Editing 1688: Map Age Guide

{{comic
| number    = 1688
| date      = June 1, 2016
| title     = Map Age Guide
| image     = map_age_guide.png
| titletext = Does the screeching chill your blood and herald death? If yes, banshee. If no, seagull.
}}

* A [http://xkcd.com/1688/large/ larger version] of this image can be found by clicking the image at xkcd.com - the comic's page can also be accessed by clicking on the comic number above.

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Errors in the year etc. should be collected in the [[#Trivia|trivia section]]. Another table with the possible year ranges and the length of their interval would be interesting. (Only for the political maps) What are the longest ranges after 1805 and how finely dissected are the maps closer to today?}}
The comic consists of a flowchart depicting various ways to tell what era a map is from based on present country borders and land forms. (Except in the Not a Political Map Branch (from "Can you see the familiar continents?" downwards), the comic applies to a political map.) While many of the options are very serious, a few bizarre options reference fictional maps ({{w|Discworld}}, {{w|Narnia}}, and Tolkien's {{w|Middle-earth}}), or consider that seagulls, staplers, tubas, or breadboxes could be mistaken for a map. Randall also mentions US President {{w|Jimmy Carter}} being [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter_rabbit_incident attacked by a giant swimming rabbit], an event previously referenced as one we must never forget in [[204: America]].

The flowchart, although probably effective in eventually identifying the production year of certain maps, is designed in a rather inefficient way, as some early distinctions are already on a very detailed level before some really important distinctions (fictional or non-political map) are made. This, of course, adds to the humorous tone of the comic. It is also hampered by several smaller or larger error (see [[#Trivia|trivia]]), the biggest being a whole section on I-25 that gives years in the range 1948–1952, before I-25 was built, and coming from a question that fixed the year range to 1960–1961.

Additionally, (possible) future maps including a "Radioactive Exclusion Zone" in the place of Colorado are mentioned. It predicts that some kind of nuclear incident will occur in Colorado (possibly at Rulison or Rio Blanco nuclear testing sites) in 2022. It also predicts that the area will be infested by radioactive spiders one year later. As it is 2024 now, we see that both claims have been proven incorrect.{{Citation needed}}

The title text continues the path where the user has confused a seagull for a map by inquiring if the (presumed) seagull might be a banshee based on the effect of its screams.

===Table===
*Going through the flowchart, taking the leftmost path first, recursively. (Note there is no recursive loop, any loop is your mistake). See also {{w|Depth-first search}}.
**"Prior Date Range" is the range determined immediately before the question, carried over from the previous question.
**"Question Date Range" is the range each answer choice implies.
**"New Date Range" is the intersection of the Prior Date Range and the Question Date Range for each choice, and is the range determined by all questions hitherto answered.

{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"
! # !! Question !! Explanation !! Prior Date Range !! Question Date Range !! New Date Range
|-
! 1
| '''Istanbul or Constantinople'''
| The largest city in {{w|Turkey}} is famous for having different names at different times or to different people. Variations on both names go back at least 1,000 years. Other names have also been used at various points. {{w|Istanbul}} has been the official name in Western languages since the 1920s (although it's been the native name since 1453), although Western maps often referred to it as Constantinople as late as the 1960s; on the flowchart, the choice of name appears to go with the 1920s date. The name changes are the subject of a [http://mentalfloss.com/article/60314/original-istanbul-not-constantinople song], originally by the Four Lads, but now mainly known for the They Might Be Giants recording.
| '''Start here'''
|
* Constantinople: 330 – 1928 
* Neither: inconclusive
* Istanbul: 1928+
|
* Constantinople: 330 – 1928 (Go to 2)
* Neither: inconclusive (Go to 19)
* Istanbul: 1928+ (Go to 51)
|-
| colspan="6" | '''Note:''' the chart splits here into three divisions, each from a choice in question 1. The Neither Division will attempt to use other indicators to sort maps into one of the other two divisions or branches thereof, or, after 5 failures to find a country, conclude that the "map" in question is not a political map and proceed to find out what it is (the Not a Political Map Branch). The Constantinople and Istanbul Divisions are linear except where the Neither Division joins them as stated above.
|-
! colspan="6" | Constantinople Division
|-
! 2
| '''Do any of these exist?'''
* '''Independent Canada'''
* '''US Territory of Alaska'''
* '''Tokyo'''
| All these seem to specify a date cut-off of 1867/8, but there are caveats attached to each:
* {{w|Canada}} gained its independence gradually, but it would appear as its own country (the Dominion of Canada) on maps sometime between the {{w|Constitution Act, 1867}} (which created Canada as a British dominion) and the {{w|Statute of Westminster 1931}} (which made Canada largely self-governing).
* The {{w|Territory of Alaska}} existed between 1912 (previously, it was a US district) and 1959 (when it became a state). The US has owned Alaska since the 1867 {{w|Alaska Purchase}}, but it was not a territory then.
* {{w|Tokyo}} was once called Edo. It was renamed Tokyo (which means "Eastern Capital") when it became the capital in 1868. [https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Tokyo%2CTokei&year_start=1870&year_end=1880&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CTokyo%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTokei%3B%2Cc0 Most English books around then] would actually have called it "Tokei," the Chinese reading. The name Tokyo didn't take off until {{w|Hepburn romanization}} was popularized in the 1880s.
| 330–1928 (from 1)
1299–1922 (from 19 in the Neither Division)
(from 24 in the Neither Division)
|
* No: 1867-
* Yes: 1868+
|
* No: 330–1867 (Go to 3)
* Yes: 1868–1928 (Go to 11)
|-
! colspan="6" | Holy Roman Empire Branch
|-
! 3
| '''The Holy Roman Empire?'''
| The predecessor to modern Germany, the {{w|Holy Roman Empire}} was a union of hundreds of small states in Central Europe. Nationalism and the concept of the {{w|nation state}} hadn't taken off yet, so countries as we know them didn't really exist. There were just small lands, often with keenly contested borders, owned by minor aristocracy who pledged allegiance to one of the big powers. The HRE was {{w|Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire|dissolved}} in 1806 after it was invaded by Napoleon, arguably the first leader to realise the potential of making a nation salute a flag.
| 330–1867
|
* Yes: 899–1806
* No: 899- or 1806+
|
* Yes: 899–1806 (Stated in comic as "1805 or earlier," since modern map-making was fuzzy as a concept prior) ('''Stop''')
* No: 330–899 or 1806–67 (Go to 4)
|-
! 4
| '''The United States?'''
| The original {{w|Thirteen Colonies|13 colonies}} declared independence in 1776. A map that does not include ''either'' the HRE ''or'' the USA must be older than the HRE, which would put the map sometime prior to 1000 AD, when there really were no countries, and English wasn't used yet, hence Randall's comment.
| 330–899 or 1806–67
|
* No: 1776-
* Yes: 1776+
|
* No: 330–899 (Not stated in comic, since a map in this period is probably not in English, which violates a proviso of the comic) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1806–67 (Go to 5)
|-
! 5
| '''Texas is...<br/>Part of Mexico?<br/>Independent?<br/>Part of the US?'''
| {{w|Mexico}} (and before its independence, {{w|New Spain}}) occupied the area modern-day Texas from around 1718 ({{w|Spanish Texas|when the first permanent Spanish settlements were founded}}) to the {{w|Texas Declaration of Independence}} in 1836 (the comic apparently cited 1834 as the date) – the land called "Texas" was only a small part of the modern-day state. The {{w|Republic of Texas}} only lasted a decade and joined the US in 1846.
| 1806–67
|
* Part of Mexico: 1718–1836
* Independent: 1836–46
* Part of the US: 1846+
|
* Part of Mexico: 1806–36 (Go to 6)
* Independent: 1836–46 (stated in comic as 1834–45 – a discrepancy) ('''Stop''')
* Part of the US: 1846–67 (Go to 9)
|-
! 6
| '''Florida is part of...<br/>Spain?<br/>The US?'''
| Spain occupied {{w|Florida}} (as {{w|East Florida}} and {{w|West Florida}}) but frankly they didn't actually want it – it was expensive to send people to settle it, and there wasn't much economic value in it. So they gave it to the US for free in the 1819 {{w|Adams–Onís Treaty}} (which took effect in 1821) in exchange for the US giving up parts of Mexico and paying off angry Spanish settlers. (For some reason, the comic treats Florida as part of the US in 1818; see questions 7 and 8.)
| 1806–36
|
* Spain: 1565–1763 or 1783–1821
* The US: 1821+
|
* Spain: 1806–21 (Go to 7)
* The US: 1821–36 (Go to 8)
|-
! 7
| '''{{w|Paraguay}}?'''
| Declared independence from Spain in 1811 (although it might appear on older maps as the Spanish Province of Paraguay).
| 1806–21
|
* No: 1811-
* Yes: 1811+
|
* No: 1806–11 (stated in comic as 1806–10) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1811–21 (stated in comic as 1811–17 – a discrepancy (see question 6)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 8
| '''{{w|Venezuela}} and/or {{w|Ecuador?}}'''
| Both declared independence from {{w|Gran Colombia}} (Greater Colombia) in 1830.
| 1821–36
|
* No: 1830-
* Yes: 1830+
|
* No: 1821–30 (stated in comic as 1818–29 – a discrepancy (see question 6)) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1830–36 (stated in comic as 1830–33 – a discrepancy (see question 5)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 9
| '''Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?'''
| The 1858 {{w|Treaty of Aigun}} brought the {{w|Russian Empire}}'s border to the {{w|Sea of Japan}}.
| 1846–67
|
* No: 1858-
* Yes: 1858+
|
* No: 1846–58 (Go to 10)
* Yes: 1858–67 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 10
| '''The US's southern border looks...'''
| The last southward expansion of the US is the 1854 {{w|Gadsden Purchase}}, where the US bought a chunk of what is now {{w|Arizona}} and {{w|New Mexico}} so they could build a railway that avoided unfavourable terrain. The southern border looks "weird" before that because we are accustomed to the current border shape.
| 1846–58
|
* Weird: 1854-
* Normal: 1854+
|
* Weird: 1846–54 (stated in comic as 1846–53) ('''Stop''')
* Normal: 1854–58 (stated in comic as 1854–56 – a discrepancy (where is 1857?)) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | South Africa Branch
|-
! 11
| '''{{w|South Africa}}?'''
| The {{w|Union of South Africa}} was created in 1910 out of the four British colonies ({{w|Cape Colony}}, {{w|Colony of Natal|Natal}}, {{w|Transvaal Colony|Transvaal}}, and {{w|Orange River Colony|Orange River}}), although South Africa was then not yet fully independent from the United Kingdom (which would not happen until 1931).
| 1868–1928
|
* No: 1910-
* Yes: 1910+
|
* No: 1868–1910 (Go to 12)
* Yes: 1910–28 (Go to 16)
|-
! 12
| '''Rhodesia?'''
| The region that now makes up {{w|Zambia}} and {{w|Zimbabwe}} was named {{w|Rhodesia (region)|"Rhodesia"}} by the {{w|British South Africa Company}} in 1895. An {{w|Rhodesia|unrecognised state}} (1965–79) and a {{w|Southern Rhodesia|colony}} (1923–80 on-and-off) also bore this name, but they are both outside the Prior Date Range.
| 1868–1910
|
* No: 1895-
* Yes: 1895+
|
* No: 1868–95 (Go to 13)
* Yes: 1895–1910 (Go to 15)
|-
! 13
| '''Is Bolivia landlocked?'''
| {{w|Bolivia}} lost its coastal territory to {{w|Chile}} in the {{w|War of the Pacific}}, ceding {{w|Antofagasta}} in the {{w|Treaty of Valparaiso}} in 1884.
| 1868–95
|
* No: 1825–84
* Yes: 1884+
|
* No: 1868–84 (Go to 14)
* Yes: 1884–95 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 14
| '''"Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"?'''
| In 1873, the Hungarian cities of {{w|Buda}} and {{w|Pest, Hungary|Pest}} joined together to form the city of {{w|Budapest}}.
| 1868–84
|
* Buda and Pest: 1247–1873
* Budapest: 1873+
|
* Buda and Pest: 1868–73 (stated in comic as 1868–72) ('''Stop''')
* Budapest: 1873–84 (stated in comic as 1873–83) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 15
| '''Is Norway part of Sweden?'''
| {{w|Norway}} was ceded to {{w|Sweden}} in 1814, from which it separated in 1905.
| 1895–1910
|
* Yes: 1814–1905
* No: 1814- or 1905+
|
* Yes: 1895–1905 (Stated in comic as 1896–1905) ('''Stop''')
* No: 1905–10 (Stated in comic as 1906–09) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 16
| '''Austria-Hungary?'''
| {{w|Austria-Hungary}} formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1918. (Clueless bureaucrats of the time loved to abbreviate the name to just "Austria", but mapmakers tended to be more careful than that.)
| 1910–28
|
* Yes: 1867–1918
* No: 1918+
|
* Yes: 1910–18 (Go to 17)
* No: 1918–28 (Go to 18)
|-
! 17
| '''Albania?'''
| {{w|Albania}} declared independence from the {{w|Ottoman Empire}} in 1912.
| 1910–18 
|
* No: 1912-
* Yes: 1912+
|
* No: 1910–12 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1912–18 (stated in comic as 1913–18) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 18
| '''Leningrad?'''
| {{w|Saint Petersburg}} was known as Leningrad between 1924 and 1991. The city was founded in 1703 as Saint Petersburg (specific spellings vary); in August 1914, due to major anti-German sentiment related to WWI, it was renamed Petrograd (essentially the Russian translation of Petersburg). On January 26, 1924, five days after the death of {{w|Vladimir Lenin}} (the main revolutionary leader), the new Communist government (hostile to both the Orthodox {{w|Saint Peter}} the city was named after and the Czar {{w|Peter the Great}} who named it) renamed the city Leningrad in his honor. After the decline of the Soviet government in 1991, the name became unpopular, and a referendum in June 1991 (concurrently with the first Russian presidential election) restored the name Saint Petersburg for the city (officially in September 1991), which it holds to this day.
| 1918–28
|
* No: 1924- or 1991+
* Yes: 1924–91
|
* No: 1918–24 (stated in comic as 1919–23) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1924–28 (stated in comic as 1924–29) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Neither Division
|-
! 19
| '''Does the Ottoman Empire exist?'''
| The {{w|Ottoman Empire}} was founded in 1299, and defeated and dissolved on November 1, 1922 when the sultanate was abolished.
| Inconclusive
| 
* Yes: 1299–1922
* No: 1299- or 1922+
|
* Yes: 1299–1922 (Go to 2 in the Constantinople Division)
* No: 1299- or 1922+ (Go to 20)
|-
! 20
| '''The Soviet Union?'''
| The {{w|Soviet Union}} is one of the largest countries ever to exist consisting of Russia and large portions of eastern Europe and central Asia. It was a major political force from December 28, 1922, when several allied Soviet republics united, to 1991, when it broke up.
''Note:'' This question is the same as question 51 in the Istanbul Division, but because there a Prior Date Range of 1928+ has already been established by the presence of Istanbul, we need one more question to determine whether we are within the range of 1928+.
| 1299- or 1922+
|
* Yes: 1922–91
* No: 1922- or 1991+
|
* Yes: 1922–91 (Go to 21)
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28) or 1991+ (Go to 22)
|-
! 21
| '''Saudi Arabia?'''
| The Kingdom of {{w|Saudi Arabia}} was founded in 1932. It is the first modern state to exert control over the area it claims, which previously were controlled by various tribal leaders. Most maps before 1932 will not mark the area as belonging to a nation at all, will attempt to mark the various shifting chieftains, or will attribute the land to the {{w|Ottoman Empire}}, which claimed the land but did not effectively control it.
| 1922–91
|
* Yes: 1932+
* No: 1932-
|
* Yes: 1932–91 (Go to 52 in the Istanbul Division)
* No: 1922–32 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 22
| '''North Korea?'''
| The {{w|Korean Peninsula}} was divided into two regions, the north of which would be known as {{w|North Korea}}, at the end of {{w|World War II}} in 1945. This resulted in the inconclusive {{w|Korean War}}.
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28) or 1991+
|
* Yes: 1945+
* No: 1945-
|
* Yes: 1991+ (Go to 69 in the Istanbul Division)
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28) (Go to 23)
|-
! 23
| '''Saint Trimble's Island'''
| Since [[Randall]] just made up this place, it is impossible that a map would include it, probably as a {{w|trap street|cartographer's fingerprint}} indicating plagiarism?
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28)
|
* No: inconclusive
* Yes: impossible
|
* No: 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28) (Go to 24)
* Yes: impossible ('''Stop''')
|-
! 24
| '''Is Jan Mayen part of the kingdom of Norway?'''
| Jurisdiction over the island of {{w|Jan Mayen}} was given to {{w|Norway}} around 1920, and it officially joined in 1930.<br/><br/>'''Note:''' Strictly speaking, it should be almost impossible to answer "Yes" to this question – the Ottoman Empire existed until 1922, the Soviet Union existed from 1922 to 1991, and North Korea from 1945 onwards, so by answering "No" to the previous three questions, the user has ruled out the entire period during which Norway has officially owned Jan Mayen, and almost the entire period it controlled it barring an extremely slim sliver of time between November 1, 1922 to December 28, 1922. The following questions ignore the previous ones (East Germany only existed at the same time as the USSR, and Pakistan was founded later than North Korea, so both should have already been excluded) – essentially, the Jan Mayen question reboots the test.
| 1299- or 1922 (November 1–December 28)
|
* Not yet: prior to 1930
* What?: Not a political map
* Yes: 1930+
|
* Not yet: (Go to 2 in the Constantinople Division)
* What?: (Go to 25)
* Yes: (Go to 53 in the Istanbul Division)
|-
! colspan="6" | Not a Political Map Branch
|-
! 25
| '''Can you see the familiar continents?'''
| At this point, it is clear that the map in question is not a political map from any time. Therefore, the comic tries to determine whether it is a map of the Earth at all by asking if the continents are there.
|
|
* Yes: map of the Earth
* No: not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of the Earth (Go to 26)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 32)
|-
! colspan="6" | Topographical Map / Satellite Image Subbranch
|-
! 26
| '''This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo.'''
| A map of the Earth that does not label political regions must be a topological map; or, it can be a satellite image of the Earth.
| Map of the Earth
|
* Yes, that's it: topographical map or satellite image of the Earth
|
* Yes, that's it: topographical map or satellite image of the Earth (Go to 27)
|-
! 27
| '''Is Lake Chad missing?'''
| {{w|Lake Chad}} lost 75% of its area in the 1970s, becoming too small to be included in a map or picture of the Earth.
| Topographical map or satellite image of the Earth
|
* No: 1970s-
* Yes: 1970s+
|
* No: 1970s- (Go to 28)
* Yes: 1970s+ (Go to 31)
|-
! 28
| '''How far east do the American prairies reach?'''
| As settlers made their way west, the prairie land in the {{w|Great Plains}} region was steadily replaced by farmland and ranches. By the 1920s, most of the land had been converted to agricultural use, and the last of the prairie was largely obliterated by the {{w|Dust Bowl}}s in the 1930s. The dividing lines correspond roughly to the three types of prairie: {{w|tallgrass prairie}} grew between the Mississippi and Indiana, {{w|mixed grass prairie}} covered Nebraska and other states on the {{w|100th meridian west}}, and {{w|shortgrass prairie}} covered the remaining area east of the Rocky Mountains. There's some overlap in the dates, since it's fairly arbitrary at what point you say the prairies stopped existing. There are still patches of prairie (covering about 1% of their former reach), but these are probably not visible in a satellite image.

| 1970s-
|
* Indiana: Before 1830
* The Mississippi: 1830–1880s
* Nebraska: 1860s–1910s
* What prairies?: 1920s+
|
* Indiana: Before 1830 ('''Stop''')
* The Mississippi: 1830–80s ('''Stop''')
* Nebraska: 1860s–1910s (Go to 29)
* What prairies?: 1920s–1970s (Go to 30)
|-
! 29
| '''Is there a big lake in the middle of Southern California? (created by mistake)'''
| This is {{w|Salton Sea}}, a previously dry lake bed accidentally flooded in 1905 while attempting to increase irrigation to the area from the Colorado River
| 1860s–1910s
|
* No: before 1905
* Yes: 1905+
|
* No: 1860s–1900s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1910s ('''Stop''')
|-
! 30
| '''Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (created on purpose)'''
| {{w|Lake Volta}}, formed by the {{w|Akosombo Dam}} which was built in the 1960s
| 1920s–1970s
|
* No: before 1960s
* Yes: 1960s+
|
* No: 1920s–50s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1960s–70s ('''Stop''')
|-
! 31
| '''Is the Aral Sea missing?'''
| Shrinking since the 1930s, the {{w|Aral Sea}} would be too small to be on maps or images of the Earth by the 2000s.
| 1970s+
|
* No: 1990s-
* Yes: 2000s+
|
* No: 1970s-90s ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2000s+ ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Topograpical Map / Satellite Image Subbranch ends''
|-
! colspan="6" | Fictional Map / Non-Map Subbranch
|-
! 32
| '''Rivers "Sirion" or "Anduin"?'''
| The rivers {{w|List of Middle-earth rivers#Sirion|Sirion}} and {{w|Anduin}} are part of {{w|Middle-earth|Middle-earth}}, the fictional setting of J.R.R. Tolkien's ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings}}'' books.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of Middle-earth
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: map of Middle-earth (Go to 33)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 37)
|-
! colspan="6" | Middle-earth Subbranch
|-
! 33
| '''Mordor?'''
| {{w|Mordor}} is the base of operations of {{w|Sauron}}, who settled there c. 1000 in the {{w|Second Age}} (which lasted for 3,441 years).
| Map of Middle-earth
|
* No: S.A. c. 1000-
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000+
|
* No: S.A. c. 1000- (Go to 34)
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000+ (Go to 35)
|-
! 34
| '''Beleriand?'''
| {{w|Beleriand}} was broken in the {{w|War of Wrath}} in the year 583 in the {{w|Years of the Sun}} in the {{w|First Age}}. The First Age itself ran for 450 Valian Years and 590 Years of the Sun, adding up to between 5,023 and 65,390 Years of the Sun, depending on the conversion factor used ({{w|J. R. R. Tolkien}} has given several during the years). Note that Randall has apparently ignored the time before the First Age (4,550 Valian Years).
| S.A. c. 1000-
|
* Yes: Y.S. 583 First Age-
* No: Y.S. 583 First Age+
|
* Yes: Y.S. 583 First Age- (stated in comic as First Age) ('''Stop''')
* No: Y.S. 583 First Age–S.A. c. 1000 (stated in comic as early Second Age) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 35
| '''Númenor?'''
| The island of {{w|Númenor}} was raised from the sea at the start of the Second Age. It sank back into the sea in 3319 in the Second Age, as the formerly flat Earth was made into a globe.
| S.A. c. 1000+
|
* Yes: S.A. 1–3319
* No: First Age- or S.A. 3319+
|
* Yes: S.A. c. 1000–3319 (stated in comic as late Second Age) ('''Stop''')
* No: S.A. 3319+ (Go to 36)
|-
! 36
| '''The forest east of the Misty Mountains is...'''
| The forest {{w|Mirkwood}} was called Greenwood the Great from its discovery by the Elves c. V.Y. 4620 in the First Age to 1050 in the {{w|Third Age}} when the shadow of Sauron fell upon it and it was renamed. It was cleansed on 'March' 28, 3019 in the Third Age (which ran for 3,021 years), after which it is called the Wood of Greenleaves. Note that Randall ignores the Fifth Age and onwards; although Tolkien said that the present day is about the end of the Sixth Age or the beginning of the Seventh, nothing is written about these later Ages.
| S.A. 3319+
|
* Greenwood the Great: c. V.Y. 4620–T.A. 1050
* Mirkwood: T.A. 1050–3019–03–28
* The Wood of Greenleaves: T.A. 3019–03–28+
|
* Greenwood the Great: S.A. 3319–T.A. 1050 (stated in comic as early Third Age) ('''Stop''')
* Mirkwood: T.A. 1050–3019–03–28 (stated in comic as Late Third Age) ('''Stop''')
* The Wood of Greenleaves: T.A. 3019–03–28+ (stated in comic as Fourth Age) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Middle-earth Subbranch ends''
|-
! 37
| '''Cair Paravel?'''
| {{w|Cair Paravel}} is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in ''{{w|The Chronicles of Narnia}}''.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: map of Narnia
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: map of Narnia (Go to 38)
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 42)
|-
! colspan="6" | Narnia Subbranch
|-
| colspan="6" | '''Note:''' This series contains seven books, whose original publication order does not match their chronological order. Specifically, ''The Magician's Nephew'' is earlier than ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', and ''The Horse and His Boy'' is between ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' and ''Prince Caspian''. Questions in this subbranch concern whether the place referenced can be found in the map contained in each book, not in which books' time the place exists. Therefore, places that exist in a book published later but is chronologically earlier than another book will not appear in the latter book, even if canonically they still exist in its time. Here are the seven books in their original publication order, which they will be referred to as.

# ''{{w|The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe}}''
# ''{{w|Prince Caspian}}''
# ''{{w|The Voyage of the Dawn Treader}}''
# ''{{w|The Silver Chair}}''
# ''{{w|The Horse and His Boy}}''
# ''{{w|The Magician's Nephew}}''
# ''{{w|The Last Battle}}''
|-
! 38
| '''Calormen?'''
| {{w|Calormen}} is a foreign empire in ''The Chronicles of Narnia''.  While it was indirectly referenced in the first three books, it was not included in maps until the later books in the series.
| Map of Narnia
|
* No: 3-
* Yes: 4+
|
* No: 3- (Go to 39)
* Yes: 4+ (Go to 41)
|-
! 39
| '''Lotta islands?'''
| Refers to [http://www.charliewstarr.com/_Media/mapdawntreader.gif this map] from ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'', which focused on a ship voyage from Cair Paravel to the eastern edge of the world and back.
| 3-
|
* No: not 3
* Yes: 3
|
* No: 2- (Go to 40)
* Yes: 3 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 40
| '''Beruna'''
| Refers to [http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-54_2TDRUbHY/TpJHzFBzmiI/AAAAAAAALOA/q3RnPSvfdJ0/s1600/IMG.jpg the map] of Narnia originally published in Prince Caspian. During the time of ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'', the people of Beruna crossed the Great River via a ford, but it had been replaced by a bridge at the beginning of ''Prince Caspian''.
| 2-
|
* Ford: 1
* Bridge: 2
|
* Ford: 1 ('''Stop''')
* Bridge: 2 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 41
| '''Weird recursive heaven?'''
| Refers to ''The Last Battle'', where the protagonists find themselves in {{w|Aslan's Country}}, a glorious afterlife of which Narnia (along with Earth and presumably every other world) is only a shadowy reflection.
| 4+
|
* No: 6-
* Yes: 7
|
* No: 4–6 (stated in comic as one of the random later books) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 7 ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | ''Narnia Subbranch ends''
|-
! 42
| '''Mossflower?'''
| A forest from the ''{{w|Redwall}}'' book series. See also the comic [[370: Redwall]] and [[1722: Debugging]] that references the books.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: ''Redwall''
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: ''Redwall'' ('''Stop''')
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 43)
|-
! 43
| '''Is the world on the back of a turtle?'''
| The comic fantasy book series ''{{w|Discworld}}'' is set on the fictional Discworld, a flat disc balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: ''Discworld''
* No: inconclusive
|
* Yes: ''Discworld'' ('''Stop''')
* No: not a map of the Earth (Go to 44)
|-
! 44
| '''Are you ''sure'' this is a map?'''
| After incorrectly guessing several popular fictional world, it is fair to doubt whether the subject being identified here is a map at all.
| Not a map of the Earth
|
* Yes: a map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth
* No: not a map
|
* Yes: a map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth (Go to 45)
* No: not a map (Go to 47)
|-
! 45
| '''Did you make it yourself?'''
| At this point, the map can only be a homemade map of some other fictional world. (Although it might be a published map of another world, such as Pern, Oz or Mars but there isn't enough room for these options.)
| A map ''for sure'', just not of the Earth
|
* Yes: a homemade map
|
* Yes: a homemade map (Go to 46)
|-
! 46
| '''It's very nice.'''
| A stock response to "[It's] Very nice" is "Thanks, I made it myself". Since we have already done the "made it myself" part, we need to do the other parts too, albeit out of sequence.
| A homemade map
|
* Thank you!: something "very nice"
|
* Thank you!: a "very nice" homemade map ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Not a Map Subbranch
|-
! 47
| '''Is it trying to bite you?'''
| Now we are trying to guess something that is not a map. Makes sense to ask if it's something that bites, right? Right?
| Not a map
|
* No: doesn't bite
* Yes: bites
|
* No: doesn't bite and not a map (Go to 48)
* Yes: bites (Go to 49)
|-
! 48
| '''Is it larger than a breadbox?'''
| A typical, generic question asked by Steve Allen on ''{{w|What's My Line?}}'', and is often used when playing {{w|Twenty Questions}}. However, instead of asking further questions to narrow down the choices, the comic just gives a guess for each response. The comic guesses a breadbox itself as something about the same size as a breadbox. 
| Doesn't bite and not a map
|
* Yes: larger than a breadbox
* No: smaller than a breadbox
* About the same: about the same size as a breadbox
|
* Yes: larger than a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a {{w|tuba}}) ('''Stop''')
* No: smaller than a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a {{w|stapler}}) ('''Stop''')
* About the same: about the same size as a breadbox, doesn't bite, and not a map (comic guesses a {{w|breadbox}}) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 49
| '''If you let it go, what does it do?'''
|This assumes that you are holding the biting object. While holding it, the object may have already bitten you, and the consequences of this would most likely be painful. 
| Bites
|
* Hisses and runs away: hisses and runs away if let go
* Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go
|
* Hisses and runs away: bites, and hisses and runs away if let go (comic guesses a {{w|cat}}) ('''Stop''')
* Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: bites, and screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go (comic guesses a {{w|seagull}}) ('''Stop''' (however, see 50))
|-
! 50
| '''Does the screeching chill your blood and herald death?'''
| ''Note: Title text question.'' Likely, if a banshee is being held, or flapping around the room, one would have bigger problems than its identification. Also, heralding of death is a difficult quality to identify.
| Bites, and screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go
|
* Yes: Screeching chills your blood and heralds death
* No: Screeching does not chill your blood and herald death; or does not screech
|
* Yes: bites; screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go; screeching chills your blood and heralds death (title text guesses a {{w|banshee}}) ('''Stop''')
* No: bites; screeches and flaps around the room breaking things if let go; screeching does not chill your blood and herald death (title text guesses a seagull) ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Istanbul Division
|-
! 51
| '''Does the Soviet Union exist?'''
| The {{w|Soviet Union}},  officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, existed from 1922 to 1991. After 1991, the Soviet Union split up into Russia and 15 other post-Soviet states.
|1928+
|
* Yes: 1928–1991 
* No: 1991+
|
* Yes: 1928–1991 (Go to 52)
* No: 1991+ (Go to 69)
|-
! colspan="6" | West Africa branch
|-
! 52
| '''Is most of West Africa a giant French blob?'''
| Before 1960, most of West Africa consisted of a number of French colonies united under {{w|French West Africa}}.
|1928–1991
|
* Yes: 1928–1960 
* No: 1960–1991
|
* Yes: 1928–1960  (Go to 53)
* No: 1960–1991 (Go to 60)
|-
! 53
| '''Pakistan?'''
| {{w|Pakistan}} was officially recognized as its own country in 1947, when {{w|British India}} was granted independence and {{w|Partition of India|partitioned into two nations}}. Pakistan was created at the request of Muslims who wished for a Muslim majority state.
|1928–1960
|
* No: 1928–1947
* Yes: 1947–1960 
|
* No: 1928–1947 (Go to 54)
* Yes: 1948–1960  (Go to 56)
|-
! 54
| '''How many Germanys are there?'''
| During WWII, the {{w|Nazi Party}} invaded a large swath of Europe, which would make {{w|Nazi Germany}} huge on the map during that period. After the war, it split up into two countries — {{w|West Germany}} which was part of {{w|NATO}}, and {{w|East Germany}} which was part of the {{w|Warsaw Pact}}. Note that by modern standards, pre-WWII Germany was also quite huge, since at that point Germany included {{w|Prussia}} which contained much of modern Poland as well as Russian {{w|Kaliningrad}}, and in 1938 Germany took control of Austria in the {{w|Anschluss}} and the {{w|Sudetenland}} in {{w|Czechoslovakia}} following the {{w|Munich Agreement}}. Not all maps produced during WWII used the Nazi borders, since the Allies refused to recognize German occupation and supported the {{w|government-in-exile|governments-in-exile}}.
|1928–1947 
|
* One: 1928–1940 
* One, but it's ''huge'': 1941–1945
* Two: 1946–1947
|
* One: 1928–1940 (Go to 55) 
* One, but it's ''huge'': 1941–1945 ('''Stop''')
* Two: 1946–1947 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 55
| '''Persia or Iran?'''
| In 1935 the {{w|Iran|Iranian}} Government requested that westerners call it by the name its own people had used for hundreds of years, rather than after a tribe within it that gained prominence 2500 years earlier. The interval from 1928 to 1930 is dropped from this branch, but it would fall under {{w|Persia}}.
|1928–1940 
|
* Persia: 1930–1934
* Iran: 1935–1940
|
* Persia: 1930–1934 ('''Stop''')
* Iran: 1935–1940 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 56
| '''Cambodia?'''
| {{w|Cambodia}} (or Kampuchea) declared independence from France in 1953.
|1948–1960 
|
* No: 1948–1953
* Yes: 1953–1960
|
* No: 1948–1953 (Go to 57)
* Yes: 1953–1960 (Go to 59)
|-
! 57
| '''Eritrea is a part of...'''
| {{w|Eritrea}} declared independence from Italy in 1952, joining {{w|Ethiopia}} to create the {{w|Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea}}.
|1947–1953
|
* Italy: 1948–1952
* Ethiopia: 1952–1953
|
* Italy: 1948–1952 (Go to 58)
* Ethiopia: 1952–1953 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 58
| '''Canada is...'''
| In 1949, the {{w|Dominion of Newfoundland}} became a part of {{w|Canada}}. Before that, it was marked as its own country on the map, so maps from 1948 and before would have Canada "missing a piece" on its east coast as compared to how it looks today.
|1947–1952 
|
* Missing a piece: 1948
* Fine: 1949–1952
|
* Missing a piece: 1948 ('''Stop''')
* Fine: 1949–1952 (Go to 63)
|-
! 59
| '''The United Arab Republic?'''
| The {{w|The United Arab Republic}} was a short-lived political union between {{w|Egypt}} and {{w|Syria}}. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961 (although Egypt continued to call itself the United Arab Republic for several years after Syria left the union).
|1953–1960
|
* No: 1953–1958
* Yes: 1958–1960
|
* No: 1953–58 (stated in comic as 1954–57 – a discrepancy) ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 1958–60 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 60
| '''How many Vietnams are there?'''
| On April 30, 1975, forces from {{w|North Vietnam}} captured {{w|Saigon}} (now known as {{w|Ho Chi Minh City}}), and reunified the country, in an event known as {{w|Reunification Day}}, which marked the end of the {{w|Vietnam War}}. Maps before this date would have "North Vietnam" and "{{w|South Vietnam}}" on them rather than a single "{{w|Vietnam}}".
|1960–1991
|
* Two: 1960–1975
* One: 1975–1991
|
* Two: 1960–1975 (Go to 61)
* One: 1975–1991 (Go to 64)
|-
! 61
| '''Bangladesh?'''
| {{w|Bangladesh}} (formerly {{w|East Pakistan}}) declared independence from {{w|Pakistan}} in 1972, as they had different languages, cultures, and the Bengalis felt their country was being run from West Pakistan without their input. The {{w|Bangladesh Liberation War|resulting war}} lasted just over 8 months and ended in Indian intervention.  
|1960–1975
|
* No: 1960–1972
* Yes: 1972–1975
|
* No: 1960–1972 (Go to 62)
* Yes: 1972–1975 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 62
| '''Is the area south of Lake Victoria...'''
| The area south of {{w|Lake Victoria}} was called {{w|Tanganyika}}, and it declared independence from the United Kingdom to form its own country in 1961, and unified with {{w|Zanzibar}} to create {{w|Tanzania}} in 1964.
|1960–1972 
|
* British: 1960–1961
* Tanganyika: 1961–1964
* Tanzania: 1965–1971
|
* British: 1960 ('''Stop''')
* Tanganyika: 1961–1964 ('''Stop''')
* Tanzania: 1965–1972 (stated in comic as 1964–1971 – a discrepancy) ('''Stop''')
|-
! 63
| '''The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is... '''
| {{w|Interstate 25 in New Mexico|I-25}} didn't exist for any of the years listed for this item, since the Interstate Highway System wasn't launched until 1956.  The highway designation on maps printed during the years listed was {{w|U.S. Route 85#New Mexico|US-85}}, and it was first replaced by I-25 in 1970–1990.  The town changed its name from Hot Springs to "{{w|Truth or Consequences, New Mexico|Truth or Consequences}}" in 1950, although locals say that it provides more of the latter than of the former. Initially there was an error as this question was on a path from the British Tanganyika (directly above it) instead of from the "Fine" option of "Canada is.." but this has been fixed.
|1949–1952
|
* Hot Springs: 1916–49
* Truth or Consequences: 1950+
|
* Hot Springs: 1948–49 ('''Stop''')
* Truth or Consequences: 1950–52 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 64
| '''Jimmy Carter is...'''
| On April 20, 1979, {{w|Jimmy Carter}} was "{{w|Jimmy Carter rabbit incident|attacked}}" by a swamp rabbit, a fact referenced in [[204|204: America]]. This fact would not normally be referenced on a map, however, and is simply a joke entry that leads to the next question.
|1975–1991
|
* Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: April 20, 1979
* Fine: 1975–1991
|
* Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: April 20, 1979 ('''Stop''')
* Fine: 1975–1991 (Go to 65)
|-
! 65
| '''The Sinai is part of what country?'''
| In 1979, {{w|Israel}} signed a peace treaty in which it would gradually retreat from the entire {{w|Sinai Peninsula}}, handing that area to {{w|Egypt}}. This happened over a period of three years, completing in 1982.
|1975–1991
|
* Israel: 1976–1979
* Mostly Israel: 1980
* Mostly Egypt: 1981
* Egypt: 1982–1991
|
* Israel: 1976–1979 (missing 1975?) ('''Stop''')
* Mostly Israel: 1980 ('''Stop''')
* Mostly Egypt: 1981 ('''Stop''')
* Egypt: 1982–1991 (Go to 66)
|-
! 66
| '''What's the capital of Micronesia?'''
| The {{w|Federated States of Micronesia}} are a group of small islands in the Pacific Ocean. Their capital was {{w|Kolonia}} until 1989, when it changed to {{w|Palikir}}, on the same island.
|1982–1991
|
* Kolonia: 1982–1988
* Palikir: 1989–1991
|
* Kolonia: 1982–1988 (Go to 67)
* Palikir: 1989–1991 (Go to 68)
|-
! 67
| '''Republic of the Upper Volta or Burkina Faso?'''
| {{w|Burkina Faso}} was named the {{w|Republic of Upper Volta}} until 1984, when the president Thomas Sankara decided to rename it to promote a sense of unity in the nation and in an anti-colonial statement.
|1982–1988
|
* Upper Volta: 1982–1984
* Burkina Faso: 1985–1988
|
* Upper Volta: 1982–1984 ('''Stop''')
* Burkina Faso: 1985–1988 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 68
| '''(Number of Yemens) + (Number of Germanys) = ?'''
| In 1990, two unification events took place: {{w|Yemeni unification}} on May 22, and {{w|German reunification}} on October 3. Before these events, in early 1990, there would have been four Yemens and Germanys total. In mid-1990, when only the Yemeni unification had taken place, there would be one Yemen and two Germanys, for a total of three. and in late 1990, after both events took place, there would be one of each for a total of two.
|1989–1991
|
* Four: 1989–early 1990
* Three: mid-1990
* Two: late 1990–1991
|
* Four: 1989–early 1990 ('''Stop''')
* Three: mid-1990 ('''Stop''')
* Two: late 1990–1991 ('''Stop''')
|-
! colspan="6" | Post-Soviet branch
|-
! 69
| '''Zaire? or: "Hong Kong (UK)"'''
| Zaire was one of a series of names for what is today called the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}. In 1996 a (successful) revolt began to oust the reigning government from power. As part of this revolution, the country was renamed. The original name change away from 'Congo' was part of an 'Africanisation' naming campaign, although 'Congo' is in origin an authentic African name for the river that set the boundaries of the nation.

{{w|Hong Kong}} was taken by the British in 1843 at the end of the {{w|First Opium War}}, and an additional area (the {{w|New Territories}}) were leased from China in 1898 on a 99-year lease. When the lease expired in 1997, {{w|Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong|the whole of Hong Kong was returned to China}}.
|1991+
|
* Yes: 1992–1996
* No: 1996+
|
* Yes: 1992–1996  ('''Stop''')
* No: 1996+ (Go to 70)
|-
! 70
| '''Serbia and Montenegro are...'''
| The Union of {{w|Serbia and Montenegro}} was a remnant of {{w|Yugoslavia}}. {{w|Montenegro}} voted to become its own country in 2006.<br/><br/>'''Note:''' For much of the prior date range, "Serbia and Montenegro" did not appear on maps–the states still went by the name Yugoslavia. {{w|Serbia and Montenegro#State union|Serbia and Montenegro only came into existence in 2003}}.
|1996+
|
* One country: 1996–2006
* Two countries: 2007+
|
* One country: 1996–2006  (Go to 71)
* Two countries: 2007+ (Go to 72)
|-
! 71
| '''East Timor?'''
| {{w|East Timor}} (also known as Timor-Leste) is a nation north of Australia and south east of {{w|Indonesia}}. During the Dutch colonization of Indonesia, East Timor remained in Portuguese hands. While {{w|Indonesian occupation of East Timor|occupied and annexed by Indonesia}} in 1976, East Timor retained its own culture and voted for independence, then had a nasty militia action that required UN peacekeeping action, and finally become independent in 2002.
|1996–2006
|
* No: 1997–2001
* Yes: 2002–2006
|
* No: 1997–2001 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2002–2006 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 72
| '''How many Sudans are there?'''
| In 2011, after a long history of violence between the two portions of the country (which can be characterized as Islam vs. Christianity and traditional religions), {{w|South Sudan}} became independent from {{w|Sudan}}.
|2006+
|
* One: 2007–2011
* Two: 2011+
|
* One: 2007–2011 ('''Stop''')
* Two: 2011+ (Go to 73)
|-
! 73
| '''Is Crimea disputed?'''
| In 2014, a {{w|Euromaidan|revolution}} ousted the current Ukrainian president. {{w|Crimea}} had its own civil unrest, and Russian troops exploited the unrest to launch {{w|Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|an invasion}}. A {{w|2014_Crimean_status_referendum|referendum}} was held on March 16 2014 and ostensibly decided in favor of Russian annexation. Many nations, including all member states of the EU, the USA, and Canada, disputed the democratic legitimacy of the referendum. As a result, depending on where you get your maps, Crimea may be marked as disputed or as part of one or the other countries. [http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/04/12/302337754/google-maps-displays-crimean-border-differently-in-russia-u-s Google Maps Ukraine shows it as solely Ukrainian while Google Maps Russia shows it as Russian].
|2011+
|
* Yes: 2014+
* No: 2012–2013
|
* Yes: 2014+ (Go to 74)
* No: 2012–2013 ('''Stop''')
|-
! 74
| '''"Colorado" or "Danger—Radioactive Exclusion Zone—Avoid"?'''
| This entry and the one below it are now referring to hypothetical future events: specifically, a huge radioactivity event in {{w|Colorado}} that takes place some time in 2022. Colorado houses several important USA defense installations which, in popular culture, become targets for nuclear strikes in the event of an all out war between the USA and Russia (for example over the {{w|political status of Crimea}}). Installations include {{w|Peterson Air Force Base}} and the heavily fortified {{w|Cheyenne Mountain Complex}} housing {{w|NORAD}} command functions. Colorado also has a previous history of radioactive contamination–it was home to uranium mines, nuclear tests (including {{w|Project Rulison}}, an attempt to use nuclear bombs to drill for natural gas that ended up making the gas radioactive) and the controversial {{w|Rocky Flats Plant}}, a nuclear weapons manufacturing facility that suffered {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|several fires and leaks}} and was ultimately raided and shut down by the FBI.   None of these has yet caused spiders to mutate.{{Citation needed}}
|2014+
|
* Colorado: 2014–2021
* Danger: 2022+
|
* Colorado: 2014–2021 ('''Stop''')
* Danger: 2022+ (Go to 75)
|-
! 75
| '''Does the warning mention the spiders?'''
| Presumably some time in 2023, the radioactive exclusion zone also becomes infested with mutant spiders.
|2022+
|
* No: 2022
* Yes: 2023 or later
|
* No: 2022 ('''Stop''')
* Yes: 2023 or later ('''Stop''')
|}

==Transcript==
:[A very complicated flow chart, which can only be read in detail using the larger image now shown at the top of this page. This transcript uses the large version, which is more legible.]

:[At the top of the chart there is a large caption, with a smaller caption below:]
:<big>Guide to figuring out the age of an undated world map</big>
:<small>(Assuming it's complete, labeled in English, and detailed enough)</small>

:[Below the starting bracket in the small caption is a start box. It has rounded corners and it is gray with white text. From this box there is a gray line to a box consisting of a black frame with rounded corners. In these kind of boxes there are questions regarding the map in black text. Below this box there are three gray boxes like the start box, superimposed over the bottom frame. In these boxes are the possible answers to the question in the frame above. From each of these options there is a gray line going to similar black framed boxes with other questions either below, or to either side. There can either be two, three or four gray boxes, two the most common. Only at the very bottom of the central branch where it turns out it was a home made map, are there two frames with only one gray question box each. This trend continues over this entire large image. When reaching the end of a branch in the flow chart, there is no line away from one, more or all of the gray boxes for a black frame. When this happens a year range or a guess at what the map shows, or what it is (if it turns out to not be a map) is written below the gray box in gray text. Of the text in the gray boxes are Yes/No, but not always. There are 74 boxes with black frames with 158 gray boxes and 78 endpoints with text below the gray box and one end point without text below (the one with the home made map).]

:Start
::Istanbul or Constantinople?
:::Constantinople
::::<span id="canada-alaska-tokyo"><u>Do any of these exist</u>? </span>
::::*Independent Canada
::::*US Territory of Alaska
::::*Tokyo
:::::No
::::::The Holy Roman Empire?
:::::::Yes
::::::::1805 or earlier (before this point, the modern idea of a complete political map of the world gets hard to apply.)
:::::::No
::::::::The United States?
:::::::::No
::::::::::How sure are you that this map is in English?
:::::::::Yes
::::::::::Texas is...
:::::::::::Part of Mexico
::::::::::::Florida is part of...
:::::::::::::Spain
::::::::::::::Paraguay?
:::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1806–10</span>
:::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1811–17</span>
:::::::::::::The US
::::::::::::::Venezuela and/or Ecuador?
:::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1818–29</span>
:::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1830–33</span>
:::::::::::Independent <span style="color:gray">1834–45</span>
:::::::::::Part of the US
::::::::::::Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?
:::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::The US's southern border looks...
:::::::::::::::Weird <span style="color:gray">1846–53</span>
:::::::::::::::Normal <span style="color:gray">1854–56</span>
:::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1858–67</span>
:::::Yes
::::::South Africa?
:::::::No
::::::::Rhodesia?
:::::::::No
::::::::::Is Bolivia landlocked?
:::::::::::No
::::::::::::"Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"?
:::::::::::::Buda and Pest <span style="color:gray">1868–72</span>
:::::::::::::Budapest <span style="color:gray">1873–83</span>
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1884–95</span>
:::::::::Yes
::::::::::Is Norway part of Sweden?
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1896–1905</span>
:::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1906–09</span>
:::::::Yes
::::::::Austria-Hungary?
:::::::::Yes
::::::::::Albania?
:::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1910–12</span>
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1913–18</span>
:::::::::No
::::::::::Leningrad?
:::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1919–23</span>
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1924–29</span>
:::Neither
::::Does the Ottoman Empire exist?
:::::Yes <span style="color:gray">[[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]</span>
:::::No
::::::The Soviet Union?
:::::::Yes
::::::::Saudi Arabia?
:::::::::Yes
::::::::::<span id="west-africa-french-blob">Is most of West Africa a giant french blob?</span>
:::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::<span id="pakistan">Pakistan?</span>
:::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::How many Germanys are there?
:::::::::::::::One
::::::::::::::::Persia or Iran?
:::::::::::::::::Persia <span style="color:gray">1930–34</span>
:::::::::::::::::Iran <span style="color:gray">1935–40</span>
:::::::::::::::One, but it's ''huge'' <span style="color:gray">1941–45</span>
:::::::::::::::Two <span style="color:gray">1946–47</span>
:::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::Cambodia?
:::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::Eritrea is part of...
:::::::::::::::::Italy
::::::::::::::::::Canada is...
:::::::::::::::::::Missing a piece <span style="color:gray">1948</span>
:::::::::::::::::::Fine
::::::::::::::::::::The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is...
:::::::::::::::::::::Hot Springs <span style="color:gray">1948-49</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Truth or Consequences <span style="color:gray">1950–52</span>
:::::::::::::::::Ethiopia <span style="color:gray">1952–53</span>
:::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::The United Arab Republic?
:::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1954–57</span>
:::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1958–60</span>
:::::::::::No
::::::::::::How many Vietnams are there?
:::::::::::::Two
::::::::::::::Bangladesh?
:::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::Is the area south of Lake Victoria...
:::::::::::::::::British <span style="color:gray">1960</span>
:::::::::::::::::Tanganyika <span style="color:gray">1961–64</span>
:::::::::::::::::Tanzania <span style="color:gray">1965–71</span>
:::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1972–75</span>
:::::::::::::One
::::::::::::::Jimmy Carter is...
:::::::::::::::Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit <span style="color:gray">April 20, 1979</span>
:::::::::::::::Fine
::::::::::::::::The Sinai is part of what country?
:::::::::::::::::Israel <span style="color:gray">1976–79</span>
:::::::::::::::::Mostly Israel <span style="color:gray">1980</span>
:::::::::::::::::Mostly Egypt <span style="color:gray">1981</span>
:::::::::::::::::Egypt
::::::::::::::::::What's the capital of Micronesia?
:::::::::::::::::::Kolonia
::::::::::::::::::::Republic of the Upper Volta or Burkina Faso?
:::::::::::::::::::::Upper Volta <span style="color:gray">1982–84</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Burkina Faso <span style="color:gray">1985–88</span>
:::::::::::::::::::Palikir
::::::::::::::::::::(number of Yemens) + (number of Germanys) = ?
:::::::::::::::::::::Four <span style="color:gray">1989-early 1990</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Three <span style="color:gray">mid-1990</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Two <span style="color:gray">late 1990–1991</span>
:::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1922–1932</span>
:::::::No
::::::::North Korea?
:::::::::Yes
::::::::::<span id="zaire">Zaire? or: "Hong Kong (UK)"</span>
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1992–96</span>
:::::::::::No
::::::::::::Serbia/Montenegro are...
:::::::::::::One country
::::::::::::::East Timor?
:::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1997–2001</span>
:::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">2002–06</span>
:::::::::::::Two countries
::::::::::::::How many Sudans are there?
:::::::::::::::One <span style="color:gray">2007–11</span>
:::::::::::::::Two
::::::::::::::::Is Crimea disputed?
:::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::"Colorado" or "Danger—Radioactive Exclusion Zone—Avoid"?
:::::::::::::::::::Colorado <span style="color:gray">2014–21</span>
:::::::::::::::::::Danger
::::::::::::::::::::Does the warning mention the spiders?
:::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">2022</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">2023 or later</span>
:::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">2012–13</span>
:::::::::No
::::::::::Saint Trimble's Island
:::::::::::No
::::::::::::Is Jan Mayen part of the Kingdom of Norway?
:::::::::::::Not yet
::::::::::::::[[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]
:::::::::::::What?
::::::::::::::Can you see the familiar continents?
:::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo.
:::::::::::::::::Yes, that's it
::::::::::::::::::Is Lake Chad missing?
:::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::How far east do the American Prairies reach?
:::::::::::::::::::::Indiana <span style="color:gray">before 1830</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::The Mississippi <span style="color:gray">1830s-80s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Nebraska
::::::::::::::::::::::Is there a big lake in the middle of Southern California? (created by mistake)
:::::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1860s-1900s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1910s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::What prairies?
::::::::::::::::::::::Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (created on purpose)
:::::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1920s-50s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">1960s-70s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::Is the Aral Sea missing?
:::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">1970s-90s</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">2000s+</span>
:::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::Rivers "Sirion" or "Anduin"?
:::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::Mordor?
:::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::Beleriand?
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">First Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">Early Second Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::Númenor?
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">Late Second Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::The forest east of the Misty Mountains is...
:::::::::::::::::::::::Greenwood <span style="color:gray">Early Third Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::Mirkwood <span style="color:gray">Late Third Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::The Wood of Greenleaves <span style="color:gray">Fourth Age</span>
:::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::Cair Paravel?
:::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::Calormen?
:::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::Lotta Islands?
:::::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::::Beruna
:::::::::::::::::::::::::Ford <span style="color:gray">The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::::Bridge <span style="color:gray">Prince Caspian</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">Dawn Treader</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::::Weird recursive heaven?
:::::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">One of the random later books</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">The Last Battle</span>
:::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::Mossflower?
:::::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::::Redwall
:::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::Is the world on the back of a turtle?
:::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">Discworld</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::::Are you ''sure'' this is a map?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::Did you make it yourself?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::It's very nice.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Thank you!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::::::Is it trying to bite you?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::No
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Is it larger than a breadbox?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">tuba</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::No <span style="color:gray">stapler</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::About the same <span style="color:gray">breadbox</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::If you let it go, what does it do?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Hisses and runs away <span style="color:gray">cat</span>
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things <span style="color:gray">seagull</span>
:::::::::::::Yes
::::::::::::::[[#pakistan]]
:::::::::::Yes <span style="color:gray">No, I made that one up.</span>
:::Istanbul
::::Does the Soviet Union exist?
:::::Yes
::::::[[#west-africa-french-blob]]
:::::No
::::::[[#zaire]]

==Trivia==
*There are some errors and several discrepancies in the comic regarding how year ranges are given although it appears Randall has been fixing these errors.
**I-25 was built in 1970–1990 through New Mexico; see the [[#Table|table]] above for more info.


{{comic discussion}}
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