3125: Snake-in-the-Box Problem - Revision history

1234231587678 at 00:21, 13 April 2026

2026-04-13T00:21:51Z

Duralumin-here: /* Transcript changed text description from "outside the panel" to "below the panel" for consistency with other pages*/

2025-11-10T16:31:14Z

‎Transcript changed text description from "outside the panel" to "below the panel" for consistency with other pages

Vandof: Added trivia section

2025-09-17T04:59:20Z

Added trivia section

92.17.62.87: /* Transcript / Clarifying that there are no squirrels in comic*. Removing the "red annotations", as it is red marks (and green marks!) for purposes disimilar to the usual meaning of the term.

2025-09-06T20:12:29Z

‎Transcript: Clarifying that there are no squirrels *in comic*. Removing the "red annotations", as it is red marks (and green marks!) for purposes disimilar to the usual meaning of the term.

2001:4450:813D:C800:7D64:758:9810:CB82 at 11:30, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T11:30:26Z

71.46.92.136: Undo revision 384931 by 2001:67C:2628:647:32:704:0:357 (talk)

2025-08-24T18:19:17Z

Undo revision 384931 by 2001:67C:2628:647:32:704:0:357 (talk)

2001:67C:2628:647:32:704:0:357 at 17:57, 24 August 2025

2025-08-24T17:57:20Z

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12 at 07:59, 12 August 2025

2025-08-12T07:59:37Z

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12: /* Explanation */

2025-08-12T07:58:54Z

‎Explanation

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12: /* Explanation */

2025-08-12T07:58:26Z

‎Explanation

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 The comic jokes that these two "cute animal in a box" thought experiments are instances of a universal rule that applies to every field of study. Other fields have simply yet to "discover" their own analogies. Whether a snake counts as a "cute animal", that would satisfy the "rule" is likely to occasion some debate.
-The title text takes this further by claiming that chemistry students have been trying to fix the lack of cute-animal-in-box thought experiments in their field by attempting to trap a squirrel with a laundry basket. This is possibly a reference to {{w|Endohedral fullerene}} complexes, where an ion or atom is caged inside a spherical structure of carbon. Those students seem to hope that it will inspire them in some way, maybe similarly to what is depicted in [[1584: Moments of Inspiration]].
+The title text takes this further by claiming that chemistry students have been trying to fix the lack of cute-animal-in-box thought experiments in their field by attempting to trap a squirrel with a laundry basket. This is possibly a reference to {{w|endohedral fullerene}} complexes, where an ion or atom is caged inside a spherical structure of carbon. Those students seem to hope that it will inspire them in some way, maybe similarly to what is depicted in [[1584: Moments of Inspiration]].
 ==Trivia==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ==Transcript==
-:[A panel with text both above and below the illustration, with further text outside the panel below.]
+:[A panel with text both above and below the illustration, with further text below the panel.]
 :[In the panel, above the illustration:]
 :A snake slithers around a hypercube. No two non-consecutive parts of its coils can be on adjacent corners.
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 :Snake(N>8) = UNSOLVED
-:[Text outside the panel:]
+:[Text below the panel:]
 :It turns out every scientific field has a key thought experiment that involves putting a cute animal in a weird box for no reason.
 :So far, quantum mechanics and graph theory have found theirs, but most other fields are still working on it.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:59, 17 September 2025
Line 17:		Line 17:

	The title text takes this further by claiming that chemistry students have been trying to fix the lack of cute-animal-in-box thought experiments in their field by attempting to trap a squirrel with a laundry basket. This is possibly a reference to {{w\|Endohedral fullerene}} complexes, where an ion or atom is caged inside a spherical structure of carbon. Those students seem to hope that it will inspire them in some way, maybe similarly to what is depicted in [[1584: Moments of Inspiration]].		The title text takes this further by claiming that chemistry students have been trying to fix the lack of cute-animal-in-box thought experiments in their field by attempting to trap a squirrel with a laundry basket. This is possibly a reference to {{w\|Endohedral fullerene}} complexes, where an ion or atom is caged inside a spherical structure of carbon. Those students seem to hope that it will inspire them in some way, maybe similarly to what is depicted in [[1584: Moments of Inspiration]].
		+
		+	==Trivia==
		+	The comic number 3125, being equal to 5<sup>5</sup>, is itself representable in terms of a (5-dimensional) box.

	==Transcript==		==Transcript==

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 [[Category:Animals]]
 [[Category:Cats]]
-[[Category:Squirrels]]
+[[Category:Squirrels]] <!-- title text mention, only -->

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:30, 6 September 2025
Line 43:		Line 43:
	[[Category:Animals]]		[[Category:Animals]]
	[[Category:Cats]]		[[Category:Cats]]
		+	[[Category:Squirrels]]
		+	[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
-This comic makes fun of the fac{{notice2|<big><big><big><big><big><big><big><big><big><big><big><big>CRAPPED{{:{{PAGENAME}}}}}}t that many fields of math and science use analogies to help visualize complex problems. One such analogy, drawn in the comic, involves a snake on the edges of an n-dimensional hypercube, which is a real problem in graph theory called {{w|snake-in-the-box}}. In this problem, a snake is coiled around the edges of an ''n''-dimensional hypercube. No two adjacent corners of the cube can be occupied by non-consecutive parts of the snake (i.e., the snake can't come near itself). The problem involves finding the longest snake for a box of a given dimension. This problem has been solved up to an 8-dimensional cube, but remains unsolved for 9 dimensions and up. (The proper name for this problem, as stated in [https://oeis.org/A099155 OEIS A099155], is "Maximum length of a simple path with no chords in the n-dimensional hypercube" but, as the entry acknowledges, "snake-in-the-box problem" is the name commonly used for it.) Because a common way to formulate hypercubes is as a graph of N-tuples (each corner has N coordinates, each a 0 or 1 - for example, a {{w|Square|2-cube}} has vertices (0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1) - and edges are drawn between vertices differing only in one coordinate), and this problem in particular pertains to connecting edges between vertices, this comic considers the problem to be an example of this phenomenon for the mathematical field of graph theory.
+This comic makes fun of the fact that many fields of math and science use analogies to help visualize complex problems. One such analogy, drawn in the comic, involves a snake on the edges of an n-dimensional hypercube, which is a real problem in graph theory called {{w|snake-in-the-box}}. In this problem, a snake is coiled around the edges of an ''n''-dimensional hypercube. No two adjacent corners of the cube can be occupied by non-consecutive parts of the snake (i.e., the snake can't come near itself). The problem involves finding the longest snake for a box of a given dimension. This problem has been solved up to an 8-dimensional cube, but remains unsolved for 9 dimensions and up. (The proper name for this problem, as stated in [https://oeis.org/A099155 OEIS A099155], is "Maximum length of a simple path with no chords in the n-dimensional hypercube" but, as the entry acknowledges, "snake-in-the-box problem" is the name commonly used for it.) Because a common way to formulate hypercubes is as a graph of N-tuples (each corner has N coordinates, each a 0 or 1 - for example, a {{w|Square|2-cube}} has vertices (0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1) - and edges are drawn between vertices differing only in one coordinate), and this problem in particular pertains to connecting edges between vertices, this comic considers the problem to be an example of this phenomenon for the mathematical field of graph theory.
 The other thought experiment alluded to is {{w|Schrödinger's cat}}, which is used in quantum physics. In this thought experiment, a cat is put in a box which contains poison, a radioactive source and a {{w|Geiger counter}}. This aims to illustrate an apparent paradox in the principle of {{w|quantum superposition}} — a property of quantum mechanics in which objects can exist in two apparently incompatible states simultaneously, so long as no attempt is made to verify which state they are in. If an atom of the radioactive source decays, the poison is released, and the cat dies, tying its fate to the radioactive decay. Since radioactive decay obeys quantum mechanics, so long as the particle is not observed it will exist in a superposition of two states: decayed and not decayed. Therefore, the cat, too, may be considered to exist in a superposition of two states (alive and not alive) which appears to be absurd. The opening of the box collapses the superposition so that only one of those states remains.

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 The other thought experiment alluded to is {{w|Schrödinger's cat}}, which is used in quantum physics. In this thought experiment, a cat is put in a box which contains poison, a radioactive source and a {{w|Geiger counter}}. This aims to illustrate an apparent paradox in the principle of {{w|quantum superposition}} — a property of quantum mechanics in which objects can exist in two apparently incompatible states simultaneously, so long as no attempt is made to verify which state they are in. If an atom of the radioactive source decays, the poison is released, and the cat dies, tying its fate to the radioactive decay. Since radioactive decay obeys quantum mechanics, so long as the particle is not observed it will exist in a superposition of two states: decayed and not decayed. Therefore, the cat, too, may be considered to exist in a superposition of two states (alive and not alive) which appears to be absurd. The opening of the box collapses the superposition so that only one of those states remains.
-The comic jokes that these two "cute animal in a box" thought experiments are instances of a universal rule that applies to every field of study. Other fields have simply yet to "discover" their own analogies. Whether a snake counts as a "cute animal" <!-- Not really. --!>that would satisfy the "rule" is likely to occasion some debate.
+The comic jokes that these two "cute animal in a box" thought experiments are instances of a universal rule that applies to every field of study. Other fields have simply yet to "discover" their own analogies. Whether a snake counts as a "cute animal" <!-- Not really. --!> that would satisfy the "rule" is likely to occasion some debate.
 The title text takes this further by claiming that chemistry students have been trying to fix the lack of cute-animal-in-box thought experiments in their field by attempting to trap a squirrel with a laundry basket. This is possibly a reference to {{w|Endohedral fullerene}} complexes, where an ion or atom is caged inside a spherical structure of carbon. Those students seem to hope that it will inspire them in some way, maybe similarly to what is depicted in [[1584: Moments of Inspiration]].

3125: Snake-in-the-Box Problem - Revision history

1234231587678 at 00:21, 13 April 2026

Duralumin-here: /* Transcript changed text description from "outside the panel" to "below the panel" for consistency with other pages*/

Vandof: Added trivia section

92.17.62.87: /* Transcript */ Clarifying that there are no squirrels *in comic*. Removing the "red annotations", as it is red marks (and green marks!) for purposes disimilar to the usual meaning of the term.

2001:4450:813D:C800:7D64:758:9810:CB82 at 11:30, 6 September 2025

71.46.92.136: Undo revision 384931 by 2001:67C:2628:647:32:704:0:357 (talk)

2001:67C:2628:647:32:704:0:357 at 17:57, 24 August 2025

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12 at 07:59, 12 August 2025

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12: /* Explanation */

2A0A:EF40:C2:3201:96FA:24C1:60D5:8A12: /* Explanation */

92.17.62.87: /* Transcript / Clarifying that there are no squirrels in comic*. Removing the "red annotations", as it is red marks (and green marks!) for purposes disimilar to the usual meaning of the term.