Keywords: LinkedIn CrossClimb #618, CrossClimb solutions, LinkedIn games, word ladder, daily puzzle answer, published January 8 2026

LinkedIn CrossClimb #618 Solution – January 8, 2026

Today’s LinkedIn CrossClimb #618 takes us from PAINT to GOWNS, with a stylish final combo clue about different kinds of dresses. Below is a clean, step-by-step walkthrough of how to solve it.

Quick overview of the final ladder

Top:    PRINT  ← patterned fabric for dresses
        PAINT
        PAINS
        PAWNS
        DAWNS
        DOWNS
Bottom: GOWNS  ← types of formal dresses

Each word changes exactly one letter from the one above or below it, and every step is a valid English word. Let’s break down each clue and transition.

Hint 1: “Coat you might apply with a brush” → PAINT

The first clue points to something you apply with a brush as a coat on a surface.

• A coat on walls, wood, or canvas is most commonly called a PAINT layer.
• It also fits the five-letter length and uses common CrossClimb vocabulary.

So the first middle word is PAINT.

Hint 2: “A perfectionist may take great ones” → PAINS

The idiom here is “to take great pains,” meaning to make a lot of effort to get something exactly right.

• Change the final letter of PAINT from T to S.

PAINT → PAINS  (T → S)

Both are valid words, and the clue clearly matches PAINS.

Hint 3: “Chess pieces that can capture en passant” → PAWNS

In chess, only pawns can capture en passant, so that must be the next answer.

• Transform PAINS into PAWNS by changing the middle letter.

PAINS → PAWNS  (I → W)

Again, just a single-letter change while preserving word validity.

Hint 4: “Morning times” → DAWNS

“Morning times” refers to dawns, the moments when day is breaking.

• From PAWNS, change the first letter P to D.

PAWNS → DAWNS  (P → D)

So the fourth middle word is DAWNS.

Hint 5: “Companions of Acrosses in a crossword” → DOWNS

In a crossword puzzle, clues and answers are split into Across and Down. The plural form for multiple such entries is DOWNS.

• Change the second letter of DAWNS from A to O.

DAWNS → DOWNS  (A → O)

Now the five middle words are correctly ordered as a one-letter-change ladder:

PAINT → PAINS → PAWNS → DAWNS → DOWNS

Compound clue: two words related to dresses

The final compound clue states:

“Two words related to dresses, one a type of dress made from patterned fabric and the other word describing types of formal dresses.”

You must find a top and bottom word that:

• Each differs by exactly one letter from the nearest ladder word.
• Both connect logically to the dress-related compound clue.

Top word: PRINT

We look above PAINT for a word one letter away that fits the theme.

• Change the second letter from A to R to get PRINT.

PRINT → PAINT  (R → A)

In fashion, a print dress is a dress made from fabric with a printed, often patterned, design. That perfectly matches “a type of dress made from patterned fabric.”

Bottom word: GOWNS

Now, we look below DOWNS for a fashion-related one-letter change.

• Switch the first letter D to G to form GOWNS.

DOWNS → GOWNS  (D → G)

Gowns are a classic category of formal dresses (evening gowns, ball gowns, etc.), which fits “types of formal dresses.”

Full CrossClimb #618 word ladder

PRINT  ← patterned fabric dress (print dress)
PAINT  ← Coat you might apply with a brush
PAINS  ← A perfectionist may take great ones
PAWNS  ← Chess pieces that can capture en passant
DAWNS  ← Morning times
DOWNS  ← Companions of Acrosses in a crossword
GOWNS  ← Types of formal dresses

Strategy takeaways for future LinkedIn CrossClimb games

Using CrossClimb #618 as an example, here are quick tactics you can reuse:

• Lock in clear idioms: Phrases like “take great PAINS” narrow the answer instantly.
• Lean on specific knowledge: Chess terms (pawns/en passant) and crossword jargon (Across/Down) give unambiguous answers.
• Check the one-letter rule: Once all five center answers are known, reorder them so every adjacent pair diverges by exactly one letter.
• Use the theme for the ends: For the combo clue, look for words one letter away from the ladder that both fit the shared topic—in this case, dresses → PRINT and GOWNS.

This completes the solution for LinkedIn CrossClimb #618, published January 8, 2026.