Title text:
The arbiter gave my knight a red card for capturing with cleats up :(
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3268/
this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2026
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(patiently waiting for explainxkcd)
It’s a football (or soccer, if you’re so inclined) reference.
Overly simplified, the attacking side needs to have one other player besides the opposing goalkeeper in front of the ball to not risk being called off-side.
There is a lot more nuance to the rule, and even I don’t fully understand it 100%, but for the sake of this joke it should suffice.
Now try and explain it to the wife using salt and pepper shakers
The official rule is that you are offside if you are closer to the goal line than both the ball and second-to-last defender when the ball is passed by your own team. It is only a violation if you then make a play toward the ball after being offside. If the other team makes an intentional play on the ball before you do, then you are no longer offside.
Side is off.