Kept 'coendou'? That is the kind: the tree porcupine of Central and South America, with a tail that grips a branch like a hand. Kept 'baby' or 'porcupine'? A porcupette is a baby porcupine, so one tile says both. 'First' carries the 121 years. 'Point Defiance' is the zoo's name, and a name tells you nothing until you know it is a zoo.
This one really happened. Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington, opened in 1905 and had never had a porcupine born there. On 17 August 2026 one arrived, about a pound, bright reddish orange, to parents Nigel and Quillow, prehensile-tailed porcupines paired by a zoo breeding plan. Nobody knows yet whether it is a boy or a girl, so keepers took a few quills for a DNA test. It lives behind the scenes with its parents. When the zoo posted a video of its first check-up, the top comment marvelled at its emotional support log. It is a log.
Every word, accounted for
Tacoma'sWhose zoo. A zoo needs a place, and Tacoma is the one.
PointHalf the zoo's name. A name tells you nothing until you know it is a zoo.
DefianceThe other half. Same problem.
ZooWho did the welcoming.
opened1905's news. A door that opened 121 years ago.
inA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
1905A year. It is what 121 means.
andA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
onA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
17The day. Same birth any day.
AugustThe month. Same birth any month.
2026The year it happened, and every puzzle is this year.
itA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
welcomedWhat happened.
itsA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
firstThe news. First in 121 years, in one tile.
porcupetteThe thing itself. A porcupette is a baby porcupine, so one tile says both.
inA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
121A count, and it is what 'first' means.
yearsGoes with 121.
aA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
baby'Porcupette' already says it.
prehensile-tailedSays which kind of porcupine. The tail that grips a branch.
porcupine'Porcupette' already says it.
calledA little verb that only hands over a name.
aA little word. It only holds the sentence together.
coendouSays which kind. The tree porcupine of South America. First porcupette already carries the news.