The New Yorker is known for its rigorous fact-checking. Every quote, every detail, every attribution, every everything is checked for accuracy. What’s less well known is that this process extends to the cartoons.

In the interest of accuracy, let me state that the process is less grueling when it comes to cartoons. It has to be, to permit wise-cracking animals and plants.

But fact-checking is a factor. Leo Cullum had to modify the following cartoon, not because dogs don’t wear suits, but because the buttons were on the wrong side of his suit.

And this cartoon of Jack Ziegler’s was never published

because, I-95 does not, in fact, separate New York from Connecticut.

But sometimes the issue is not so clear-cut:

This Mischa Richter cartoon was flagged by fact-checking. There are nine justices on the Supreme Court, but only eight columns on the building where they sit.

It’s impossible to be accurate on both counts. In this case, we decided, by a 5-4 ruling, to let the funny trump the strictly factual.

All in all, the cartoon department is grateful for the unflagging vigilance of fact-checking, and the cartoon editor, always respectful, never says, “Oh, puh-leeze! It’s a cartoon!” Wants to, sometimes, but never does.

But we’re also grateful that eighty years ago, nothing got in the way of this iconic Thurber cartoon:

“Touché” is used to acknowledge a hit in fencing by the opponent, so the guy who has just been beheaded should be saying it. Thurber’s cartoon would still work that way—but it wouldn’t be as funny.