Talk of Arctic sea ice extent

For the life of me I cannot understand how this...

Can be translated into this.

It just doesn't make sense.

If we have two puddles the same size covered in ice - one with ice that is less than a inch thick and in the process of changing from ice into water  - the other with ice that is thick and solid: are they they the same?

The official data and the way it is interpreted seems to think so.

Rain for the North Pole

 

I am trying to stay away from speculation like the following.

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/2020/08/mosaic-climate-expedition-shares-scary-photos-north-pole