Countdown in header text - Revision history

FaviFake at 14:49, 20 April 2025

2025-04-20T14:49:34Z

FaviFake at 14:49, 20 April 2025

2025-04-20T14:49:11Z

FaviFake at 14:48, 20 April 2025

2025-04-20T14:48:14Z

FaviFake at 14:42, 20 April 2025

2025-04-20T14:42:41Z

FaviFake at 14:34, 20 April 2025

2025-04-20T14:34:12Z

FaviFake: /* Initial theories */

2025-04-20T14:33:28Z

‎Initial theories

FaviFake: /* Initial theories */

2025-04-20T14:31:46Z

‎Initial theories

FaviFake: Huge redesign! Thx dollarstore

2025-04-20T14:28:13Z

Huge redesign! Thx dollarstore

Show changes

DollarStoreBa'al at 20:07, 19 April 2025

2025-04-19T20:07:25Z

DollarStoreBa'al at 20:07, 19 April 2025

2025-04-19T20:07:02Z

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Some versions of the countdown were also saved to the Web Archive while the countdown was active. The following is a list of all archived versions of the site, with timestamps provided:
-{{cot|Archived version}}
+{{cot|Archived versions}}
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 20h 27m
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110214138/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 17h 18m

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Some versions of the countdown were also saved to the Web Archive while the countdown was active. The following is a list of all archived versions of the site, with timestamps provided:
+{{cot|Archived version}}
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 20h 27m
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110214138/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] 20d 17h 18m
@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] 0d 2h 11m
 #[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01] The day after (0d -9h -5m / -1d 14h 55m)
 ==Frame transcript==

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 On January 10, 2022, [[Randall]] added a countdown in the top right corner of the [[Header text|header text]] on [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com]. This was the first time the header text had been changed [[Header text#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|in almost three years]]. The image started as a blank white rectangle, and in the following weeks it slowly zoomed out to reveal the image of a dinosaur eating a plane mid-flight. This is when the special header text was revealed to be an announcement for his new book, ''[[What If? 2|What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions]]'', which was released on September 13, 2022. Multiple comics were later created promoting the book, including [[2575: What If? 2]], which was released mere moments after the countdown ended. When it reached zero, the header [[Header text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|changed to promote the book]] directly.
-The countdown began while [[2565: Latency]] was up and continued until just before the release of the comic [[2575: What If? 2]]. When the former was still the most recent comic, a [[Header text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown was added]] to the header text. The countdown began on January 10, 2022, at 17:00 UTC, with the countdown reading 20 days, 21 hours, and 59 minutes. The first [[#Archived versions|archived version]] from [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] read "20d 20h 27m". The countdown reached zero on January 31, 2022, at 15:00 UTC. Ten minutes before the countdown reached zero, the image [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/6/64/Countdown_in_header_text_last_minute_wiggling.gif began to jiggle around] and the number of seconds left replaced the number of days left, leaving only the hours and minutes.
+The countdown began while [[2565: Latency]] was up and continued until just before the release of the comic [[2575: What If? 2]]. When the former was still the most recent comic, a [[Header text#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown was added]] to the header text. The countdown began on January 10, 2022, at 17:00 UTC, with the countdown reading 20 days, 21 hours, and 59 minutes. The first [[#All images|archived version]] from [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10] read "20d 20h 27m". The countdown reached zero on January 31, 2022, at 15:00 UTC. Ten minutes before the countdown reached zero, the image [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/6/64/Countdown_in_header_text_last_minute_wiggling.gif began to jiggle around] and the number of seconds left replaced the number of days left, leaving only the hours and minutes.
 During the three weeks it was running, multiple theories pertaining to both the image and the countdown were collected [[#Theories|here]]. These theories are still displayed to document the impact of the countdown and the community's views relating to it. The unraveling of the whole image gives a strong similarity to [[1190: Time]].
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The day before the countdown reached zero, a user discovered that Amazon had mistakenly released the news too early. The book could be [https://web.archive.org/web/20220130094958/https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525537112 found on Amazon] with the book cover clearly showing the part of the image shown in the countdown. Thus, the surprise was lost for those who found this spoiler. Some fans were excited by the discovery. while others were disappointed it came earlier than expected.
-===All frames and screenshots===
+===All images===
-All images found in the countdown can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/images]]'''. A gif animation was released after the countdown reached zero, which can be found at the top of this page. Initially, the frames were also available on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/], which allowed users to compare different images and watch an animation of the still frames, but the website no longer dispays the images correctly. Images which show the original countdown inside the frame, as well as comparisons between images, can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/other images]]'''.
+All the frames found in the countdown can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/images]]'''. A gif animation was released after the countdown reached zero, which can be found at the top of this page. Initially, the frames were also available on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/], which allowed users to compare different images and watch an animation of the still frames, but the website no longer dispays the images correctly. Images which show the original countdown inside the frame, as well as comparisons between images, can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/other images]]'''.
 Some frames were noted to look identical during the countdown. For example, the first 3 images did not contain anything, thereby looking identical. These frames were dupicates: frames 1, 2, and 3, frames 7 and 8, frames 91 and 92, frames 134 and 135 . All of these duplicate frames have different file names, so it is unclear whether these duplicate frames were intentional.

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Some frames were noted to look identical during the countdown. For example, the first 3 images did not contain anything, thereby looking identical. These frames were dupicates: frames 1, 2, and 3, frames 7 and 8, frames 91 and 92, frames 134 and 135 . All of these duplicate frames have different file names, so it is unclear whether these duplicate frames were intentional.
 ==Frame transcript==
@@ Line 74: / Line 110: @@
 * Frame 136 came just after the countdown ended, turning the background red, as it is on the front cover of the book adding the title what if? 2 in white text beneath the plane, which as now been moved to the top of the image since the overlaid count down is now gone.
 ==Initial theories==

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The day before the countdown reached zero, a user discovered that Amazon had mistakenly released the news too early. The book could be [https://web.archive.org/web/20220130094958/https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525537112 found on Amazon] with the book cover clearly showing the part of the image shown in the countdown. Thus, the surprise was lost for those who found this spoiler. Some fans were excited by the discovery. while others were disappointed it came earlier than expected.
-==All frames and screenshots==
+===All frames and screenshots===
 All images found in the countdown can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/images]]'''. A gif animation was released after the countdown reached zero, which can be found at the top of this page. Initially, the frames were also available on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/], which allowed users to compare different images and watch an animation of the still frames, but the website no longer dispays the images correctly. Images which show the original countdown inside the frame, as well as comparisons between images, can be found here: '''[[Countdown in header text/other images]]'''.

@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 ==Initial theories==
-This section is an archived collection of the theories discussed on this page while the countdown was active. They are displayed to document the impact of the countdown and the community's views relating to it.
+This section is an archived collection of the theories discussed on this page while the countdown was active. They are displayed to document the impact of the countdown and the community's views relating to it. Note that there have been many other discussions regarding the countdown, which are available only [[Talk:Countdown in header text|on the talk page]].
 ===Theories about the picture===

@@ Line 118: / Line 118: @@
 These are the original theories about the picture. One of the very early theories got it right: "The second line makes it look somewhat like the tail fin of an aircraft."
-{{cot|See the original theories about the picture}}
+{{cot|Original theories about the picture}}
 *From 2022-01-21 it became certain that it was a plane! Passenger plane. Door and windows are visible.
 **From 2022-01-22 it became clear that it was the rear end, so it was a tailfin that came into the panel to begin with. Up til the day before it was still a bit uncertain if it could have been a wing.
@@ Line 160: / Line 160: @@
 Many early theories were generated before the picture was decisively revealed to be a plane.
-{{cot|See the ealiest theories about the picture}}
+{{cot|Earliest theories about the picture}}
 It seems after two days and 12 pictures like either something is moving into the frame or that it is a zoom out from a white area of a large picture. Maybe it is the arm of Cueball that will come into view. The second line makes it look somewhat like the tail fin of an aircraft.
 *Or the wing of an aircraft (left if looking down at it). Perhaps the plane is towing a banner that will fly through the frame.
@@ Line 206: / Line 206: @@
 These are the original theories about the countdown. One of the early theories got it right: "Randall's next book, either the countdown is counting down to the start of promotion or it is released when the countdown ends."
-{{cot|See the original theories about the countdown}}
+{{cot|Original theories about the countdown}}
 Several have already been mentioned in the discussion:
 *Maybe Randall is going on vacation?

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/2/21/Countdown_in_header_text_clock_migration.gif countdown] lasted 21 days and the last image appeared in the header text after the end on January 31, 2022. It was not a permanent part of the header, and was removed once the [[Header text|header text]] was changed to the [[Header text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|''What If? 2'' promotion]].{{TOC}}
 ==Explanation==
 On January 10th, 2022, [[Randall]] added a countdown in the top right corner of the [[Header text|header text]] on {{xkcd}}. This was the first time the header text had been changed in almost three years. The image started as a blank white rectangle, before zooming out over the next few weeks to reveal the image of a dinosaur eating a plane mid-flight. This is when the special header text was revealed to be an announcement for his new book, ''[https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ What if? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions]'', which was released September 13, 2022. Multiple comics were later created promoting the book, including [[2575: What If? 2]], which released mere moments after the countdown reached zero. When the countdown reached zero, the  [[Header text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|header changed]] to promote the book directly.

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 ==Ongoing image description==
-The following is a description of the images as they appeared:
+The following is a description of the different frames as they appeared:
 *The counter [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/2/21/Countdown_in_header_text_clock_migration.gif moved upwards] during most of the countdown, to cover less of the revealed image. See more [[Countdown_in_header_text/other_images#Changing_counter_position|here]]
-** Frames 1-4: White Space
+* Frames 1-4: White Space
-** Frames 5-12: A diagonal line is revealed, the first line of many
+* Frames 5-12: A diagonal line is revealed, the first line of many
-** Frame 13: A curve seems to begin at the top left of the line.
+* Frame 13: A curve seems to begin at the top left of the line.
-** Frame 18: The curve connects the diagonal line with a horizontal line.
+* Frame 18: The curve connects the diagonal line with a horizontal line.
-** Frames 27-28: A new line is revealed in the bottom left corner.
+* Frames 27-28: A new line is revealed in the bottom left corner.
-** Frames 40-42: A connection between the new line and the horizontal line is revealed, forming a corner which is not attached to another line.
+* Frames 40-42: A connection between the new line and the horizontal line is revealed, forming a corner which is not attached to another line.
-** Frame 49: The movement of the camera changes, and the image begins moving to the right
+* Frame 49: The movement of the camera changes, and the image begins moving to the right
-** Frame 54: A slight upward curve is revealed in the right line, the left line gains a small bend downwards.
+* Frame 54: A slight upward curve is revealed in the right line, the left line gains a small bend downwards.
-** Frames 60-62: A new line appears in the bottom right corner, it turns out to be a continuation of the first original line which curves upward and has a positive slope at that point of the picture, between about 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock. The downward bend of the left line continues on straight in the same direction.
+* Frames 60-62: A new line appears in the bottom right corner, it turns out to be a continuation of the first original line which curves upward and has a positive slope at that point of the picture, between about 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock. The downward bend of the left line continues on straight in the same direction.
-** Frame 63: A new line starts appearing, way thinner than the others (which were up to this point all rather part of one line) and going slightly downwards and very much to the left, at an angle somewhere between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock.
+* Frame 63: A new line starts appearing, way thinner than the others (which were up to this point all rather part of one line) and going slightly downwards and very much to the left, at an angle somewhere between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock.
-** Frame 67: A possible feature becomes visible at the bottom edge of the image that might resolve the exact nature of the image (presumed to be an aircraft at this point), e.g. which particular aerodynamic surface we have been seeing and thus from which particular orientation we are viewing it.
+* Frame 67: A possible feature becomes visible at the bottom edge of the image that might resolve the exact nature of the image (presumed to be an aircraft at this point), e.g. which particular aerodynamic surface we have been seeing and thus from which particular orientation we are viewing it.
-** Frames 68-72 makes it clear this must be an aircraft by showing windows and a door and clearly the tail fin. As late as frame 69 some people argued that the tail fin could have been a wing.
+* Frames 68-72 makes it clear this must be an aircraft by showing windows and a door and clearly the tail fin. As late as frame 69 some people argued that the tail fin could have been a wing.
-** Frames 73-83 bring a horizontal stabilizer into view.
+* Frames 73-83 bring a horizontal stabilizer into view.
-** Frames 87-89: A new curved line appears on the underside of the aircraft, so there either is something behind it or it might not be an aircraft.
+* Frames 87-89: A new curved line appears on the underside of the aircraft, so there either is something behind it or it might not be an aircraft.
-** Frames 96-99: An arc comes into view in the upper right corner.
+* Frames 96-99: An arc comes into view in the upper right corner.
-** Frames 101-106: A solid object appears on top of the plane.
+* Frames 101-106: A solid object appears on top of the plane.
-** Frames 106-114: a new element of the image appears on the right side, presumed to be the end of a wing
+* Frames 106-114: a new element of the image appears on the right side, presumed to be the end of a wing
-** Frames 115-121 make it clear that the newest addition at the bottom right is the wing tip of the plane. The dinosaur's tail is slowly getting more revealed.
+* Frames 115-121 make it clear that the newest addition at the bottom right is the wing tip of the plane. The dinosaur's tail is slowly getting more revealed.
-** Frame 124 shows something beneath the plane, but already in 125, that makes one of the largest jumps between pictures so far, this is clearly one of the wheels on the landing gear. The hind leg of the dinosaur is now coming into view.
+* Frame 124 shows something beneath the plane, but already in 125, that makes one of the largest jumps between pictures so far, this is clearly one of the wheels on the landing gear. The hind leg of the dinosaur is now coming into view.
-** Frames 126-127 confirm the dinosaur theory that had been discussed up to this point. This was also the point that the Amazon leak was found.
+* Frames 126-127 confirm the dinosaur theory that had been discussed up to this point. This was also the point that the Amazon leak was found.
-** Frame 134 reveals the last part of the plane, so now the entire plane and T-rex is visible. This was about 6 hours before the countdown ended.
+* Frame 134 reveals the last part of the plane, so now the entire plane and T-rex is visible. This was about 6 hours before the countdown ended.
-** Frame 135 is identical with 134!
+* Frame 135 is identical with 134!
-** About ten minutes before the countdown ended the image started to wiggle and as predicted seconds also came in, leaving out the day part of the counter.
+* About ten minutes before the countdown ended the image started to wiggle and as predicted seconds also came in, leaving out the day part of the counter.
-** Frame 136 came just after the countdown ended, turning the background red, as it is on the front cover of the book adding the title what if? 2 in white text beneath the plane, which as now been moved to the top of the image since the overlaid count down is now gone.
+* Frame 136 came just after the countdown ended, turning the background red, as it is on the front cover of the book adding the title what if? 2 in white text beneath the plane, which as now been moved to the top of the image since the overlaid count down is now gone.
 ==Theories==