An Australian Millipede Holds The Record For The Most In The Animal Kingdom, At 1,306 Crossword Clue

By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: May 01, 2025

Looking for the answer to the crossword clue about an Australian millipede's record-breaking 1,306 features from the May 01, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've found the correct 4-letter solution. To enhance your puzzle-solving experience, we provide several interactive options: you can uncover the answer gradually with our letter-by-letter reveal feature, or explore our carefully selected hints—including related word patterns, similar clues with the same answer, or comprehensive explanations to guide your thinking. We've also simplified navigation between related clues from the same puzzle. Ready to discover what the Australian millipede has in record numbers? Let's solve this biological curiosity together!

Crossword Answer:

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About This Clue

The May 1, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "An Australian millipede holds the record for the most in the animal kingdom, at 1,306" with the answer LEGS. This clue refers to the Eumillipes persephone, a millipede discovered in 2021 in the mining regions of Western Australia that became famous for having the highest number of legs ever recorded in an animal—1,306 legs in total, far surpassing previous records. The name of this remarkable creature tells part of its story: "Eu" (true), "milli" (thousand), "pes" (foot), and "persephone" (the Greek goddess of the underworld), referencing both its many legs and its subterranean habitat.

Context for "Legs"

Millipedes, whose name literally means "thousand feet," are arthropods known for having numerous legs, though most species actually have far fewer than a thousand. These segmented creatures belong to the class Diplopoda and are characterized by having two pairs of legs per body segment (unlike centipedes, which have one pair per segment). The discovery of Eumillipes persephone was significant in the scientific community because it was the first millipede found that actually lived up to the "thousand legs" name. Before this discovery, the record holder was a California millipede species with 750 legs. E. persephone shattered this record with its impressive 1,306 legs. This pale, thread-like creature measures about 3.5 inches long but is exceptionally thin—less than 1 millimeter in width. It has no eyes and a cone-shaped head with antennae and a beak used for feeding. Scientists believe the large number of legs provides exceptional pushing power, allowing the millipede to move through narrow openings in its underground habitat, which extends as deep as 200 feet below the surface. The term "legs" in this context refers to the jointed appendages that arthropods use for locomotion. In millipedes, these legs are arranged in pairs along the length of the body, with each body segment typically containing two pairs. The extraordinary number of legs in E. persephone is due to its unusually high number of body segments—330 in total.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When tackling clues like "An Australian millipede holds the record for the most in the animal kingdom, at 1,306" in the NYT Mini Crossword, look for what might be counted in such large numbers for an animal. The phrasing "the most in the animal kingdom" indicates a biological record of some kind, and the specific number (1,306) is the key to identifying what's being counted. For trivia-based clues like this one, the crossword is testing general knowledge or interesting facts rather than wordplay. When you see a clue with a specific number, especially an unusually large one, it's often referring to countable features of an organism—such as legs, teeth, vertebrae, or other anatomical structures. With millipedes being mentioned, and knowing that these creatures are famous for their numerous legs, the answer becomes clearer. The four-letter constraint narrows it down further, making LEGS the logical answer. This type of clue demonstrates how NYT Mini Crosswords often incorporate recent scientific discoveries or interesting natural world facts. Staying current with notable scientific news can help when solving these types of clues. The discovery of this record-breaking millipede made headlines in scientific publications and mainstream media when it was announced in 2021, making it fair game for a crossword puzzle.

Related Crossword Answers

More Clues & Answers For The New York Times Mini (May 1, 2025)

ACROSS

• 1. Question that looks like today's date
• 5. Marvel's "The Avengers," e.g.
• 6. Bring to mind
• 7. Like notebook paper
• 8. An Australian millipede holds the record for the most in the animal kingdom, at 1,306

DOWN

• 1. Marvel's "The Avengers," e.g.
• 2. Surrounded by
• 3. "That is not good!"
• 4. Like some coffee orders
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