CrossClimb #760 clue ladder and compound fix

How CrossClimb #760 works

This puzzle is a word ladder: each answer changes by exactly one letter from the previous word, and the final compound clue closes the loop with a familiar two-word phrase.

Step 1: Move like a moth

The starting word is FLIT, which means to dart or flutter quickly, like a moth.

Step 2: ___ accompli

To get from FLIT to FAIT, the swapped letter is L → A. The clue points to the French phrase fait accompli, meaning something already done.

Step 3: Verifiable piece of information

To move from FAIT to FACT, the swapped letter is I → C. That fits the clue exactly, since a fact is something that can be checked or verified.

Step 4: Turn to look directly at someone

To move from FACT to FACE, the swapped letter is T → E. “Face” works as a verb here: to turn toward someone or something directly.

Step 5: Predetermined outcome

To move from FACE to FATE, the swapped letter is C → T. The clue points to something already decided or destined.

Why the final compound clue resolves cleanly

The last prompt asks for a two-word phrase meaning a fixed charge, especially for shipping. That phrase is FLAT RATE. The puzzle’s hint that the first word may be on the bottom is a layout cue, not a new definition, and it reminds you to combine the pair in the right order even if the grid placement feels reversed.

The full climb

FLIT → FAIT → FACT → FACE → FATE

Each rung changes just one letter, and the final compound answer ties the ladder together by ending with a common phrase that fits the “fixed charge” clue exactly.