Archive puzzle
Doctordle #126
Jaw stiffness after a dirty puncture wound
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Sourced case summary
Open the full case notes after playing. The text is also rendered in the page HTML so search engines can understand the archived puzzle.
Case summary
This archived Doctordle case was published on 2026-08-04. It presents "Jaw stiffness after a dirty puncture wound" as a Medium Infectious Disease puzzle. The final answer is Tetanus.
Answer
Tetanus
Source
Topic pages verified on 2026-07-11
Information summarized from MedlinePlus.gov. MedlinePlus does not endorse Doctordle.
Six clues
Clue 1
A gardener steps on a dirty nail.
Clue 2
Days later, jaw stiffness appears in this fictional case.
Clue 3
Muscle spasms become a major concern.
Clue 4
The nickname is lockjaw.
Clue 5
Vaccination status is an important prevention clue.
Clue 6
The answer is the toxin-related infection feared after contaminated wounds.
Plain-language explanation
Tetanus is a serious bacterial toxin illness that can cause jaw stiffness and muscle spasms. The clue set uses puncture wound context and the lockjaw nickname.
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