these
* _.updatePlayerConfig({ thrustDuration: _.playerConfig.thrustDuration + 2.5 })
* _.updatePlayerConfig({ thrustDuration: _.playerConfig.thrustDuration + 0.4 })
These are the commands run when the most powerful upgrades are run. --[[User:Purah126|Purah126]] ([[User talk:Purah126|talk]]) 23:30, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

You can refer to https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2712:_Gravity#Hacks for Console commands ...

In Microsoft Edge on Windows, you can change your speed and refuel-rate as shown. At speed=2, you can escape the black hole in Washington, DC.
Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.speed=0.9
Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.thrustRecoveryTime=0.000001

Looks like I'll have to wait awhile for someone to make a map I can simply scroll around instead of playing interactive mode. As much fun as it was in the beginning, it's miserable once you've lost your upgrades.

Was floating around in space and found a point where the ship just sits there and the screen orientation spins dramatically when moving around that point. Makes me think there's either a microsingularity there, or maybe something cloaked that only leaks gravitation (mentioned by some characters). Is there a way to check what my coordinates are so I can report the anomaly [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.73|172.70.230.73]] 23:16, 20 April 2023 (UTC)
Found this as well. It was a marked location, and there was a heavy subway token at this point. After you pick up the token, the location appears to be empty.

Ah, okay. So the residual gravitation field was left behind. Thanks! Still looking for a way to read out my current coordinates though - you know, for science [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.141|162.158.154.141]] 23:26, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

I think I figured it out. Just added "Comic.voyager.pos.x" and "Comic.voyager.pos.y" to the "Watch Expressions" portion of the Web Developer Tools -> Debugger. Simple for those who know. But something new to me. The coordinates for the microgravity well is [-20473, 3682] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.143|162.158.154.143]] 23:33, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Has anyone found the orange line token? I thought it would be with the group singing a Boston song on Origin, but it doesn't seem to be? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.68|162.158.63.68]] 23:48, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

Skimming through the code, it looks like the MIT cloaking system also cloaks the subway lines or something? And MIT harbors a hyperdrive?? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.79|162.158.63.79]] 23:59, 20 April 2023 (UTC)

If you've lost your upgrades, you can reset the game to its original state by deleting your xkcd.com cookies. [[User:Whoop whoop pull up|Whoop whoop pull up]] ([[User talk:Whoop whoop pull up|talk]]) 00:07, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Looks like resetting shouldn't be necessary anymore, just hard-refreshing: https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12t8e9i/xkcd_2765_escape_speed/jh2tvpl/ [[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.208|162.158.146.208]] 00:09, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

There's Quite a bit outside the crystal shell and "the end" rainbow. on the opposite side of the shell there's a small dot with "the platinum cylinder formerly used to define the kilogram", directly above the "rainbow" there's a stream of missiles leading to 2 areas (follow them either way), and even more engine upgrades for some reason. I stopped exploring after that - [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.155|172.69.33.155]] 00:29, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

guess this is the late april fools comic. [[user:lettherebedarklight|youtu.be/]][[user talk:lettherebedarklight|miLcaqq2Zpk]] 01:34, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

::Probably, the captain of the Corellian corvette adds a message signed April 3rd 2023 to his log. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.86.116|162.158.86.116]] 10:09, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

If you get stuck with your engine in a weird mode like warp or infinite improbability drive you can fix it by using the command ship.engines = “lander” and the ship gets set back to normal. I don’t think it keeps any upgrades though.

You can also escape the planet with the sign that you can never leave, simply by starting there and keeping your finger down. The rocket will return a few times but gets further away each time and eventually lands on your home (start) location. No need to visit the rollercoaster.
[[User:XKCDnl|XKCDnl]] ([[User talk:XKCDnl|talk]]) 04:51, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Found out that when landed on a surface, with the shield not automatically active, in some condition (maybe some thrust score) using the down-arrow retro thruster allows you to slowly "back up" through surfaces. Can be used to back-through some of the MBTA path blockers thereby reducing the need to deactivate all the blocked paths [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.174|162.158.154.174]] 05:02, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

::Yeah, when slamming into a surface with high enough speed (possible even without hyperdrive, but very easy with), the ship seems to clip through the ground. It's possible then to navigate (very slowly) through the solid mass, which makes it even possible to leave the crystal sphere without hyperdrive (you are, however, stuck very close to the ground outside). Annoyingly, this also allows the ship to get stuck occasionaly: e.g. when slamming into Boston in the lettering or blocked lines, or on the Earth-map in lakes. [[User:Nleanba|Nleanba]] ([[User talk:Nleanba|talk]]) 12:19, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I've found about 80 total subway tokens, but for the life of me cannot remember where the subway planet was.

:: If you travel straight through the hole right next to the starter planet, you'll land at a guiding planet [[User:Toby|Toby]] ([[User talk:Toby|talk]]) 13:37, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Am I hallucinating, or is this a sequel with the same basic "space UI" as a previous comic? (I can't find it in the index, but I remember an extremely similar xkcd comic, with a spaceship being navigated between distant planets.) If such a comic exists, it should be mentioned in this one's description. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 14:02, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I found the the "gold crown Archimedes stole" (which significantly boosts thrusters) and "a necklace of element samples whose symbols spell out your name (note: hopefully you are not named 'Katherine' or 'Brandon')" whilst traveling around the crystal sphere. How should I add those to the list?[[User:MeZimm|MeZimm]] ([[User talk:MeZimm|talk]]) 14:14, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

The end is not the end - you will need a lot of speed BUT the "there is a way out" leads to the outside of a round planet that everything you have discovered is inside. Continue flying up and you will see a second planet in the wayfinder. There is a line of torpedos and a tunnel up there playerPos: (1361.094208512935,-62444.80167042731) Megan(??) is talking to cuebal and firing torpedos "we have not photon torpedos so I'm firing regular ones"

"You found a Juicero Juicer"

Megan to cueball "Prediction: Seconds before you die you will remember these words" while walkint to an icecream cooler

"you found and out of control trolley"

skateboarder in a bubble going AAAAAAAAaaa (2206.485760681366,-64359.17874192683)

There are multiple ways through this layer in these tunnels

"you found a lymphocyte" (-5565.828800080446,-64207.654606168755)

Outside this layer seems infinite currently have made it past y = -5,000,000

Wayfinder is no longer changing headed back to circle the outer layer and confirm that the layer past the end is the end

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.57|162.158.146.57]][[User:Frogg|Frogg]] 15:43 April 21

The orange token is near the spiral planet. It's on a floating stadium-like thing with "BOSTON" labeled on it.

The outer layer is not a layer it seems like some sort of ship, perhaps a star destroyer, roughly triangular shaped.

Found and emperor in a cloak "My Emperor... We all share in yuour newfound enthusiams for birdwatching but normally one watches them in the wild, rather than drugging them and imprisoning them in a house of stairs."

Cueball "Aha! Darth Vaders secret Gold Bullion Reserves! We'll be rich!"
Megan "I'm not sure this is cannon"

Definitely a star destroyer, found the command tower. cool stuff! (22067.78723320221,-71701.23138735193)

For complete Locations list see Comic.map.locations it is a 75 item array accessible in developer tools it gives coordinates and names that will be useful to the wiki I think.

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.57|162.158.146.57]][[User:Frogg|Frogg]] 16:21 April 21 2023 UTC

I got stuck in VANCOUVER. Literally. I was flying so fast I clipped into the N and will have to reset to get out. I had many engine upgrades and was going in random directions since my "regular search pattern" had stopped finding things, so I don't know how to get back. I only know it exists.... [[Special:Contributions/172.71.170.94|172.71.170.94]] 16:26, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
* Still not found my way back to VANCOUVER, but I love the hint that the space shuttle was a dinosaur. Straight off the nose of the shuttle is the compromise projected Earth. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.174.101|162.158.174.101]] 16:46, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
* OK, I think I found VANCOUVER. I gave up on looking for it and went for other things and after finding MONTERREY on the Subway Planet I suspect that VANCOUVER is somewhere here too.
* Also, if someone does a long edit of this Discussion page they will overwrite your edits made in the mean time. You can find them in the History if you want to restore them. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.166.248|172.71.166.248]] 17:47, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm sure that "17 angels on the head of pin" is a Calvin and Hobbes Reference, but I can't seem to find the comic online.[[User:Argis13|Argis13]] ([[User talk:Argis13|talk]]) 18:13, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
::Okay, so, after sleeping on it, and reading trough the entire online archive of Calvin and Hobbes, I'm pretty sure that I was misremembering a Dilbert Strip as a C&H strip, and I don't think that would put an intentional reference to Dilbert anymore. Also I'm not paying money to Scott Adams to search the Dilbert archives. [[User:Argis13|Argis13]] ([[User talk:Argis13|talk]]) 03:32, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
::: The angels on the head of a pin thing is a long-standing theological debate point (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_many_angels_can_dance_on_the_head_of_a_pin%3F) - however, the use of precisely 17 is likely a reference to "The Science of Discworld II", in which Ridcully is certain that the number of angels that can fit on the head of a pin is precisely 16. 17 would be a deliberate disproof of Ridcully's claim. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.64.157|172.69.64.157]] 04:40, 2 May 2023 (UTC)

CHEAT: window.noclip = true; is pretty handy if you're struggling with navigating through some mazes. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.29|172.70.34.29]] 18:24, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

The absolute best I can get out of this page (across multiple browsers and platforms) is on my Android versions of Chrome and Firefox. It forces itself into full-screen mode and then by using touch regions at either side of the scene I can get one/both "turning thruster" plus the main-thruster to show a 'flame'. I can get it to turn, both ways, very very slowly but I seem to have no forward-thrust ability at all. I can be parallel to the ground and the side thrust from pressing both sides doesn't move me sideways any noticable amount (nor will a turning craft "roll" away from the palm-tree), free of gravitational resistance in that direction. If I stay facing upwards (or return to it) I just settle down under the weak (but stronger than any thrust!) gravity, spawn landing-gear and I no longer can even induce a rotation now being perched on legs. This is consistent in both browsers, so I rule out javascript-running inconsistencies in any obvious way.
 I presume (from reading the above) that I can get better thrusting, but whether by collecting things that I can't reach or by 'cheating' (more awkward, on mobile browsers, to edit page-variables/etc), I can't help thinking that it's already going wrong for me in ways it isn't for everyone else. And none of my desktop browsers even play ball for me at all (all I have is star background and the reset-button).
 On mobile browsers I've got a short thin line on the right-hand edge of the (fullscreen) background that I thought might be some sort of draggable power-bar (at 50% position, perhaps), but it doesn't respond to touch/dragging, or change at all. Might be just a relic of being on a wider-than-expected aspect ratio screen. Or it's something jutting (barely) on-screen from another nearby on-screen object/destination. As the viewpoint never moves, it's hard to say either way.
 This ''is'' more functionality than I ever got with Gravity, so maybe I'm just unluckily using incompatible browsers/platforms. A pity, though, that this is where I'm left with this. It looks like everyone else (or many, at least) are getting a lot out of this (and that), just not me. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.79.137|172.69.79.137]] 21:41, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

: I couldn't play this at all on mobile (neither chrome nor firefox worked: I got the same behavior as you). It works fine on desktop, though. (I'm using Firefox 112 on Ubuntu 23.04). Granted, controls kinda suck at the beginning, but that's intended. You should get at least a little forward trust if pressing UP on a physical keyboard (at least enough to get you off the ground). [[Special:Contributions/172.69.3.212|172.69.3.212]] 04:09, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

I think the giant spider might be a Tintin reference (see The Shooting Star). [[Special:Contributions/172.64.238.140|172.64.238.140]] 00:31, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Two things: First, you don't need the warpdrive to be able to exit the crystal sphere or to even explore the area outside of it like the cruiser ship. It's enough to have most of the other upgrades from inside the sphere and do some careful flying/orbital mechanicsing. Second with the warpdrive and most other upgrades you can escape from the black hole in the air and space museum. You likely can escape without the warp drive as well with some very careful flying but it's quite tricky to time the thrusters correctly to get a nice elliptical orbit going. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.64|172.69.59.64]] 18:47, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Given the occasional occurrences of D&D as a topic in xkcd and the recent re-publication of the Spelljammer setting for fifth edition D&D, the Crystal Sphere might be a reference to Spelljammer (which likely drew on the already-mentioned story ''The Crystal Spheres'' by David Brin for the idea since Spelljammer was published 5 years after the short story). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.68.204|141.101.68.204]] 22:57, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm having a similar reset problem as everyone else. My game crashed, my speed upgrades stayed, but my energy regen upgrades are gone. Which is quite annoying. Does anyone know of a solution to this?

Most of the upgrades I've collected with a given star token have not been the same as what's listed here. I think that which upgrade you get is either semi-random, or that there is a sequential list and you get the upgrades in a predetermined order - with the exception of the "significant" boost upgrades, and perhaps some that specifically relate to the message when found (like the Tank recharge upgrade on Andal, or the Thruster Efficiency upgrade at the Shuttle Skeleton). [[User:Dansiman|Dansiman]] ([[User talk:Dansiman|talk]]) 22:23, 27 April 2023 (UTC)

;Time slowed
I got the "A single molecule of caffeine" upgrade, and it didn't seem to make my tanks recharge faster. Instead, it made my rocket's movement speed extremely slow. Is anyone else experiencing this? I tried reloading and even deleting all cache data stored on XKCD. It still didn't fix it. Any ideas?

Did not personally experience this issue, but if you're looking to reset your progress, try pasting this into your browser console and refresh the comic page: localStorage.save = ""; [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.29|172.70.34.29]] 21:22, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

Experiencing a similar issue. It was also right after getting a power up, but a different one. "A significant engine boost for a curious pilot". My forward speed and turning speed have been cut down significantly, and gravity seems lower as well. I checked in an incognito page, and turning speed is still much slower than when I initially played, so it seems to affect any instance of the game. I'd love a solution that doesn't require wiping my progress. Maybe I'll try warping to an upgrade I haven't gotten (since getting there myself is basically impossible) and see if collecting it fixes it. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.85|172.70.130.85]] 03:26, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Inspecting element and putting Comic.voyager.opts.speed into the console showed that my current speed was 0.285, which seems low. I manually changed it with Comic.voyager.opts.speed = 1.0 which mostly fixed things. I still feel that my turning speed is lower than before, but otherwise I'm moving around like I used to. Option to avoid resetting progress. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.85|172.70.130.85]] 18:47, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

I had the same problem. I played around with console, but it seems like the issue is related to browser tick speed, since things like falling to the ground when returning to the start position are also very slow. The problem went away after I closed some other tabs and plugged in my laptop (not certain which of those fixed it). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.177|162.158.155.177]] 04:12, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

That happened to me too, but I plugged my computer in and now it's working fine.

Guessing it's just a power saver feature reducing the tick speed then. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.140|172.70.110.140]] 03:46, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Turning off chrome's "energy saver" worked for me. [[User:Rotartsi|Rotartsi]] ([[User talk:Rotartsi|talk]]) 17:07, 29 April 2023 (UTC)

;Full map of the whole thing, what do?
Someone called u/Boojum on the XKCD subreddit ([https://old.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12tmw01/escape_speed_2765_maps/ old reddit link], [https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12tmw01/escape_speed_2765_maps/ new reddit link]) managed to reverse engineer how the game encodes the map data and posted the whole thing for us to enjoy, should we just put it at the very top or be more measured?

Full zoomable version here: https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/map.html [[Special:Contributions/172.69.135.75|172.69.135.75]] 23:19, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

"A sparking Gem" in the Gulf of Boni in Indonesia [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.178|162.158.155.178]] 23:38, 21 April 2023 (UTC)

There's also [https://xkcd2765-map.kuilin.net/ this map] ([https://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/12txn1o/i_made_an_interactive_map_for_escape_speed/ from Reddit]), which shows the location of all the collectables and seems to load a bit faster than the other one --[[User:CruseCtrl|CruseCtrl]] ([[User talk:CruseCtrl|talk]]) 13:49, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

;Article structure and explaining
I have the impression, that the article structure is a bit messy, and I like to make some suggestions to improve it. Currently, the article is structured with a section for each planets. I suggest to keep that structure roughly but create several list below each of those sections

1. First I suggest to rename the "List of planets" to "List of planets and space objects".

2. Second, I'd like to point out, there are several things to collect, which you can categorize clearly as following:
* '''"You've found"-items''': They appear as a collectible dot. When collected, there is a message of the style "You found WHATEVER". And that WHATEVER item gets added to the list "You've found:" below the comic.
* '''Upgrades''': They appear as large circle with a star.
* '''Messages''': They only display a message when you reach a certain spot. I think it is not visible that there is a message, before you reach that spot.
* '''Subway puzzle tokens.''' They appear as dot with a "T" letter in it and unlock passages at the second subway planet.
Basically you can get a good overview about those at https://aeromancer.dev/xkcd_2765/map.html if you turn on those 4 things in the layer menu in the upper right corner. Beside from that you might also discover:
* '''Fixed text messages.''' From xkcd characters or on signs. You could also add the subway station names.
* '''Interesting looking objects'''. This is a bit vague, as it is not clear, what to add there.
However, those are completely passive things which do not interact with the space ship of the player.

I think we should describe those four types of collectibles in the explanation section.

3. Currently, the lists at the planets do not separate the categories which I mentioned at 2. or only separate '''Messages''' from other collectibles. Sometimes it seems to me some of the passive objects or messages went into the list, too.
So I suggest to always separate the these six categories and add at least the first four of those to each planet and space object, unless the list is empty. For '''Fixed text messages''' I am not sure, if it is worth to always list them, but it is a clearly defined group. For the '''Interesting looking objects''' I would not make a list because it is not clear what to add or not. Instead I suggest to always describe them in the description text for the planet/space object.

4. Note, that players get that "You've found:" list below the comic. Many would like to find out, if their list is complete and whether they have found everything. Currently with the list in that article this is not possible at all. Therefore, I think it is important, that the lists for the "You've found" matches exactly the list which appears below the game.

5. Explain xkcd is about explaining. Many of the '''You've found''', '''Upgrades''', and '''Messages''' are (more or less funny) jokes or references to real things and/or other xkcd comics. We should explain them very shortly for each. So, behind each '''You've found''', '''Upgrades''', and '''Messages''' I suggest to put a very short explanation. You can separate this with a hyphen, a line break, start with italique font or do some other optical separation.

6. Another option would be to create a huge sortable table with four columns:
* Planet / Space Object
* Type ('''You've found''', ''Message''', '''Upgrade''', '''Subway token''', '''fixed text message''')
* Text (1 to 1 as in the game)
* Explanation for the joke or reference.
However, I am currently a bit more in favor for the planet/space object sections and just going with list.

What do you think about those 6 suggestions? Are you with me? Should we start with this restructuring? --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.246.39|172.70.246.39]] 12:53, 22 April 2023 (UTC)
:I think it is good suggestions. Although text on the image should also be added to the full transcript. But yes in principle all references and jokes should be explained. But it is a huge project. I have also been taking some screenshots that I would like to add for reference but again it is such a huge and tedious job to upload them all. I think there should be a table of all the collectible items that would be nice to have with sortable so you can check alphabetically but also with planet/place so you can sort on that. Maybe no explanation there, but go to planet sections for that? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:20, 25 April 2023 (UTC)
::Hi, I have just finished the (hopefully) full transcript of the objects inside and on the outer edge of the Crystal Sphere. I have transcribed all the dialogues, monologues, signs and inscriptions. As for the messages of "You found" kind, I have copied them from the spreadsheet, just to be sure. Screenshotting is uncomfortable and my memory is short, so I have made a lot of mistakes until I noticed the spreadsheet. However, I have not put in the (shortened) object names as they appear on the "you've found" list. I think it may be a good start to take all the texts from there and put them in a table, so people can start writing explanations for everything. I will try to transcribe the rest (the big ships and the Click and Drag planet), but I am a bit tired of it already, maybe someone would take over. It's almost midnight here, have a good sleep everybody! --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]], late April 26th.

Fun little game. You can even do a little antigravity park without the antigravity cheat on! https://imgur.com/a/sJ72VvW [[Special:Contributions/108.162.227.49|108.162.227.49]] 14:01, 22 April 2023 (UTC)

Outside the shell I found a powerup called "it is very lonely out here". I forget what kind of powerup it was...I had left the star destroyer and orbited counter-clockwise around the shell for several seconds before I saw it by chance, and after a bit of searching I was able to backtrack and pick it up. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.127.133|172.70.127.133]] 00:04, 23 April 2023 (UTC)Nathan

If anyone needs a hint, black hole moon [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 23:33, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

;Glitches?
Anybody else got duplicate items? After picking up "very lonely out here", I fell into the crystal sphere hard enough to glitch and get stuck, so warped back home… and then noticed that the orb wren seemed to have respawned. Looking down the list (with the help of ctrl+F), I see that it does indeed appear twice in the list of objects I've found. No idea what happened there. I then went back to the outside and eventually managed to find the last item (the one talking about the "source"), but as soon as I touched it the ship became stationary. The messages appeared, but the item didn't vanish, and the controls were unresponsive. Refreshing the page left me in deep space, so I resorted to using the wayfinder script to find the dot again; and it confirmed that I'd collected everything.

Is there something I've missed, or are these both weird little glitches? -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 11:57, 24 April 2023 (UTC)
i cant teleport it puts me in the middle of the starry void my thrusteres work but i dont move [[Special:Contributions/172.71.222.132|172.71.222.132]] 13:09, 26 April 2023 (UTC)

I can't say this happens on every planet, but on a few I've tried (What-If planet, small starting planet) if you are landed (no shields on) you can reverse thrust into the ground and dig into the planet. In most cases there is nothing to find, but the "What-If Planet" has a Megan and Cueball floating around the open core. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.141|172.70.126.141]] 21:23, 28 April 2023 (UTC)mlganser3

;Click and Drag Planet Trivia
Didn't know where to put this, so I made a new category: The Water tower on the click and drag planet is placed on the location with the highest gravity potential (which makes sense, of course!) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.88|172.70.114.88]] 21:13, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

;What-If Planet Core
Once the hyperdrive has been obtained it is possible to travel to the centre of the What-If planet by parking on top of the volcano, accelerating forwards for a couple of seconds, stopping, then powering in reverse. Keeping reverse held down down for a very long time once in reverse, it will gradually travel to the centre of the planet where you meet Megan and Cueball. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.101|172.70.90.101]] 17:00, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

If you keep going in reverse past Megan and Cueball, eventually you pop out on the opposite side of the planet, just on the other side of a short pillar from where another Megan is sitting. (Megan sits on a block looking at a short pillar. On the other side of this pillar is where you emerge if entering from the volcano.) You can also enter here by landing then powering in reverse. Also, I was able to enter here in forward thrust, going quite fast (lucky shot, maybe?) but I got all the way into the center of the planet in very short order.

I've found that I can reverse thrust from any standing location and dig into any planet, not just the What-If Planet. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.127.134|172.70.127.134]] 21:13, 28 April 2023 (UTC) mlganser3

::Yeah, there seems to be a corridor of sorts through the What-If planet centre, between the volcano and the pillar that Megan is contemplating. Since it takes soooo long to go down the volcano, I definitely recommend starting at the pillar and reversing in. If you land on the pillar itself and reverse, it should get you to the centre space relatively quickly.[[Special:Contributions/172.71.123.148|172.71.123.148]] 10:47, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

;Inital Statrting Bug
I have a bug in my game where when I start, I am pushed off of the starting planet, and I continue to get pushed around. My shield is up and everything, and sometimes it tries to land. I have tried many of the cheats, but they aren't working. I need some help! AlabroX201 - 13:22, 26 April 2023 (UTC)
Update: NoClip stops the bug, but only when it is true. 13:28 26 April 20203 (UTC)

;Making a table to organize EVERYTHING

Good heavens, y'all - format table so text is at the top of the cell.

I'm currently making a table to organize planet (file)names, coordinates, and explanations, and the four item types and their explanation, inspired by the comments from [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/User:Kynde Kynde], [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/User:Malgond Malgond], and [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/172.70.246.39 172.70.246.39]. Here's my progress so far, do you have any suggestions or feedback? A few things to note:
* I will try to add all explanations for each item found
* The "???" are there because the spreadsheet with all the items doesn't include the message shown to the user. I temporarily put the words that the wiki used instead
* All the "Z" between items will be replaced by a new line. The editor I'm using doesn't support adding new lines directly
* Can someone let me know how to find the coordinates of each planet? Many thanks

----

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Filename
! Description
! Tiles (X, Y)
! Explanation
! "You found" items
! Upgrades
! Messages
! Subway tokens
|-
| <code>tiny-world</code>
| Starting planet
|
| To return here from anywhere, click the "Home" button in lower right corner. The planet is tiny, grassy, a has few trees. Beret-Guy says 'Wow!'.
| a rock with neat stripes!Za cool bug!Za pretty leaf!
|
| Wheeee!
|
|-
| <code>origin</code>
| Origin
|
| To get here, simply fall from the starting planet by thrusting off from Beret Guy's place. The planet has a sign saying 'Welcome to Origin! You can never leave™'. A large shaft leads from below the rollercoaster to the St. Louis Arch on the opposing side. Lots of landmarks (many on small pedestals) each mark the direction to a different planet.
| a secret gladeZa holographic Charizard business cardZa tiny meteorite!Za 5G seagullZa DVD of The Core (2003)Za normal-looking leafZa marsh wrenZan orb wrenZa single grain of saltZ11 squares packed into a larger squareZa tumbleweed
| Nice flying! (Your tanks recharge faster now.)
| Welcome to liminal spaceZThe St. Louis arch is also known as the gateway to space.ZBe careful; this roller coaster can be disorienting!
|
|-
| <code>hollow-shell</code>
| Hollow Planet
|
| To get here, swing through Origin's central shaft and out the St. Louis Arch. The planet is just a shell with some gaps. On the outside, there are signs pointing at the directions to a few other planets.
| a handful of the quantum foam that makes up the fabric of space!
| You found a sixth lagrange point! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found a glass of heavy water (engine a little more powerful???)
|
|
|-
| <code>orb</code>
| Round Planet
|
| To get here, launch from the sign on the Hollow Planet or the tower with an orb on it on Origin. The planet is moderately small with no vegetation and some architecture such as Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China.
| a swatch pop-out wristwatch
| You found a sensible cheese platter (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now)Z??? (engine a little more powerful???)
|
|
|-
| <code>uzumaki</code>
| Uzumaki
|
| To get here, launch from the sign on the Hollow Planet, Origin's spiral monument, or below the plane-towed banner on the Round Planet. The planet is a large spiral of grass inspired by the manga ''{{w|Uzumaki}}'' by Junji Ito. A Roomba is loose, a reference to [[1558: Vet]].
| a golden radio tuned to 1.618 MHzZa scroll lock keyZa primordial black holeZa cool pair of shoes with flames on the sideZan ink cartridgeZa podcast episodeZa festive but somehow unnerving holiday card from Junji ItoZa friendly beeZa spiral-cut diamondZa burrito
| You found a tree-filled grove and a nice spot for quiet contemplation (Your thrusters are significantly more efficient now.)ZYou found a single caffeine molecule! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)
| Exit OnlyZYou're going the wrong way!Z
|
|-
| <code>guitar-ship</code>
| Guitar Ship
|
| To get here, launch from near Uzumaki. The planet is an enormous guitar labeled 'Boston' with the city skyline under a dome on the back (a reference to the cover art of the album {{w|Boston (album)|''Boston''}}). A guitar shaped UFO with "BOSTON" written on it and the skyline of Boston under a dome at the bottom.
| a guitar pick
|
|
| Orange line deactivated!
|-
| <code>soccerfield</code>
| Spacetime Soccer Field
|
| To get here, launch from the pyramid with a soccer ball on top on Origin. The planet is reference to [[2705: Spacetime Soccer]] and consists of a central pure-white body, goals on the poles and intangible lines farther away.
|
| GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZGOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! (Thrust Speed???)ZYou found the 3 million point line (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found a sunspot! (Your launch speed has increased.)
|
|
|-
| <code>saturn</code>
| Saturn
|
| To get here, launch from the pyramid with a ringed on top on Origin. If you instead see the Spacetime Soccer Field, you're too far left. The planet has a soccer ball inside it, a reference to [[2513: Saturn Hexagon]]
| a really cool data point
| You found a pair of platonic solids, not quite touching! (Thrust power???)ZYou found a block of scandium! (Thrust power???)
|
|
|-
| <code>platform-planet</code>
| Andal
|
| To get here, launch from below Saturn's equator, when the soccer ball is oriented to the bottom left compared to the rocket, or from the miniature of Andal to the left of the pyramids on Origin. The planet is small and has a T-shaped tower, mountains, and grass. On a grass patch Blondie says to Cueball "The MIT cloaking device only affects the electroweak and nuclear forces. Gravity is the odd one out, as usual.", hinting that 'A random point out in space' is the Subway Planet.
|
| You found two Andalites, one canonical! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZWhat a nice place for a ship to sit! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)ZYou found a friend (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)ZYou found baby shoes (and baby)! (Engine power???)
|
|
|-
| <code>earth-map</code>
| Compromise Projection of Earth
|
| The planet is a huge distorted map of all land masses on Earth. The rocket can fly where water would be, but it can't go over land
|
|
|
|
|-
| <code></code>
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|-
| <code></code>
|
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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|-
| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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| <code></code>
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|}

Do you have any suggestions or feedback? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 17:57, 28 April 2023 (UTC)
:There's a bit of a mix in the game itself between messages, "You found" items and powerups. At first it looked like a small grey dot is an item, a bigger grey star is a powerup. Sometimes they're collocated, i.e. a dot inside the hollow center of a star. But further in the game, I have found hollow stars (i.e. without the dot inside) which leave a "you found" list item anyway. Also, sometimes the "you found" message contains a description that differs from the name on the list below the game viewport. The ultimate source of all is the spreadsheet linked at the start of [[2765:_Escape_Speed#List of planets|List of planets]] section. Any Message (including "you found..." messages) can be accompanied by an Item and an Action (an upgrade or some other things like decloaking or subway token), both of them or none of them. I think it shall be somehow reflected in the table. For example: one column for Message (a value always present), another for Item name (may be empty) and another for Effect (may be empty). Unfortunately, the spreadsheet does not contain the kind of visual representation (a dot, a star, a star with a dot inside, or none at all). --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]]
:Another comment: the Explanation column is currently a short description (of a planet) and some of its features, the way to get there, only sometimes containing an explanation of what the planet name refers to. These should be separate. Explanation shall be a short paragraph about a pun or reference connected to the name of a planet or the text found in the game. For example, explanation for the Message/Item of "11 squares packed into a larger square" shall have a reference to [[2740:_Square_Packing]] and a short description of the mathematical problem involved. I also think we may need separate tables for planets (with very general descriptions and directions), features on the planets, possibly one table per planet (containing architecture, vegetation, animals, people etc. - if worth noting or there's some pun or reference), items and messages to be collected by the player (maybe one per planet), and for words spoken by the people and messages written somewhere (again, only if they contain a pun or a reference). Otherwise, the table would be too big. --[[User:Malgond|Malgond]]

::Hey, thanks for replying.

::>''[...] ... I think it shall be somehow reflected in the table. For example: one column for Message (a value always present), another for Item name (may be empty) and another for Effect (may be empty). Unfortunately, the spreadsheet does not contain the kind of visual representation (a dot, a star, a star with a dot inside, or none at all).''

::Yeah I noticed that too, but tbh I don't think it's SO important that needs to be included in the table or even in the entire page. Also, it would be very time-consuming.

::> ''the Explanation column is currently a short description (of a planet) and some of its features, the way to get there, only sometimes containing an explanation of what the planet name refers to. These should be separate.''

::I don't think they should be separate, because it would mean that the table would get even bigger and navigating it would be harder. You're welcome to add any information in the explanation section, as I'm not editing its contents.

::> ''explanation for the Message/Item of "11 squares packed into a larger square" shall have a reference to [[2740:_Square_Packing]] and a short description of the mathematical problem involved.''

::I totally agree, and as I said in the initial message (above the table), I plan on adding item-specific explanations next to the item "names".

::> ''I also think we may need separate tables for planets (with very general descriptions and directions), features on the planets, possibly one table per planet (containing architecture, vegetation, animals, people etc. - if worth noting or there's some pun or reference), items and messages to be collected by the player (maybe one per planet), and for words spoken by the people and messages written somewhere (again, only if they contain a pun or a reference).''

::I'm sorry but the amount of effort I'm putting in this ''"simple"'' table is already IMMENSE. This would probably require dozens of hours between exploration and formatting. I'm afraid I won't be doing that myself :) [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 13:57, 29 April 2023 (UTC)

:If you want to get rid of the "Z", you can make line breaks inside the wiki's editing window using the expression '''''' (remove the spaces--I couldn't type the phrase without getting a break). It's the html code for a line break. Technically, I think '''''' works, too. Really, though, just put ''openCarrot br closeCarrot'' wherever you want a break and you'll be fine. --Sorry, I don't have a name here, so I can't really sign this. 11:21, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

::Thanks, but i figured it out. I used Notepad++ to replace all uppercase "Z" with two line breaks and an asterisk. This thing took soooooooo many hours to make, I'm so proud I've finally published it. I'll never touch it again. Now I despertly need to sleep, g'night everyone! [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 23:24, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

:::General style that I use:
:::*The first linefeed/break in any cell content is fully respected
:::**(Because it takes a line that starts with a cell-markup and then one that doesn't, and actually understands it as a different qualification, so the LF between isn't collapsed to mere whitespace?)
:::**Other div-like markup starters (e.g. bullet points) enforce this.
:::*But, ''if'' you want to add linebreaks where it won't (third-and-later paragraphs?), I sugest using <code><nowiki> </nowiki></code>, the self-closing single-tag version that can't be misinterpretted by any (XML-aware, in general) markup-parser.
:::**You can even use it in the midst of some text flow, whhich might be useful for certain layouts (and their sources).
:::...Or double-LF can often do the job, too. But just Preview things to see what does/does not need additional tweaking... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.22|162.158.34.22]] 23:55, 30 April 2023 (UTC)
:I like the idea of the table thank for making it. I have added two more pages, one with overview images of the world and the planets and one with a place to post the screen shots needed for making a full explanation. Put some of the relevant images up already but will not have time to much more the rest of this week. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:26, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

;Speedrun
Has anyone started making speedruns of this yet? I'd absolutely love to see an any% run to vader, or to some other end game location. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.3.200|172.69.3.200]] 04:57, 30 April 2023 (UTC)
: Hi! I've done a couple speedruns to get the hyperdrive. Currently, my best time is 25:32. Pretty bad though. There's almost certainly a way to get straight to the center of Uzumaki, which takes like 5 minutes to do. I don't really have a route, just some planets I like going to. [[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]] ([[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al|talk]]) 18:04, 12 December 2024 (UTC)

;Gravity of shell

: Halfway thru the crack, gravity gets increasingly stronger as the spaceship feels the gravitational force of all the celestial bodies it is leaving behind.

It's the gravity of the ''shell itself'', no? A uniform shell has no net force on objects inside it.
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 23:09, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

I have removed the topic lines, as they mess with the main explanations table of contest. They are not needed here in the discussion and we try not to use them so do not ass new. Just make a heading with text like here above! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:29, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

:Good job, they were getting annoying. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:01, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

I'm not a fan of the new table. It's harder to use 'cause long text is limited to narrow column. How to get to where you're going needs to be its own column if we're doing this. And I used the old list to organized to order I wanted to do things in.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.19|162.158.154.19]] 20:08, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

: Hey, I'm not sure when you made the comment, but yesterday [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] noticed that an item message was one extremely long word (something like "GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!") and added a space that made the table look much better. I think it's readable enough, and it's way more organized that the old list (and i added more info that wasn't there).

: >How to get to where you're going needs to be its own column if we're doing this

: If you add another column it's gonna get even more narrow, I think it's best to keep it as is. One could argue the instructions to get there are part of the explanation for the planet. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:15, 2 May 2023 (UTC)

::I think it's important to keep the flow of conversation, so I'm putting this after what I'm replying to. I hope that's not too confusing.

::>It's way more organized that the old list (and i added more info that wasn't there).

::Yes, but in this particular instance, I think there are better ways of doing it. You can set a template up where every planet is dealt with typographically in exactly the same way. Each piece of information is in the same place relative to other pieces and handled typographically the same way in every single planet, the objects in interplanetay space and the objects in extraspherical space. You'd loose the ability of a table to sort by arbitrary columns which doesn't seem to be a help with this information, but you'd also loose the annoying short lines, the fact that for most entries, the column head way up there above the readable portion of the screen and because you can use typography to show what different data is, it's a little more intuitive to us monkey-brained folk.

:: For example '''Planet-name: Large, Bold.''' Colon, name in code, comma, coordinates as x=number and y=numers, all in regular wight roman. ''New line, Explanation of how to get there starting with "To get there" and in italics''. New line, any other notes in roman. New line, a bullet-pointed list of items and messages to find. Each entry is structured Name of object or message when found in roman, powerup text in prethases, And then any notes in italics.

::'''Andal''': Filename: Andal, x= 123456 y= -654321
::''To get here, launch from below Saturn's equator, when the soccer ball is oriented to the bottom left compared to the rocket, or from the miniature of Andal to the left of the pyramids on Origin.''
::The planet is small and has a T-shaped tower, mountains, and grass. On a grass patch Blondie says to Cueball "The MIT cloaking device only affects the electroweak and nuclear forces. Gravity is the odd one out, as usual.", hinting that 'A random point out in space' is the Subway Planet.
::* You found two Andalites, one canonical! (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)
::* What a nice place for a ship to sit! (Your tanks recharge a bit faster now.)
::* You found a friend (Your thrusters are more efficient now.)
::* You found baby shoes (and baby)! (Engine power???)

::This can be tweeked and I don't program in html ever so this can be improved. And I recognize that this is harder than a table, but it is much better.

::: I don't really agree this is better, the main reason we wanted to create the table in the first place was so that people could sort it at their liking: ''"there should be a table of all the collectible items that would be nice to have with sortable so you can check alphabetically but also with planet/place so you can sort on that"''. Imagine someone wanted to obtain as many upgrades as possible: they would just sort the table to put the upgrades first and discard planets without them, or sort by subway tokens, to get the hyperdrive and know exactly where to look. A table is the only way to have that, and it's also more compact than a list. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 14:28, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.47|162.158.62.47]] 22:52, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Hi [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]], thank you for the table version!
You can get the list of coordinates from the console with this js command:
console.log(Comic.map.locations.map(e=>[e.name,e.pos[0],e.pos[1]].join("\t")).join("\n"))
you will get a list with planet, x coordinate, y coordinate that is easy to manage. [[User:Hydra454|Hydra454]] ([[User talk:Hydra454|talk]])
:Thank you! I added all the coordinates and moved the planet filenames to the Planet Name column to make more space for the other columns

My game restarted after I hadn't played it in a while, but now there seems to be items missing? Like for instance, I can't find the small meteorite item on origin or the quantum foam on the hollow planet? I've searched both planets inside and out and can't find them anywhere. I have all the other items from those planets, it's just those two that are missing. I haven't searched any other planets yet, any idea why this is happening? [[User:IJustWantToEditStuff|IJustWantToEditStuff]] ([[User talk:IJustWantToEditStuff|talk]]) 02:35, 10 May 2023 (UTC)

'''Another attempt to explain EVERYTHING'''
:Hi everyone, I have made a [[User:Malgond/Drafts/Escape_Speed|DRAFT]] of ''explanation of everything'' as two tables, one for planets, another for objects, and put in what I think is interesting or worth noting and explaning for initial four planets. I am basing this work on the [[2765: Escape Speed/Transcript|full transcript]], which I also made. Do you think it is any better than the current form? -- [[User:Malgond|Malgond]] ([[User talk:Malgond|talk]]) 21:39, 13 May 2023 (UTC)
::I really like you table. Maybe we should make seperate pages for the tables used for the explanations? But anyway I like how your look Malgond. Good work. I think it would be a good idea to use those in the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:17, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
:::For instance here [[2765: Escape Speed/Tables]] --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:21, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
::::Hey, I've said this in my user page and I'll add it here too. I think the structure of the current table in the article is better at a few things than the one you've been working on: for example, it's easier to sort for upgrades and items (which was the main reason [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] wanted to make a sortable table in the first place), is more compact, and is easier to browse. Why don't we just add a "transcript" column like the table on [[2712: Gravity]] to put what things and people say, and add the rest of the information on the respective columns on the current table? Personally, I think the new one is a little bit too complicated to browse. [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:26, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
:::::Also, we're already trying to move on from the old list and transfer everything to the "new" table. If we add a "newer" table, won't it become even harder to keep track of what needs to be moved and added to what? [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:39, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
::::::Here's what I think we should do: we keep the compact, easy-to-use and easily sortable table in the article, but we put a notice above it that links to the /Tables page for people who want an even more in-depth look description and explanation of everything. The /Tables page is longer than the entire article page AND discussion page combined, so I think it would be too big to be added directly into the article. Do you guys like the plan?
::::::I'll start by adding a prominent link above the current table in the article that points to /Tables --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 13:53, 24 May 2023 (UTC)

'''Script to stop momentum of spaceship'''
Cool script to stop momentum of spaceship, useful when flying around and you see something but couldn't stop the spaceship.
<code>
window.onkeydown = function(e){if(e.key == 'p'){Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.maxSpeed = 0; setTimeout(() => {Comic.gameHandle.playerConfig.maxSpeed = 100;},10)}}
</code>
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.58.75|172.69.58.75]] 01:04, 22 May 2023 (UTC)

:Thanks! I'll add that into the page

Is it just me or is Click-and-Drag at a different scale to everything else?
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.227|162.158.158.227]] 15:15, 5 June 2023 (UTC)

;"anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is a reference to the comic 470

https://xkcd.com/470/
"anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is a reference to the comic where someone shows up at a protest content; "anyone up for a game of scrabble later" is one of the signs he's holding. i'd like to add this because i'd love to contribute and this page helped me a lot during my playthrough. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.204|108.162.245.204]] 19:21, 6 June 2023 (UTC)
:Cool, feel free to add that to the article. I'm not sure why you wrote it here instead of editing the actual page, do you need help with anything? --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 16:09, 7 June 2023 (UTC)

Apparently the objects (like the weird spaceship thing, transmitter, etc.) on origin points to planets so fly directly up and you'll get there. also does anyone know how to slow your velocity down bc everytime i fly past the planets {{unsigned ip|172.70.207.165|15:48, 24 July 2023}}
:Please remember to sign your post using the button in the toolbar on talk pages. [[2765:_Escape_Speed#Celestial_Bodies_and_Collectable_Items|The table in the article]] already describes how to reach any planet by using those landmarks. To slow down, use the arrow down button on your keyboard. It's the one below the arrow up button you use to accelerate. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 15:21, 24 July 2023 (UTC)
::Or, if playing on a touchscreen mobile device (though it works badly on my devices, that may just be because they aren't <12 months old, as with many things, and become fiddly to use for unsupportable reasons - it looks as if mobile interface has been thought about but perhaps insufficiently tested on a representative variety of devices that aren't "the latest iPad"/whatever), rotate to face backwards and retrothrust 'forward' to bleed off roughly the same amount of velocity you gained in the initial outward-phase of the journey. Standard space-sim (Asteroids, xPilot, countless other gravity-well games) methodology. Doesn't seem to be (nose-based) retrothruster-braking implemented for my touchscreen input, anyway. (hnless that's another thing that is the fault of my being on Android, even with updated browsers that ''should'' be transparently and platform-agnostically handling all that coded-guff.) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.244|172.70.162.244]] 19:52, 24 July 2023 (UTC)

For some reason after I got one of the upgrades on the Mercator projection (forgot which one) my game just got really slow. Not lagging or anything, just time had slowed to like a tenth of the normal speed. Closing the tab doesn't fix it, neither does restarting chrome. If it's any help, I'm on google chrome version 116.0.5845.210. [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 18:53, 2 October 2023 (UTC)
:Hooray! Doing nothing fixed it!!!!!!????? [[User:Certified_nqh|Me]][[[285: Wikipedian Protester|''citation needed'']]][[Category:Pages using the "citation needed" template]] 13:04, 3 October 2023 (UTC)
::The speed of the game has to do with your computer's internal framerate. Usually when your computer goes into low-battery mode, it automatically lowers the framerate, which is probably what you experienced {{unsigned|TheTrainsKid|08:07, 5 January 2025}}

How do you get to the center of the ''What If'' planet? I've been trying for ten minutes lol [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 20:42, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
:Ten whole minutes? Wow. Much effort! ::( [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.70|172.71.242.70]] 04:20, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

;I got to editing it in now
hi im on a different device now but still xkcd...ing? anyway i edited it in but, as my brain is as small as an acorn, i have no idea how to insert links! (this is my first time editing ANY wiki) i'm putting this up because if i do that, you might notice it quicker
now im at the end so hyphen(?) time! [[Special:Contributions/172.71.150.239|172.71.150.239]] 18:38, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

When I'd gathered all of the things, I took off from the sphere into the void. The stars started moving from 12 to 6 o'clock. But, as the months have rolled by, they have moved from there and are now going from 2 to 8 o'clock. I'm finding that interesting. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.116|172.70.111.116]] 16:21, 20 October 2023 (UTC)
:And now my ship has stopped dead. That's interesting. There is a further sphere that you can get stuck in. That takes a long time to get to. Cool.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.75|162.158.155.75]] 16:51, 9 November 2023 (UTC) Honestly, I'd expected my ship to fall back and hit the sphere eventually. I haven't tried to get unstuck.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.76|162.158.155.76]] 16:59, 9 November 2023 (UTC)
::Are you sure that you didn't just fall into the original one again? {{unsigned|Cloudstar|01:31, 18 March 2025}}

the "sixth larange point might be a reference to [[2717: L6 Lagrange Point]]--[[User:Bb777|me, hi]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 15:00, 31 March 2025 (UTC)

When people started to create maps for interactive comics: it all just became click and drag. [[User:Aprilfoolsupdate!|Aprilfoolsupdate!]] ([[User talk:Aprilfoolsupdate!|talk]]) 02:33, 4 April 2025 (UTC)

;Sprites/Assets?
Hello! Does anyone have the assets/sprites used for Escape Speed (Eg. Upgrade Items, Ship, Background, Etc). I need it for something {{unsigned ip|172.71.120.10|18:26, 27 April 2025}}

;Escape Speed speed glitch crash
:- Originally a Comic page overwrite, copied over to Discussion, verbatim, in case it's important [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.228|82.132.244.228]] 05:45, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

Why the game likely crashed
Physics engine exhaustion: The Crystal Sphere's gravity and collision mechanics are intended to trap I. When I repeatedly bypass this with extreme speed, the physics engine must perform a series of highly unusual and complex calculations. After four successful exploits, it's likely the fifth attempt created a state the engine wasn't designed to handle, leading to a crash.
Collision detection failure cascade: I am likely hitting the sphere at a "seam," a weak point where its polygon mesh connects. With each successful tunnelling, I am stressing the physics engine's collision detection. By the fifth time, it may have failed, leading to a fatal error.
Browser-specific issues: As a browser-based game, Escape Speed's performance can be affected by browser version, hardware, and open tabs. This is mentioned in some Reddit threads concerning the game. My high-speed exploit likely pushed my browser to its limit, resulting in the crash.
Physics time step error: The game uses a "constant physics tick rate" to smooth out gameplay. My high-speed "tunnelling" might be creating an event that conflicts with this fixed timestep, causing a calculation overflow or a data corruption that leads to a crash.
Ir recording is key
Since I am recording this, I have valuable evidence of a reproducible bug. Contact for more
Email: s223191@scusd.net
Subject: xkcd: Escape Speed - Reproducible crash on 5th physics exploit.
[[User:Me a meep sheep|Me a meep sheep]] ([[User talk:Me a meep sheep|talk]]) 04:12, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

I feel the need to say that the "cube of platinum formerly used to determine the kilogram" is on the OUTSIDE of the crystal sphere.
[[User:Headphones the stickman|Headphones the stickman]] ([[User talk:Headphones the stickman|talk]]) 18:47, 12 December 2025 (UTC)

I don't entirely understand how discussions work, but it should be mentioned that the giant spider planet is the exact same as the one in the last image of https://what-if.xkcd.com/136/ [[User:Xkdvd|Xkdvd]]([[User talk:Xkdvd|talk]]) 22:43, 14 February 2026 (MST)

Talk:2765: Escape Speed

2026-02-15T05:41:41Z

Xkdvd: