LinkedIn CrossClimb #594 Solution — Step-by-step walk-through to HUMP/BACK

Game: LinkedIn CrossClimb   question_id: 594   published date: December 15, 2025   question name: LinkedIn CrossClimb #594

This post gives a clear, SEO-optimized, step-by-step solution for CrossClimb #594 (LinkedIn). It explains how each hint maps to a 4-letter word, how the words form a one-letter-change ladder, and how the top and bottom answers combine to the final compound clue.

Quick answer

Word ladder: BUMP → BURP → BURN → BARN → BARK

Top answer (final compound top): HUMP

Bottom answer (final compound bottom): BACK

How to solve this CrossClimb step by step

CrossClimb requires two skills: (1) solve every clue to a valid word, and (2) order those words so each successive row changes exactly one letter. We show both here.

Hint 1: “___ into (meet by chance)” → BUMP

“Bump into” is the common phrasal verb meaning "meet by chance." The blank preceding "into" is "bump," which gives the 4-letter word BUMP. This is a direct fill-in that also serves as a candidate ladder word.

Hint 2: “Belch” → BURP

“Burp” is the standard 4-letter synonym for belch. Note how BURP differs from BUMP by one letter (M → R in the third position), making it a perfect adjacent step in the ladder: BUMP → BURP.

Hint 3: “Go up in flames” → BURN

“Burn” is the usual verb meaning to go up in flames. BURP → BURN changes just one letter (P → N in the fourth position), preserving the ladder rule.

Hint 4: “Farm building for cows” → BARN

“Barn” is the 4-letter farm building often used for housing livestock. BURN → BARN changes only one letter (U → A in the second position), so the chain remains valid.

Hint 5: “Sound that a dog makes” → BARK

“Bark” is the common onomatopoeia for a dog’s sound. BARN → BARK changes one letter (N → K in the fourth position), completing the ladder: BUMP → BURP → BURN → BARN → BARK.

Confirming the ladder

Each adjacent pair changes exactly one letter, as required by CrossClimb:

• BUMP → BURP: change M to R
• BURP → BURN: change P to N
• BURN → BARN: change U to A
• BARN → BARK: change N to K

Compound clue: “Compound word for a large baleen whale”

Once the ladder is correct, CrossClimb unlocks the top and bottom rows (the combined clue). The intended compound is formed by choosing a 4-letter top and a 4-letter bottom that make sense together for the final clue. In this puzzle the top answer is HUMP and the bottom answer is BACK, combining as the familiar compound idea humpback (as in humpback whale), which names a large baleen whale.

Why HUMP and BACK?

The final compound clue points to the species name built from two common 4-letter words. HUMP is a single-letter change from BUMP (B → H) and therefore slots into the unlocked top row; BACK is a one-letter change from BARK (R → C) and fits the unlocked bottom row. Together they produce the compound word "humpback," matching the clue for a large baleen whale.

// Ladder context (showing how top/bottom fit)
// middle ladder: BUMP → BURP → BURN → BARN → BARK
// top unlocked replaces BUMP with HUMP (one letter change B→H)
// bottom unlocked replaces BARK with BACK (one letter change R→C)

Solver tips used here (and useful for future CrossClimb puzzles)

• Start by filling every clue with the most common 4-letter synonyms; CrossClimb uses everyday words.
• When multiple clue answers look possible, prioritize words that are one-letter neighbors of at least one other candidate—this often reveals the ladder order.
• Change one letter at a time and track positions (first, second, third, fourth) to verify adjacency quickly.
• Work backward from the compound clue after arranging the middle rows; the top/bottom often differ by just one letter from edge words.

This walkthrough uses the exact ladder and reasoning needed to solve LinkedIn CrossClimb #594. If you practice recognizing common phrasal verbs and short synonyms, assembling future ladders becomes faster and more intuitive.

Keywords: LinkedIn CrossClimb, CrossClimb #594, daily puzzle solution, word ladder, humpback whale, BUMP BURP BURN BARN BARK, HUMP BACK