LinkedIn CrossClimb #569 Solution - Master the Word Ladder Puzzle of November 20, 2025

Welcome to the detailed solution for LinkedIn CrossClimb #569, published on November 20, 2025. CrossClimb is a popular word ladder puzzle on LinkedIn where your goal is to climb from a starting word to a target word by changing exactly one letter at every step. Each intermediate word fits a clue and the final challenge blends these clues to reveal a two-word answer. This walkthrough will help you logically reason through each clue and understand why each answer fits.

How to Play CrossClimb

Each step in the ladder requires a word of the same length differing by only one letter from the previous word. Clues guide you to pick the right word, which then helps with the next. Once the middle ladder is solved, a compound final clue points to two words completing the puzzle.

Step-by-Step Explanation of Each Clue

1. Bird that quacks
   Answer: DUCK
   This is a straightforward clue. The common bird known for quacking is a duck. It sets our starting point.
2. ___ in (make snug at bedtime)
   Answer: TUCK
   The phrase "tuck in" means to make snug or secure, often used when placing someone into bed. Tucking differs from duck by changing the first letter from D to T.
3. Pointy thing stuck in a bulletin board, sometimes preceded by the word thumb
   Answer: TACK
   A tack is a small, sharp pin used on bulletin boards, and "thumb tack" is a common term. Comparing to "tuck," changing the last letter from U to A results in "tack." This maintains the one-letter difference rule.
4. Communicate using spoken words
   Answer: TALK
   To "talk" means to communicate verbally. Changing one letter from TACK—the middle letter 'C' to 'L'—yields TALK.
5.  A ___ of Two Cities (Dickens novel)
   Answer: TALE
   The novel title is "A Tale of Two Cities." From TALK, change the last letter 'K' to 'E' to form TALE.

Compound Question: Final Two-Word Answer

The puzzle’s final clue is: Two-word roll of sticky stuff used to seal ventilation leaks and for a variety of other tasks. This points to a common household item:

• DUCT — linked to ventilation ducts
• TAPE — sticky material in roll form

The answer is DUCT TAPE, a tough, sticky tape widely used for sealing, fixing, and insulating.

Summary of Word Ladder Changes

DUCK
TUCK  (D ➜ T)
TACK  (U ➜ A)
TALK  (C ➜ L)
TALE  (K ➜ E)

Top answer: DUCT
Bottom answer: TAPE

This puzzle elegantly demonstrates the key CrossClimb skill: carefully changing exactly one letter while matching the clue and word length. Starting with an easy clue and building on each solution narrows down possibilities for the next step, creating a smooth logical ascent to the final answer.

Try to identify the simplest clues first in any CrossClimb puzzle, then use the one-letter difference constraint to guide your guesses. The compound final question often hints at a well-known phrase or term related to the middle ladder words, as seen with DUCT TAPE here.

Enjoyed this explanation? Bookmark for daily LinkedIn CrossClimb solutions to sharpen your word puzzle skills and improve your logical reasoning!