CrossClimb #663 Solution Guide: MASKED SINGER

LinkedIn's CrossClimb puzzle challenges players to build word ladders where each step changes only one letter. Here's how to solve puzzle #663, which culminates in the answer MASKED SINGER.

Understanding the Puzzle Structure

This CrossClimb puzzle requires you to find five words using individual clues, arrange them in a ladder formation, then solve a compound question connecting two final words. Each word in the ladder differs by exactly one letter from the previous word.

Step-by-Step Solutions

Hint 1: Gave a job to do

Answer: TASKED

When you assign someone a responsibility or give them work to complete, you've tasked them. This is your starting word for the ladder.

Hint 2: Failed severely, like an unsuccessful movie at the box office

Answer: TANKED

Change the 'S' in TASKED to an 'N' to get TANKED. This word describes a project or venture that failed dramatically, often used when a film performs poorly at the box office.

Hint 3: Big ship to transport oil

Answer: TANKER

Change the final 'D' in TANKED to an 'R' to get TANKER. A tanker is a large vessel specifically designed to transport liquids like oil across oceans.

Hint 4: Attempt a repair, possibly without a clear plan

Answer: TINKER

Change the 'A' in TANKER to an 'I' to get TINKER. To tinker means to fiddle with or attempt to fix something, often implying improvisation rather than professional repair work.

Hint 5: "They fell for it hook, line and ___"

Answer: SINKER

Change the 'T' in TINKER to an 'S' to get SINKER. This completes the common fishing phrase: "hook, line, and sinker," meaning to fall completely for a trick or deception.

The Final Challenge: Compound Question

Question: A two-word phrase for a costumed vocalist on a popular TV show in many countries.

Top Word: MASKED
Bottom Word: SINGER

Change the final 'R' in SINKER to a 'D' to get MASKED. The compound answer is MASKED SINGER, referring to the hit television competition show where performers wear elaborate costumes and masks while singing, with judges attempting to guess their identities.

Key Strategy Tips

• Write out your ladder vertically to visualize how one letter changes between each word
• Focus on the single-letter change rule—this constraint is what makes the puzzle work
• Think about how the final two words relate to the compound clue; they often connect thematically or linguistically
• Work backwards from the compound question if you get stuck—knowing the final words can help you verify your ladder arrangement

This puzzle demonstrates the satisfying logic of word ladders: each step follows naturally from the previous one, building toward a cohesive final answer.