CrossClimb #907: The One-Letter Ladder

The Climb at a Glance

CrossClimb #907 is a clean, tactical ladder: every neighboring answer differs by exactly one letter. The clues are straightforward, but the real challenge is arranging them so each transformation remains valid.

The completed route is:

MENU → MEND → BEND → BOND → BOLD → FOLD → FOOD

Step-by-Step Solution

1. On the ___: MEND

The phrase “on the mend” describes someone recovering from an injury or illness. This gives MEND, the bridge between the opening endpoint and the next clue answer.

2. Make curved or angled, as a straight object: BEND

Change the first letter of MEND, from M to B. That produces BEND, meaning to make something curved or angled.

3. Join together permanently: BOND

Now swap the third letter of BEND, changing E to O. The result is BOND, a verb meaning to join together permanently.

4. Word-processing option that makes the letters thicker: BOLD

Swap the final letter of BOND, changing N to L. The new word is BOLD, the familiar formatting option that thickens text.

5. Verb often seen in origami instructions: FOLD

Change the first letter of BOLD, from B to F. This yields FOLD, the key action in origami instructions.

The Final Compound Clue

The endpoints are MENU and FOOD. A menu is something read at a restaurant, while food is what a diner chooses from it.

The final pair ties the entire puzzle together by giving the ladder a natural start and finish. The internal answers form a tight chain of one-letter edits, while the endpoints create a clear restaurant relationship: a menu presents the food.

The Aha! Moment

The key is to stop treating the clue answers as an unordered list. Once MEND, BEND, BOND, BOLD, and FOLD are identified, their shared structure exposes the route. Each move preserves three letters and changes one precise position, producing a smooth climb from the restaurant object to the restaurant choice.