Animals · Puzzle #30 · Thursday, October 29

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

The best board is hidden while some of these items are still in play: they're on a board again within 14 days.

The lineup, figure by figure

Shortfin mako
Streamlined shark that leaps clear of the water
Photo: Fábio Olmos, CC BY 4.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Leopard gecko
Pet lizard that can drop its tail
Photo: George Chernilevsky, Public domain
Leopard gecko is known for its stripes or spots, so its best fit on this board was Stripes or spots, worth 10.0. Its weakest was Heavyweight, worth 0.0: a typical adult weighs 1.2 oz.
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 45 languages (3.0) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Big family
has 2 young at a time (1.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 1.2 oz (3.7) Source: AnAge
Long wait
its young take 55 days to be born or hatch (2.2) Source: AnAge
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 165,475 times in 2025 (1.7) Source: Wikimedia page views
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 1.2 oz (0.0) Source: AnAge
Stripes or spots
is known for its stripes or spots (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Top speed
tops out at 3 mph (0.6) Source: Wikipedia
Monarch butterfly
Orange butterfly that migrates by the millions
Photo: Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), GFDL 1.2
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Golden eagle
Eagle with a golden nape, used in falconry
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Hippopotamus
River grazer with a gaping yawn
Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, CC BY-SA 4.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
African elephant
Trunk, tusks, and ears shaped like a continent
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Polar bear
Bear that hunts seals from the sea ice
Photo: Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.
Ladybug
Red beetle that gardeners love
Photo: Photographer: Dominik Stodulski Graphic Processing: User:MathKnight, CC BY-SA 3.0
Its figures are hidden while it's still in play: it's on a board again within 14 days.