explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:622: Haiku Proof

2020-03-03T21:01:39Z

Aronurr:

A prime number must also be a natural number greater that one. {{unsigned|‎204.8.8.13}}

I removed the paragraph about the haiku being off, as it is not "top prime's divisors," but "top prime's divisors' " (notice the second apostrophe). So the question is actually what the (prime) factors of the product of all prime divisors plus one are. [[User:KillaBilla|KillaBilla]] ([[User talk:KillaBilla|talk]]) 21:57, 12 June 2014 (UTC)

: I've put it back, since the paragraph is correct - the proof is incorrect. That second apostrophe just means it is the product belonging to the top prime's divisors. The product of the top prime's divisors is just the top prime. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.234|141.101.98.234]] 14:40, 5 April 2015 (UTC)
: "All primes' divisors'" would've been correct (although the "divisors" is still unnecessary). --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.185|108.162.254.185]] 10:16, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

I made a new poem:
The product of all-
Primes, plus one, divisors are?-
Q.E.D., ******s! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.148|108.162.216.148]] 23:56, 10 January 2017 (UTC)

I want a t-shirt with that last line on it.[[User:Aronurr|Aronurr]] ([[User talk:Aronurr|talk]]) 21:01, 3 March 2020 (UTC)

Talk:79: Iambic Pentameter

2020-01-21T23:25:28Z

Aronurr:

It's really not so hard to write such prose, 
To stick to Shakespeare's scheme for fellow bards, 
Of course the preparation always slows, 
So spontaneity aint on the cards. 
The better art of live concoction sits, 
Beyond the skill of I your editor, 
And this is why the comic title bits, 
Are true and accurate without a flaw. 
Or so I humour Randall by these lines, 
Restricted by the form I've set upon, 
Fearing that soon I'll commit rhyming crimes, 
That you the readers see arrive, 'ere long. 
And thus a sonnet author finds to be, 
Whether for fun or for a Dark Lady. 
[[Special:Contributions/178.98.31.27|178.98.31.27]] 14:08, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
:I am stunned. Flabbergasted, of a lack of words. You, good sir, are a hero. A true poet, a master of words. I applaud you, and thank you for your time here. [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 15:04, 25 February 2019 (UTC)

Wait, normal people don't communicate exclusively in iambic pentameter? Shakespeare lied to me! [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.62|199.27.128.62]] 04:04, 4 June 2014 (UTC)

There is a [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob|community portal discussion]] of what to call Cueball and what to do in case with more than one Cueball. I have added this comic to the new Category:Multiple Cueballs. Since Randall is the one with the hobby and also the one that Cueball represents I have kept Cueball in this explanation and transcript. But made a note of it. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:58, 15 March 2015 (UTC)

If you unstress both "of" and "course," the title text also kind of works with iambic meter. [[User:Aronurr|Aronurr]] ([[User talk:Aronurr|talk]]) 23:25, 21 January 2020 (UTC)

Talk:79: Iambic Pentameter

2020-01-21T23:24:00Z

Aronurr:

Talk:183: Snacktime Rules

2019-08-07T18:26:31Z

Aronurr:

Hm, how can we know, really, if it's Randall or Cueball speaking? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 20:19, 5 March 2013 (UTC)

It's Randall. I was there. [[User:Spotlouise|Spotlouise]] ([[User talk:Spotlouise|talk]]) 16:13, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

:I'm pretty sure that Cueball is basically just an abstraction of Randall. Black Hat, too, at times. Odd that no one seems to notice. [[User:Daddy|Daddy]] ([[User talk:Daddy|talk]]) 15:43, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
:: Everyone knows it; it'd be impossible for Randall to not put himself in the comic. However, the ''title text'' is '''always''' Randalll, so that implies that the stick figure is definitely Randall. [[Special:Contributions/75.185.176.214|75.185.176.214]] 00:07, 16 August 2013 (UTC) I should probably join... I'd be able to stop displaying my IP
::: The title text is not always Randall.{{unsigned|Flewk}}

:: I feel like most of the characters are at least sometimes abstractions of Randall. I mean almost always Cueball is. But I think the other characters can be aspects of him sometimes. Black Hat, Beret Guy, he'll sometimes even White Hat and Megan. Although they usually represent other things, if anything at all. But sometimes. {{unsigned ip|108.162.245.64}}

Based on the title text Randall had probably just turned 6, so there would be two years until he next could have a snack - and the mother probably believed that he would have forgotten such a rule by then (alas that was clearly not the case... :-) [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:27, 12 December 2013 (UTC)

: Or is it ( :-))? [[541: TED Talk]] {{unsigned|Aronurr}}

As I read it, it isn't that he gets no snacks, it is that he gets no snacks in his rom. {{unsigned ip|162.158.252.185}}

Just a thought, but maybe this rule is based on a measurement of Randall's age in terms of some unit other than years, which would be ''really'' nerdy. —[[User:CsBlastoise|CsBlastoise]] ([[User talk:CsBlastoise|talk]]) 18:28, 22 January 2017 (UTC)

Is it possible the obscure logic is related to school exams - perhaps he is 12 and starting Junior High, the previous year having sat an SSAT exam to get. He turned 12 in the October, so would have been studying aged 11 and perhaps allowed to snack in his room as a result. His mum observed that he'll next sit exams for senior high aged 14 and then for undergrad at 17... so can only snack in years he is prepping for exams. (Unlikely that this is the ACTUAL reason for the pattern, but I'll bet it was something of similar spirit, she'd allowed it age 11 and was post-associating it to some other life event so he can do it at 14 and 17 as well).{{unsigned ip|141.101.99.53 }}

Talk:183: Snacktime Rules

2019-08-07T18:25:14Z

Aronurr:

Hm, how can we know, really, if it's Randall or Cueball speaking? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 20:19, 5 March 2013 (UTC)

It's Randall. I was there. [[User:Spotlouise|Spotlouise]] ([[User talk:Spotlouise|talk]]) 16:13, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

:I'm pretty sure that Cueball is basically just an abstraction of Randall. Black Hat, too, at times. Odd that no one seems to notice. [[User:Daddy|Daddy]] ([[User talk:Daddy|talk]]) 15:43, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
:: Everyone knows it; it'd be impossible for Randall to not put himself in the comic. However, the ''title text'' is '''always''' Randalll, so that implies that the stick figure is definitely Randall. [[Special:Contributions/75.185.176.214|75.185.176.214]] 00:07, 16 August 2013 (UTC) I should probably join... I'd be able to stop displaying my IP
::: The title text is not always Randall.{{unsigned|Flewk}}

:: I feel like most of the characters are at least sometimes abstractions of Randall. I mean almost always Cueball is. But I think the other characters can be aspects of him sometimes. Black Hat, Beret Guy, he'll sometimes even White Hat and Megan. Although they usually represent other things, if anything at all. But sometimes. {{unsigned ip|108.162.245.64}}

Based on the title text Randall had probably just turned 6, so there would be two years until he next could have a snack - and the mother probably believed that he would have forgotten such a rule by then (alas that was clearly not the case... :-) [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:27, 12 December 2013 (UTC)

: Or is it (:-))? [[541: TED Talk]]

As I read it, it isn't that he gets no snacks, it is that he gets no snacks in his rom. {{unsigned ip|162.158.252.185}}

Just a thought, but maybe this rule is based on a measurement of Randall's age in terms of some unit other than years, which would be ''really'' nerdy. —[[User:CsBlastoise|CsBlastoise]] ([[User talk:CsBlastoise|talk]]) 18:28, 22 January 2017 (UTC)

Is it possible the obscure logic is related to school exams - perhaps he is 12 and starting Junior High, the previous year having sat an SSAT exam to get. He turned 12 in the October, so would have been studying aged 11 and perhaps allowed to snack in his room as a result. His mum observed that he'll next sit exams for senior high aged 14 and then for undergrad at 17... so can only snack in years he is prepping for exams. (Unlikely that this is the ACTUAL reason for the pattern, but I'll bet it was something of similar spirit, she'd allowed it age 11 and was post-associating it to some other life event so he can do it at 14 and 17 as well).{{unsigned ip|141.101.99.53 }}