Animals · Puzzle #37 · Thursday, November 5

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

House sparrow in Known worldwide: Wikipedia has an article on it in 142 languages (9.5)
Basking shark in Heavyweight: a typical adult weighs 4,850 lb (10.0)
Stick insect in Tiny: a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (9.0)
American alligator in Long life: the oldest on record lived 77 years (10.0)
Blue-footed booby in Top speed: tops out at 60 mph (10.0)
North American beaver in Breath holder: holds its breath 10 minutes or more (10.0)
Gaboon viper in Night owl: is mostly active at night (10.0)
Great white shark in Most looked-up: its Wikipedia article was read 919,315 times in 2025 (9.2)

The most this board could score: 77.7 of 80.

The lineup, figure by figure

House sparrow
Chirpy little bird of streets and cafés
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
House sparrow's best fit on this board was Known worldwide, worth 9.5: Wikipedia has an article on it in 142 languages. Its weakest was Heavyweight, worth 0.0: a typical adult weighs 0.9 oz. That is where the best board puts it as well.
Top speed
tops out at 24 mph (4.8) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 0.9 oz (0.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 0.9 oz (4.2) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
can't hold its breath 10 minutes (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 489,311 times in 2025 (4.9) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 23 years (3.3) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 142 languages (9.5) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Basking shark
Filter-feeds with its mouth gaping open
Photo: Greg Skomal / NOAA Fisheries Service, Public domain
Basking shark's best fit on this board was Heavyweight, worth 10.0: a typical adult weighs 4,850 lb. Its weakest was Tiny, worth 0.0: a typical adult weighs 4,850 lb. That is where the best board puts it as well.
Top speed
tops out at 2 mph (0.4) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 4,850 lb (10.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 4,850 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
breathes water (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 412,404 times in 2025 (4.1) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 32 years (4.6) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 62 languages (4.1) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Stick insect
Insect disguised as a twig
Photo: Fußpunktmaler, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stick insect is mostly active at night, so its best fit on this board was Night owl, worth 10.0. Its weakest was Top speed, worth 0.0, since it tops out at 0.1 mph. The best board puts it in Tiny instead, for 9.0, and gives Night owl to Gaboon viper (10.0).
Top speed
tops out at 0.1 mph (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 0.91 g (9.0) Source: Wikipedia
Breath holder
can't hold its breath 10 minutes (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 197,847 times in 2025 (2.0) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 1 years (0.1) Source: Wikipedia
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 16 languages (1.1) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
American alligator
Broad-snouted reptile of the swamps
Photo: User:Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0
On this board American alligator scored best in Long life (10.0): the oldest on record lived 77 years. Tiny was its weakest fit (0.0): a typical adult weighs 331 lb. The best board puts it there too.
Top speed
tops out at 9 mph (1.8) Source: ask.ifas.ufl.edu
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 331 lb (8.4) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 331 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
holds its breath 10 minutes or more (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 380,698 times in 2025 (3.8) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 77 years (10.0) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 62 languages (4.1) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Blue-footed booby
Seabird that shows off its bright blue feet
Photo: Benjamint444, GFDL 1.2
On this board Blue-footed booby scored best in Top speed (10.0): it tops out at 60 mph. Tiny was its weakest fit (0.0): a typical adult weighs 3.4 lb. The best board puts it there too.
Top speed
tops out at 60 mph (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 3.4 lb (1.8) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 3.4 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
can't hold its breath 10 minutes (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 221,500 times in 2025 (2.2) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 18 years (2.6) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 56 languages (3.7) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
North American beaver
Rodent that builds dams and lodges
Photo: Steve from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
North American beaver holds its breath 10 minutes or more, so its best fit on this board was Breath holder, worth 10.0. Its weakest was Tiny, worth 0.0: a typical adult weighs 45 lb. That is where the best board puts it as well.
Top speed
tops out at 5 mph (1.0) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 45 lb (5.5) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 45 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
holds its breath 10 minutes or more (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 642,281 times in 2025 (6.4) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 23 years (3.3) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 65 languages (4.3) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Gaboon viper
Viper camouflaged like fallen leaves
Photo: Marius Burger, CC0
Gaboon viper is mostly active at night, so its best fit on this board was Night owl, worth 10.0. Its weakest was Tiny, worth 0.0: a typical adult weighs 5.2 lb. That is where the best board puts it as well.
Top speed
tops out at 1 mph (0.2) Source: Wikipedia
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 5.2 lb (2.4) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 5.2 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
can't hold its breath 10 minutes (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 206,630 times in 2025 (2.1) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 18 years (2.6) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 51 languages (3.4) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
is mostly active at night (10.0) Source: Wikipedia
Great white shark
The shark of Jaws, a breacher of seals
Photo: Pterantula (Terry Goss) at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
On this board Great white shark scored best in Heavyweight (10.0): a typical adult weighs 4,123 lb. Tiny was its weakest fit (0.0): a typical adult weighs 4,123 lb. The best board puts it in Most looked-up instead, for 9.2, and gives Heavyweight to Basking shark (10.0).
Top speed
tops out at 15 mph (3.0) Source: en.wikipedia.org
Heavyweight
a typical adult weighs 4,123 lb (10.0) Source: AnAge
Tiny
a typical adult weighs 4,123 lb (0.0) Source: AnAge
Breath holder
breathes water (0.0) Source: Wikipedia
Most looked-up
its Wikipedia article was read 919,315 times in 2025 (9.2) Source: Wikimedia page views
Long life
the oldest on record lived 50 years (7.1) Source: AnAge
Known worldwide
Wikipedia has an article on it in 107 languages (7.1) Source: Wikipedia language editions (Wikidata)
Night owl
isn't mostly active at night (0.0) Source: Wikipedia