July 16, 2026. Here is the full clue ladder for this puzzle, gentlest first. Each rung is worth fewer points, so open only what you need. The answer stays hidden until you click.
A giant swarm of me once clogged a power plant's pipes and shut down an entire city's electricity.
I have roamed the open oceans for over 500 million years, long before the dinosaurs or the trees.
I have no brain to think with, and I take in food and push out waste through one single opening.
I fire thousands of microscopic, venom-tipped harpoons the instant anything alive brushes against me.
Swimmers give me a wide berth, and I wash up on the sand as a clear, wobbly blob.
9 letters, starts with “J”.