Animals · Puzzle #2 · Thursday, October 1

Animals: the board

Eight items, eight categories, one place each. Here is the board with every figure and where it comes from, and the best way to place them. Play today's Animals.

The best board

European hedgehog in Night owl: is mostly active at night (10.0)
Narwhal in Heavyweight: a typical adult weighs 2,756 lb (10.0)
Moose in Known worldwide: Wikipedia has an article on it in 130 languages (8.7)
Galápagos tortoise in Long life: the oldest on record lived 177 years (10.0)
Capybara in Most looked-up: its Wikipedia article was read 2.16 million times in 2025 (10.0)
Canada goose in Top speed: tops out at 50 mph (10.0)
Giant Pacific octopus in Venomous: is venomous (10.0)
American cockroach in Tiny: a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (9.0)

The most this board could score: 77.7 of 80.

The lineup, figure by figure

European hedgehog
Rolls into a spiky ball when frightened
Photo: Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 631,370 times in 2025 (6.3) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 6 mph (1.2) Source: Wikipedia
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 12 years (1.7) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 1.7 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 1.7 lb (0.7) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 83 languages (5.5) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Narwhal
"Unicorn of the sea," with a spiral tusk
Photo: пресс-служба ПАО "Газпром нефть", CC BY-SA 4.0
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 728,786 times in 2025 (7.3) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 13 mph (2.6) Source: Wikipedia
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 50 years (7.1) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 2,756 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 2,756 lb (10.0) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 87 languages (5.8) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Moose
Deer with broad, shovel-shaped antlers
Photo: Paxson Woelber, CC BY-SA 4.0
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 877,400 times in 2025 (8.8) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 35 mph (7.0) Source: animaldiversity.org
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 22 years (3.1) Source: animaldiversity.org
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 851 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 851 lb (9.7) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 130 languages (8.7) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Galápagos tortoise
Tortoise of the islands that inspired Darwin
Photo: Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 283,350 times in 2025 (2.8) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 0.2 mph (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 177 years (10.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 386 lb (0.0) Source: animaldiversity.org
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 386 lb (8.6) Source: animaldiversity.org
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 35 languages (2.3) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Capybara
The famously chill rodent, friends with everyone
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 2.16 million times in 2025 (10.0) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 22 mph (4.4) Source: sydneyzoo.com
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 15 years (2.2) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 121 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 121 lb (6.9) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 105 languages (7.0) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Canada goose
Goose that honks in V formations
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 427,028 times in 2025 (4.3) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 50 mph (10.0) Source: in.gov
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 42 years (6.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 7.1 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 7.1 lb (2.8) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 81 languages (5.4) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Giant Pacific octopus
Octopus that can open jars and escape tanks
Photo: NOAA/R. N. Lea [1], Public domain
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 196,017 times in 2025 (2.0) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 25 mph (5.0) Source: guinnessworldrecords.com
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
is venomous (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 5 years (0.7) Source: Wikipedia
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 33 lb (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 33 lb (5.0) Source: Wikipedia
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 34 languages (2.3) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
American cockroach
Scuttling pest that survives almost anything
Photo: Gary Alpert, CC BY 2.5
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 541,432 times in 2025 (5.4) Source: Wikimedia page views
Top speed
tops out at 3.4 mph (0.7) Source: Wikipedia
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Venomous
isn't venomous (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Long life
the oldest on record lived 1.5 years (0.2) Source: Wikipedia
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (9.0) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 35 languages (2.3) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)