Stumped on the January 1 Animal Crossword Clue?

As a detective, my first instinct is to break down the clue and carefully analyze each piece of information. The key word in the clue is “birthday,” which immediately made me think of New Year’s Day, as that is the day the year changes over and begins anew. I then brainstormed different types of animals that might have a connection with New Year’s Day, and my thoughts settled on racehorses.

Racehorses are a unique breed of animal that are typically born at the same time of year, specifically in the spring or early summer so that they turn two years old on January 1st. This means that all racehorses have the same “birthday” and start their careers at the same time of year. Furthermore, January 1st marks the beginning of the racing season, and racehorses that are born in the same year compete with each other throughout their careers.

Overall, my thought process and insights led me to believe that racehorses fit the crossword clue perfectly and were the ideal answer. I felt confident in my deduction, and after verifying my answer, I was pleased to discover that I had successfully solved the mystery.