What is LinkedIn Crossclimb?
Crossclimb combines trivia clues with a word ladder. First you solve five clues, each answer a word of the same length. Then you arrange those words in order so that each word differs from the next by exactly one letter, forming a ladder. Once the ladder is complete, the top and bottom rungs unlock, and you solve them with a final clue that ties them together. The mix of skills is what makes it fun: you need general knowledge for the clues, then a bit of pattern spotting to sort the ladder. It takes a few minutes and is part of LinkedIn's free daily set, playable without signing in. It suits people who enjoy crosswords and quizzes, and anyone who used to play word ladder games where you turn one word into another one letter at a time.
How to play
- Solve the clues to find five words of the same length.
- Drag the words into an order where each differs from the next by one letter.
- Unlock the top and bottom rungs and solve the final clue.
Quick facts
- Typical time
- 2–5 min
- Difficulty
- Easy–medium
- Price
- Free.
- Account
- Not needed. Signing in to LinkedIn adds streaks and leaderboards.
- Past puzzles
- No. LinkedIn only offers today's puzzle.
- On a phone
- In the browser, or in the LinkedIn app.
Tips to get better
- Skip what you don't know. You don't have to solve the clues in order. Do the easy ones first and let the ladder help with the rest.
- Let the ladder solve the clues. Every word differs from its neighbour by a single letter. If you have HEAT and MEAL, the word between them is probably MEAT or HEAL. That can crack a clue you'd never get cold.
- Count the squares. All five words are the same length. A clue with several possible answers usually has only one that fits.
- Find the ends of the chain. When you sort the words, look for one that can only sit next to a single other word. It belongs at the top or the bottom.
- Read the last clue as a pair. The top and bottom words are clued together and usually belong together, like two halves of a phrase. Getting one tends to give you the other.
Who it's for
Crossword people who only have three minutes will like Crossclimb. The mix of solving clues and sorting words makes it feel bigger than it is. The clues assume everyday English and some general knowledge, so it's harder for non-native speakers than LinkedIn's logic games. The timer is always running, which not everyone enjoys.
