xkcd #3114: Building a Fire

Title text:

That was quicker than usual! The cabin's sprinkler system often makes it really hard to keep anything lit.

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3114/

explainxkcd for #3114

That was quicker than usual! The cabin's sprinkler system often makes it really hard to keep anything lit.
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[+] -34 points 1 year ago* (11 children)

As per usual, Randall keeps going after the punchline was already delivered, ruining the comic. It would be better if there was no text in the final panel.

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  • [–] 19 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I feel like the last panel especially builds on the joke by continuing to divert expectations. It goes from humorously building too accurate of a log cabin, to coming back around to accidentally/on purpose starting a fire, thus completing the initial request.

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  • [+] -6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    The cabin is already on fire in panel 4. It is clear what happened. Then the words explain the joke.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago*

    It’s a typical instruction delivery speech structure:

    1. Okay, let me tell you how to ____

    2-n.

    n. And that’s how you ____

    (Optional) n+1. Any questions?

    Hence the text in panel 4 completes the pattern.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    It didn't understand the 4th panel as an explanation of the joke but just an emphasis on how absurd it is that the character planned all along that his installation will be wrong.

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