Editing User:DollarStoreBa'al/WORKPAGE

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{{notice|<big><big><big><big>REMEMBER: ALWAYS PUT ON THE MOTIVATIONAL PLAYLIST BEFORE WORKING</big></big></big></big>}}
{{notice2|<big><big><big><big>ADD MORE SONGS TO THE PLAYLIST</big></big></big></big>}}
==Header Texts==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" |Date & Comic
! scope="col" data-sort-type="text" |Header text
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Explanation
!Purpose
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11]
[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]
|{{Header text|Today's comic accidentally inspired by 

[https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!}}
|This comic's header mentions that it was 'accidentally inspired' by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ a Buttersafe comic]. It is assumed, but not confirmed, that the custom text was on the front page until the next comic, [[2958]], was published. The header text makes it clear that not only is he a fan of Buttersafe (as shown in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]] section of [xkcd.com]), but he also did not know of the existence of this comic until after it was published. This is shown with the fact that [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ it was not shown until the next day]. This text is permanently shown with this comic. As a special situation, this header text did not replace the current global header text, but was instead added below it at the time ([[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]])
|style="background-color: #db00d4;" | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]
[[2916: Machine]]
|{{Header text|Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], 

[https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar],

[https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].}}
| This comic's header text mentions the people who helped Randall put it together. It was on the front page from Saturday 6 April 2024 until [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] came out on Monday 8 April 2024. The earliest archived version of the next comic is from the following Tuesday  [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 9 April 2024]. It is assumed that the header text changed late on Monday 8 April 2024, despite the fact that Machine was still up at that time, as shown in [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ this archive]. When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released, the front page had returned to the normal header. 

As seen in the text, many people were involved. Some helped with two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comics]], but there are many more involved in this comic than anything which came before it. Clicking on each person takes you to a link of their Instagram, Twitter, or the homepage of their own website/blog. In the credits, it is seen that the physics for the comic used Rapier, the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the {{w|Rust (programming language)| Rust programming language}}. This header text was removed from the homepage on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09], but it stayed as a permanent header for this comic. 
|style="background-color: #db00d4;" | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20]
[[2765: Escape Speed]]
|{{Header text|Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], 

[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], 

[https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].}}
|This comic's header mentions and gives thanks to the people who helped Randall put the comic together. Despite the fact the comic was supposed to be a Wednesday release according to the archives, it was on the homepage from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next comic ([[2766: Helium Reserve]]) was released and the page returned to its normal header. This header text remains as a permanent header text for this comic.

Clicking each name takes you to their Instagram/Twitter page or the homepage of their own website/blog. Most had helped with the two previous April Fools' day comic (see below).
|style="background-color: #db00d4;" | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01]
[[2601: Instructions]]
|{{Header text|Today's comic was created with 

[https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], 

[https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].}}
|This comic's header mentions and gives thanks to the people who helped Randall put it together. It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when [[2602: Linguistics]] came out and the front page returned to its normal header. 

Clicking on each of the names takes you to the person's Instagram/Twitter page. Five also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic. 

Because this header was only related to 2601, it was removed from the frontpage header, but it stayed up as a permanent header on this specific comic.
|style="background-color: #db00d4;" | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01]
[[2445: Checkbox]]
|{{Header text|This comic was put together by 

[https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], 

[https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].}}
|This comic's header mentions and gives thanks to the people who helped put it together. It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until [[2446: Spike Proteins]] released Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05].

Each person has a link to their name, the first being a personal homepage, and the other six linking to their Twitter accounts. Five of these people also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic. 

Because this header is related only to this comic, it was removed from the front page and continued as a permanent header text for this comic.
|style="background-color: #db00d4" | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277 2020-04-04]
[[2288: Collector's Edition]]
|{{Header text|Today's comic was put together by 

[https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],

 [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.}}
|This comic's header mentions and gives thanks to the people who helped Randall put it together. It was only on the front page for about 1 day, around the 3rd or [https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277 4th of April] 2020, the day before [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out, and the header text returned to normal. 

Each name credited has either a personal homepage or a Twitter profile, except for the last name, which isn't linked.  

As this header text was only relevant to this comic, it was removed as the front page header and stayed as a permanent header to this comic.
|style="background-color: #db00d4" | Credits
|-
|[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
[[1928: Seven Years]]
|{{Header text| Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. 

You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].}}
|This text was released as a response to the cancer diagnosis of Becky Beaton, the sister of {{w|Kate Beaton}}, the author of the webcomic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant]. Although this is not on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics he enjoys]]'', he is clearly influenced by a cancer diagnosis among someone in his creative field. 

Despite the fact that the support page was discontinued, this text continues to stay on this comic. Making this weirder is the fact that Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent. 
|style="background-color: #7869ff" | Fundraiser
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]
|{{Header text|Previously:}} {{Header link|[[1828: ISS Solar Transit|ISS Solar Transit]]}}
|This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week
|style="background-color: #ffff00" | Trans-comic link
|-
|[http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10]
[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]
|{{Header text|Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!}}
|This Header text gives credit to Joylon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], who made a very similar comic to this long before Randall. This Header text is permanently attached to this comic.
|style="background-color: #db00d4 | Credits
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]
[[1679: Substitutions 3]]
|I'm having an issue displaying the wikitext for some reason, somebody please fix. 
|This comic was the third installment of the ''Substitutions'' series. As he did the same with [[#Substitutions 2|the second]], the header text is very similar. 

This header text is a permanent staple of this comic.
|style="background-color: #ffff00" | Trans-comic link
|-
|[http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-04]
[[1663: Garden]]
|{{Header text|Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it. 

You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.}}
|This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out. It was the global header text for some time, before it disappeared from the main header and remained as the header for Garden. 
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04]
[[1625: Substitutions 2]]
|Again, weird issues displaying it. I keep getting {{{1}}}.
|This header text was used as a link to the previous installment of the ''substitutions'' series. When [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]], Randall made a separate header text linking to Substitutions 1 and 2. It was on the main page while the comic was up, and continues as a header text for this comic. 
|style="background-color: #ffff00" | Trans-comic link
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09]
[[1079: United Shapes]]
|{{Header text|There's a larger version of this map 

[http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]).

It's also available as a [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].}}
|This header was only on July 9th, 2012, the day this comic came out. The day after, every page except the front page displayed [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|a different header]].

On the 13th of July, other pages had a new version of the header above. Later, 1079 gained a special combined header text, removing the part about Colorado and consolidating the unique header text into a single sentence. The new global header text, promoting the first installment of the What if? blog, was inserted below the unique text, creating a very unique combination header. Possibly due to a bug, the What if? announcement remains on the comic to this day, despite the fact that it was a normal global header, which changed for all other pages many years ago. 
|style="background-color: #ccffcc" | Store Promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25]
[[1047: Approximations]]
|{{Header text|Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 10<sup>7</sup> seconds.

75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.}}
|This comic has a permanent header text stating that many people emailed Randall about a separate approximation for the amount of seconds in a year. However, because the earliest archive already shows this text, it is unlikely that Randall actually received these emails before changing the text. 

This header text was unique to this comic from the start, as other comics contained the global header text at the time of 1047's release date.
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]
[[1037: Umwelt]]
|{{Header text|You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].}}
|This comic's header text promotes the xkcd store permanently. Despite the fact that the comic was on the front page, this was a comic-exclusive header from the very beginning, as other comics had the global header text on 1037's release date.
|style="background-color: #ccffcc" | Store Promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19]
[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]
|{{Header text|A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].}}
|In response to the joke of this comic, a reader created a browser extension that replaces each instance of the word 'keyboard' with the word 'leopard'. Randall appears to have gotten this script before its official release, as it was already on the header on the day the comic was released. While the link does not go anywhere useful any longer, an archived version of the link can be accessed [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 here]. 

When [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21], the header text had returned to how it was before. 
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29]
[[996: Making Things Difficult]]
|{{Header text|Some context for the cancer comics: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]}}
|This header text links to Randall's [[Blag]], providing context for the recent comics relating to cancer. Around that time, his then-fiancee was diagnosed with Stage three Breast Cancer, which resulted in more emotional comics relating to cancer, leaving many readers confused. 
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04]
[[980: Money]]
|{{Header text|This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.

There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!}}
|This header text links to the store page for this comic, containing a large poster of the comic.
|style="background-color: #ccffcc" | Store Promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15]
[[977: Map Projections]]
|{{Header text|It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.}}
|This header text mentions the birthday of Steve Waterman, and links to the homepage of his website. 
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|2011-01-04
[[851: Na]]
|{{Header text|I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].}}
|This header text appeared after Randall made this comic, consisting of songs known for repeating the lyric 'na'. After realizing he forgot 'Hey Jude' by {{w|The Beatles}}, he made a separate version of the comic with 'Hey Jude' included. See more in the comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-12]
[[739: Malamanteau]]
|{{Header text| At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.}}
|This comic's header text mentions that this specific comic is released under a Creative Commons 3.0 license. The link in the header text goes to the page regarding the Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US) license. Normally, xkcd is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 (CC BY-NC 2.5) license. 

This comic's header didn't appear until between 2 and 4 months after it was published, with the earliest archive with the custom header text being from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ September 13th].
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-13]
[[488: Steal This Comic]]
|{{Header text|Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.}}
|This comic and header text was made as a complaint of Digital Rights Management, or {{w|DRM}}. The header text makes a proclamation that the Amazon MP3 store sells DRM-free music, telling his readers how to acquire music not affected by DRM. 
|style="background-color: #00c997" | Additional Information
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-05]
[[472: House of Pancakes|472: <span style="color:blue">House</span> of Pancakes]]
|{{Header text|(Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)}}
|When this comic was the newest, it was shown on the front page of xkcd, as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06]. However, this header was only on this comic, and the normal header returned to the front page after comic 473 was released. 
|style="background-color: #db00d4" | Credits
|}

{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Date & Comic
! scope="col" data-sort-type="text" |Header text
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Explanation
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | Purpose
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]])}}<br>until present.
|{{Header text|[https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—

revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations 

and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—Out now. 

Order it [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!}}
|The only difference between this text and the previous global header text is the final hyphen. The first link goes to the page for the new what if? book on xkcd, with the other link going to the Harper Collins (the publisher) page for the book. This header has been up for approximately 9 months at the time of writing (2025-09-17), except for the one month when Randall [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsed Harris]] for president. 

Because the previous header texts as well as the [[Countdown in Header text|Header text countdown]] all promoted some sort of what if? book, the header has been continuously used to promote what if? for nearly 4 years at the time of writing.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[3012: The Future of Orion]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]])}}
|{{Header text|[https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and 
annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important 

questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!}}
|The only difference between this header text and the next one was that during this time period, only preorders were available. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[3012: The Future of Orion]])}}
|[[File:xkcd homepage strip harris for president.png|400x400px]]
|This header text was Randall's official endorsement of {{w|Kamala Harris}} for President during the {{w|2024 United States presidential election}}. He also posted the same image on his[https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] account and on his [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] account on November 3rd, two days before the election. 

This text was up until November 11th, after the election had taken place and {{w|Donald Trump}} was declared the winner. 
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]])}}
|{{Header text|[https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and 
annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important 

questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!}}
|This text promotes the preorder of the 10th anniversary edition of the original what if? book. The first link goes to the page for the book on xkcd and the other link goes to the book's Harper Collins page (Harper Collins is the book's publisher). The same text was displayed after Randall's endorsement of Kamala Harris for president. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2932: Driving PSA]])}}
|{{Header text|[https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
“[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the 

[https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.}}
|This header promotes the new what if? {{w|YouTube}} channel, in which Randall narrates a post on the what if? blog. At this point, the global header text had been promoting what if? for over two years.
|style="background-color: #f57451" |Channel promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2861: X Value]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2908: Moon Armor Index]])}}
|{{Header text| [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
Check out the first video for the answer to
“[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.}}
|This header promotes the what if? YouTube channel, narrated by Randall. The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd, and the other two go to the new YouTube channel. A small change occurred  [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], where the first two lines became one line, making the alignment worse. This new version only lasted five days before a change was made, replacing it with a different, although very similar, header text.
|style="background-color: #f57451" |Channel promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2822: *@gmail.com]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2860: Decay Modes]])}}
|{{Header text| What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!}}
|This header text promotes the paperback version of what if? 2, notifying readers that it was available in the UK. The link goes to the page on xkcd about the what if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order link, where there was now an option to order a paperback copy. 

An image was placed above the text, showing the front cover of the new book. Because this was not specifically related to what if? 2, it ended a streak of over 22 months where the header text was constantly promoting the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2739: Data Quality]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2821: Path Minimization]])}}
|[[File:Countdown in header text 0136.png|300x300px]]
|This header has no text, only an image of the front cover of the book. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2675: Pilot Priority List]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2738: Omniknot]])}}
| [[File:what if? 2 bestseller.png|400x400px]]   [[File:Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header consists of two images, with the one promoting the NYT bestseller list on the left. 

This header somewhat obviously celebrates the fact that what if? 2, shortly after release, had claimed a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2675: Pilot Priority List]])}}
| [[File:what if? 2 out now.png|400x400px]]   [[File:Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header announces the release of Randall's what if? 2 book. 

Each image is a link, which takes you to the book's page on the xkcd website. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2670: Interruption]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2671: Rotation]])}}
|[[File:one day till what if? 2.png|400x400px]]   [[File:Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header acts as a countdown for Randall's ''what if? 2'' book. This is a very similar header to what had come out just two days before, which instead displayed an image showing 3 days. 

The {{w|Les Miserables}} song mentioned is ''One Day More'', which is a fitting title for a song stuck in his head. 

Each image is a link, which takes you to the xkcd page for ''what if? 2''. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2670: Interruption]])}} until 2022-09-12 (during [[2670: Interruption]])
|[[File:3 days till what if? 2.png|400x400px]]   [[File:Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header acts as a countdown for Randall's ''what if? 2'' book. This is a very similar header to the header showing one week. which came out 4 days beforehand, and the header showing one day,  which came out just one day after this header released. 

Each image is a link, which takes you to the book's xkcd page.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]

From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2668: Artemis Quote]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2670: Interruption]])}}
|[[File:1 week till what if? 2.png|400x400px]]   [[File: Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header was the third straight header to feature a two-image design, where the countdown was on the left and the book's cover was on the right. 

It promoted the soon-to-be-released ''what if? 2'' book, which had been heavily promoted for nearly two weeks up to that point. 

Each image is a link, which takes you the xkcd page for the book. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2657: Complex Vowels]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2659: Unreliable Connection]])}} and from [https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2664: Cloud Swirls]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2668: Artemis Quote]])}}
|[[File:Preorder what if? 2 header.png|400x400px]]   [[File: Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header text, which advertised the fact that preorders were open for ''what if? 2'', was the global header text for two different stints. Instead of this being the global header from August 11th until September 6th, it was interrupted for 9 days while Randall's book tour was ongoing.

The image to the left was a link, which took you to a [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if? 2 contest]. In this contest, one contestant's question would be answered by Randall and included in the book.

The image to the right takes you to the book's dedicated page on xkcd. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2659: Unreliable Connection]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]])}}
|[[File:what if? 2 book tour.png|400x400px]]   [[File: Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header was the first header of several to consist of two distinct images, and the third straight to contain the image of the book's cover after the countdown ended. 

It promotes a book tour that Randall was taking at the time, to promote ''what if? 2''. Clicking the image took you to the [https://xkcd.com/events/ events page] of xkcd. At the time, it showed you a calendar with each planned stop on the book tour marked, covering the US and London. 

The image on the right takes you to ''what if? 2'''s dedicated page on xkcd. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2647: Capri Suns]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]])}}
|{{Header text|Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and}} <br>{{Header link|[https://sites.prh.com/whatif2/ enter our contest]}}<br>{{Header text|for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!}}[[File: Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header contains text which promotes what if? 2, which was recently made available to preorder at that time. 

Clicking the link in the text takes you to a site which allowed users to compete to have their question, along with an answer, be put in the book. While this link is now defunct, you can access an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 here]. 

Clicking the image of the book's cover takes you to the book's dedicated page on xkcd.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2575: What If? 2]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2646: Minkowski Space]])}}
|{{Header text|What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to 

Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. 

Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]}}   [[File: Countdown in header text 0136.png|200x200px]]
|This header text was the first header to promote ''what if? 2''. It promoted the fact that preorders were available, and that the book would come out 7 months later, on September 13th. 

It also was the first of many headers promoting the book to consist of two parts, this one having some lines of text and an image of the book's cover. 

This header's release coincided with multiple changes to the site, including a comic which also announced the new book and a change to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of the site at the top-left corner. It now included links to books, and especially to this specific book.

The image of the book's cover, the link in the text, and the comic itself are all links to the book's dedicated xkcd page.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2565: Latency]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2574: Autoresponder]])}}
|{{Header text|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}

[[File: Countdown in header text full animation.gif|200x200px]]
|This header text was an image, which slowly zoomed out and moved to reveal a promotion for ''What if? 2'', along with the standard header text. 

In the image, there was a countdown, which began reading '''20d 22h 0m''' and ticked down every minute until only ten minutes were left. At that point, the image began shaking, and the countdown began counting seconds until it reached zero, at which point the final frame, which showed a snapshot of the book's cover, was displayed for a few minutes before the header text updated and the next comic came out. 

When viewing the archives, the countdown actually still functions, and follows the internal clock of the user's computer for 59 minutes. 

For a full transcript and explanation of this header, see [[Countdown in header text]].
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2565: Latency]])}}<br>until 2022-01-10<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2565: Latency]])}}
|{{Header text|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}
|This header text was a return to the standard header text, which had not appeared as the global header since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|November 7th, 2018]], making this the longest period of time without the standard header text appearing even once.

As the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it on the tenth, it was only the global header in this form for two days.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2557: Immunity]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2564: Sunshield]])}}
|{{Header text|For anyone trying to find What If? 

this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]}}
|This header text mentions the fact that, for anybody who wishes to purchase what if? for Christmas, it was in stock at multiple different book retailers. Each link is the corresponding store's link for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2315: Eventual Consistency]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2556: Turing Complete]])}}
|[[File:BLM Header.png|200x200px]]
|This header promoted {{w|Black lives Matter}}, showing a single-panel comic with [[Cueball]] (possibly representing [[Randall]]), saying 'Black Lives Matter' with a grey box next to him reading '[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]'. However, instead of just this box being a link, the entire image is a link to joining Campaign Zero, a part of the BLM movement. 

It came out shortly after the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}}, which sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|large protests in the US}} and received large amount of national and global media coverage. This header stayed for over 18 months, making this possibly the longest-staying header in xkcd history.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2289: Scenario 4]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2314: Carcinization]])}}
|''(no header text)''
|This was the first time that xkcd had gone without a header, especially for an extended period of time. After the previous header was removed, no header was inserted in its place, not even the standard go-to header. It stayed empty for almost two months, until the BLM header was inserted.
|style="background-color: #fffff1;" |No Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04]
<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2288: Collector's Edition]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2289: Scenario 4]])}}
|{{Header text|Today's comic was put together by 

[https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],

 [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.}}
|This header text was only up for one day, and gives credit to those who put together the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days to release due to 'technical reasons' (see the previous header). While this header was only up for one comic, and continues as a comic-specific header, this was a global header while the April Fools' comic was on the front page.

Oddly, when this header was removed after [[2289: Scenario 4]], no header came to replace it, leading to a 2-month period where there was no global header text at all. 
|style="background-color: #db00d4;" | Credits
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/  2020-04-03]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]])}}
|{{Header text|Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead.}}

{{Header text|Apologies for the delay!}}
|This header come directly before 2020's [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]]. It apologized for the delay of the comic, stating that technical difficulties along with the overall complexity of the comic pushed its release date back one day, meaning the comic was posted on a Thursday instead of the usual Wednesday. 

This comic was the first in over a year to not promote How To?, and was the first to not promote a book since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]. 

This delayed upload schedule created circumstances which made it so [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] stayed two extra days on the front page, meaning the third comic of the week, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was uploaded [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
|style="background-color: #a4f095;" | Comic Delay
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2232: Hotel Room Party]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2235: Group Chat Rules]])}} and from [https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]])}}
|[[File:How To Header.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|You can get it here:

[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]}}}}}
|This was the global header for two distinct stints, being interrupted by the Christmas promotion of the book. It was also the last header to promote How To, which had continuously been promoted in the global header text for over a year at that point. 

It gives a quick promotion of the book in an image, followed by multiple links which take you to different websites where you can purchase the book. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2236: Is it Christmas?]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 2.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|You can get it here:

[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], 

[https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]}}}}}
|This was the Christmas promotion of Randall's new book, How To. Despite the fact that it was solely meant to promote the book for the Christmas season, it remained up until January 16th. 

This header was very similar to the previous header, with the only changes being made to the image. 

Each link in the text takes you to each brand's respective page for the book.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2224: Software Updates]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 3.png|400x400px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|[https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]}}}}}
|This header text was used to promote How To, which had come out a couple months beforehand. As always, clicking anywhere on the image takes you to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ book's page on Penguin Random House], where you could find the audio sample.

Each of the links takes you to that brand's respective page for How To. This is also the latest header text to promote any sort of audio. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2210: College Athletes]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2224: Software Updates]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 4.png]]

{{Header text|{{{1|[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]}}}}} 


{{Header text|{{{1|I'll be at New York Comic Con! 

I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on Friday 

[https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].}}}}}
|This Header simultaneously promotes the book How To, with each of the links in the first part of the text going to the brand's respective pages for the book, and the fact that Randall would be going to the {{w|New York Comic Con}}, a multi-day comic book fan convention. 

It states that Randall would be giving a presentation that Thursday at the Comic Con, and would also be hosting an event at Caveat NYC, an event venue on the island of Manhattan.

Over the course of this header's existence, small changes were made, but nothing major enough to be granted its own row.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2209: Fresh Pears]])}}<br>until 2019-10-02 ''(no archived version)''<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2210: College Athletes]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 5.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]}}}}}
|This header features [[Cueball]], representing [[Randall]], commenting on how How To, the book this header was promoting, was 'tons of fun' to write, and that it can be preordered by clicking a blue link. As always, there are no HTML image maps used, meaning that clicking anywhere on the image will take you to xkcd's dedicated page for the book. 

Each link provided below the image takes you to each brand's page for the book. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2200: Unreachable State]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2208: Drone Fishing]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 6.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]}}}}}
|This Header text was used to promote the fact that How To, which had been released just a few days prior. After the header promoting the book's release date was removed, this Header took its place. The image consists of an image of the book's cover, with some decoration around it, and text beneath it. This text provides links which go to the respective brand's page for the new book. 

The image also states that {{w|Serena Williams}} and {{w|Chris Hadfield}} featured in the book, which they do. Serena Williams' presence in the book is also mentioned in the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comic]] [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones|''Serena Versus the Drones''.]]

Serena Williams is a retired professional tennis player and former world #1 on the {{w|Women's Tennis Association}}'s rankings. u

Chris Hadfield is a retired Canadian astronaut, singer, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. He served on two space shuttle missions and has spent five months as the commander of the {{w|International Space Station}}. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2198: Throw]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2200: Unreachable State]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 7.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1| Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This header text celebrated the release date of How To.  

The image consists of an image with two images of the book shown, with a drawing of [[Cueball]] riding two quadcopters up to change a lightbulb in a ceiling lamp, while two other characters are watching, one of whom is holding a ladder. Beneath the image are links to order to book from various sites, and clicking the image takes you to xkcd's dedicated page for the book. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2197: Game Show]])}}<br>
|[[File:How To Header 8.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1| Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This header text was a joke which Randall performed on his viewers on How To's release date, which is tailored so that an average xkcd reader would get it. It jokes that there are two different versions of the book for two differing calendar systems. The Gregorian calendar (the calendar we use today) replaced the Julian calendar because the latter had an issue, which caused an increasing discrepancy between the actual date and the weather associated with it. The Gregorian calendar is much more accurate in terms of the solar year. 

Because of this increasing discrepancy, the date shown on the Julian calendar is 13 days (now 15) behind the date shown on the Gregorian Calendar. 


This header was only up for a day, and it was changed to a more normal celebration the next day.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2194: How to Send a File]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2197: Game Show]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|My new book, How To, comes out next week!}}}}}

{{Header text|{{{1|Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].}}}}}


{{Header text|{{{1|[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This header simply promotes the new book How To, and the fact it was out in a week. Unlike the multiple headers promoting How To both  before and after this one, it consists solely of a few lines of text. It provides links to the respective brand's page for the new book. 

The second line also contains a link to one of his blog posts, which contains an excerpt from one of the chapters.

A later version of the header included these links, as well as a link to the book tour. The page now contained the winner of the book tour contest, {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}. Despite the fact that this wasn't a countdown, it stayed up until the book's release date on September 3rd.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2185: Cumulonimbus]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 9.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This image promotes a contest which allows a US reader to win a sketch of themselves in his new book, How To, which would come out that September. It also contains a number of links which go to the respective brand's dedicated page for the book. 

Clicking on the image takes you to a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ blag post] about the event, titled ''Win an xkcd sketch''.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2185: Cumulonimbus]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 10.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This Header, like many of those which came both before and after it, promotes the new book How To, which was coming out in just under a month at the time. This image promotes said fact, with an image of the book's cover to the left of the text.

Below the image, there are four links, each taking you to the respective brand's page for the book, allowing you to preorder it.

Clicking on the image took you to a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ blag post] titled ''How To Chapter List and Introduction'', which contained How To's table of contents and introduction.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2175: Flag Interpretation]])}} and from [https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2179: NWS Warnings]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 11.png|500x500px]]

{{Header text|{{{1|Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}
|This header text, like many which had come before and after it, promotes How To, a book which, at the time, would have been releasing in about 2 months. It had two distinctive stints as the header text, being interrupted by the promotion of his ComiCon appearance for about a week.

This header was the first header to include preorder links below the image, each taking you to a specific brand's page to preorder the book.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2176: How Hacking Works]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2179: NWS Warnings]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!}}}}}
|This header text was a brief break from the [[How To]] promotion, instead promoting a talk which he would give at that year's San Diego Comic Con. During the Con, he gave a talk and appeared in some panels, before finally handing out signed copies of [[How To]] almost a month before its official release.
|style="background-color: #828282;" |Public Appearance
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]])}}<br>
|[[File:How To Header 11.png|500x500px]]
|This header was used solely to promote [[How To]], which would be coming out in 3 months at the time. It shows images of the book's cover, with miscellaneous drawings from How To scattered throughout the middle of the image, with text promoting the book. This header only stayed up for a day in this style, before adding a line of links showing where to preorder the book below the image. 

Clicking on the image takes you to xkcd's dedicated page for the book.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]])}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2172: Lunar Cycles]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 12.png|500x500px]]
|This simplistic header promoted a contest which allowed for the readers of xkcd to choose a town which the How To book tour would visit. Clicking on the image takes you to [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ a blag post] outlining the contest  details. Using only book titles, you were instructed to create a story, with the longest sentence improving your chances of winning. The image visualized what submissions may look like, with 15 people standing side by side, each holding a book. The eventual winner of this contest was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.

From left to right, the characters visualized in the image are [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], two [[Hairy]]s, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], Cueball, Megan, [[Knit Cap]], [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2163: Chernobyl]]}}<br>until 2019-06-25<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 13.png|500x500px]]
|This header, similar to the previous one, promoted the How To book tour, which Randall would shortly be going on. The image is almost exactly the same as the previous one, with the only change being a link reading '[<font color="blue">Click here</font> for dates and tickets]'. While the reason for the change is not known, our best guess is that readers didn't realize that the image was a link, so Randall added this line for clarity. 

The entire image, not just the blue text, is a link to a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ blag post] officially announcing the book tour, with all the cities and dates which Randall would visit listed out.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2161: An Apple a Day]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2162: Literary Opinions]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 14.png|500x500px]]
|This header was the first to promote the [[How To]] book tour. It showed a map of the United States with dots representing the location of each city he would be visiting, with one dot outside the map indicating the city which would be chosen by readers. The list of cities is as follows:

*September 3rd
*[[How to]]
*{{w|Seattle}}
*{{w|Portland, Oregon|Portland}}
*{{w|San Francisco}}
*{{w|Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz}}
*{{w|Los Angeles}}
*{{w|Salt Lake City}}
*{{w|Kansas City metropolitan area|Kansas City}}
*{{w|Ann Arbor, Michigan|Ann Arbor}}
*{{w|Cincinnati}}
*{{w|Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville}}
*{{w|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge}}
*{{w|New York City|New York}}
*{{w|Washington, D.C.|D.C.}}
*{{w|Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh}}
*<font color="red">????? (Chosen by readers)</font>

The entire image links to a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ blag post] announcing the book tour and detailing the contest used to determine the reader-chosen city.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2107: Launch Risk]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2139: Email Settings]])}} and from [https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2150: XKeyboarCD]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]])}}
|[[File:How To Header 15.png|300x300px]]{{nowrap|{{Header text|{{{1|<big><big><b>HOW TO</b></big></big>

ABSURD SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS TO COMMON REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS

Available September 3, 2019.

Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]}}}}}}}
|This complex header was the first to promote [[How To]]. It officially announced the book and provided links where a reader could preorder the book. It served two distinct stints, each lasting over a month, being interrupted by the promotion of the e-newsletter subscription promotion.
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2150: XKeyboarCD]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].}}}}}
|This header interrupted the first header to promote How To in favor of promoting a subscription service which viewers could utilize as a way to be notified when a new comic was released. It mentions {{w|Google Reader}}, a popular RSS and Atom feed aggregator which had shut down on July 1st, 2013. He advertises the newsletter almost 6 years after the shutdown, using email.
|
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2069: Wishlist]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2107: Launch Risk]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}
|After a long period of sharing space with other headers during the ongoing 2018 Midterm Elections. After election day, the standard text came back, being the sole header for almost three months before Randall's announcement of [[How To]]. After the standard header text left, it wouldn't reappear for almost three years, the longest gap between standard texts at the time.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2068: Election Night]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2069: Wishlist]])}}
|[[File:Election Day Header but Better.png|500x500px]]
|This header text reminded xkcd readers to vote in the 2018 United States Midterm Elections. As these were highly contested, every vote counted. It gave a reminder about the fact that if the polls close while you're in line, the government must let you vote. It also provides links which give additional information about voting, where your local polling place is, and to see what was on the ballot.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2067: Challengers]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2067: Challengers]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].

See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]}}}}}
|This header was very similar to the previous one, only adding a line below the first, taking you to a website which shows what would be on the reader's ballot before that year's election day on November 6th. It is part of a series of header texts related to the US 2018 Midterm Elections.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2061: Tectonics Game]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2067: Challengers]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].}}}}}
|This header text reminded readers to register to vote in the 2018 United States Midterm Elections. It links to vote.org, a website which allows the user to check their registrations and contains a map of polling places near your location.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|{{notice|<big><big>Look through the archives for specific dates</big></big>}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}
|The standard text. It returned for just a couple months, between a reminder for readers in New York to vote and for all readers to register for the main election day during the 2018 United States Midterm Elections.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2045: Social Media Announcement]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[2046: Trum-]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}

{{Header text|{{{1|NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)}}}}}
|This short-lived header text reminded readers who lived in New York to vote on that day, as it was the day New York voted in the 2018 United States Midterm Elections. The text links to a New York government website which allows the viewer to see which polling place was the closest to them.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|{{notice|<big><big>Look through the archives for specific dates</big></big>}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}
|The standard header text, this time returning for 10 months, from during December 2017 to September 2018. It stayed during the long break between Christmas and the day New York voted in the 2018 United States Midterm Elections.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1920: Emoji Sports]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1922: Interferometry]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off 

 [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.


At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS. 
|This header text, like many others, only lasted a few days in between long stretches of standard headers. It promoted Christmas sales of [[What If?]] and [[Thing Explainer]], as well as providing a code to use on the Barnes & Noble page for the books. 
|style="background-color: #ff997d;" |Book promotion
|-
|{{notice|<big><big>Look through the archives for specific dates</big></big>}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}
|The standard header text, returning for a couple months during a relatively uneventful year for xkcd. This stint went between his promotion of his public appearances in the UK and the Christmas sales of his books.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1893: Thread]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1900: Jet Lag]])}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/  Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in  [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York],  [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].}}}}}
|This header text was a promotion for public appearances around the UK between late September and early October. Each link goes to a site where you could purchase tickets to attend his appearances. Despite the fact that all of his appearances had already ended, the promotion continued until October 9th, when the header text returned back to standard.
|style="background-color: #828282;" |Public Appearance
|-
|{{notice|<big><big>Look through the archives for specific dates</big></big>}}
|{{Header text|{{{1|xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.}}}}}
|The standard header text, returning for a couple months after the "skinny repeal" plan failed. This stint went between his promotion of his public appearances in the UK and the Christmas sales of his books.
|style="background-color: #5c5c5c;" |Standard Header
|-
From [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1872: Backup Batteries]])}}
|<big><big>FIND AND UPLOAD IMAGE</big></big>
|This header thanked readers for their efforts to stop 'The Skinny Repeal', a bill which would have repealed the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, in the Senate. In an unexpected twist, Republican senators John McCain, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski all voted against the bill, as well as all democrats, leading the 100-member senate to veto the bill 51-49. John McCain voted 'no' just days after a brain cancer diagnosis, leading two other Republicans to do the same, vetoing the bill.

This act had an especially large effect on Randall, as this was during his wife's Breast Cancer treatment. Had the act been passed, it is possible that they would have lost their Healthcare coverage, saddling them with very large amounts of debt which they may not have been able to pay off.

The entire image is a link, which takes you to a New York Times article showing the final results of the vote, as well as how members of each party voted.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|-
|From [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1867: Physics Confession]]]}}<br>until [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]<br>{{nowrap|(during [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]])}}
|<big><big>AGAIN, FIND AND UPLOAD IMAGE</big></big>
|This header came just days before a Senate vote on the 'skinny repeal' act, which would have repealed major parts of the Affordable Care Act, which would have left millions of people without healthcare coverage. He asks his readers to contact their senators and ask them to vote 'no' on the bill. He provides a phone number to call, as well as recommending readers to contact their friends in multiple Republican states, whose senators were likely to vote 'yes' on the bill, and ask them to call as well.

Randall may have been motivated to do this because, at the time, his wife was going through cancer treatment. Had this bill been passed, it is possible their healthcare coverage would have been lost, leading them to attain large amounts of debt, and possibly forcing Randall to cease making comics.

This header was up until the Senate ultimately vetoed the bill 51-49, leading Randall to change the header to a 'thank you'.
|style="background-color: #e875ff;" | Politics
|}

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]: 
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]! 
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared. 
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016. 
* The text was 
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]! 
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane Bullshit]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added. 
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]]  was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties. 
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com  2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed. 
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]: 
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text. 
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed. 
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]]. 
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week. 
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]]. 
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic. 
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size. 
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom.  Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]). 
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]: 
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly 
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction  HDG 240
*** Fall or rise 
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen 
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04]. 
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015.  The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!) 
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed. 
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]]. 
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic 
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th. 
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24]. 
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed. 
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a  Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool! 
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed. 
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed. 
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results. 
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text. 
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14] 
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]! 
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/  2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1 
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1 
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1 
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]! 
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]! 
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21]. 

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much. 
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you. 
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My <u>book</u> is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My <u>book</u> is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My <u>book</u> is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a <u>book tour!</u> click <u>here</u> for a list of stops.
** Or click <u>anywhere</u>-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of <u>HTML imagemaps</u>.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was 
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible! 
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed. 
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}. 
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it. 
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on  [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11] 
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26]  when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on  [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}. 
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/  What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}. 
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text: 
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday. 
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]]. 
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text: 
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday. 
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it. 
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics. 
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up. 
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up. 
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header: 
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]! 
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page. 
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]. 
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019  2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found. 
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever. 
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version. 
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out. 
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26]. 
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].
==What If? chapters==
Bouncy Balls - 

Around 3,000,000 balls. Death would occur and you would be charged with manslaughter or murder.