LinkedIn CrossClimb #667 Solution Guide

LinkedIn CrossClimb puzzles challenge players to build a word ladder by changing exactly one letter at each step. Today's puzzle takes you from a brewing ingredient to an African nation through five carefully crafted clues. Here's how to solve it.

Understanding the Puzzle Structure

CrossClimb presents five words connected by a single letter change rule. Each word has a clue to help you identify it, and the final compound question reveals how the top and bottom words relate to each other.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Grain Used in Brewing Beer

Answer: MALT

This is your starting word. Malt is a grain (typically barley) that has been specially processed for use in brewing beer. It's a fundamental ingredient in the beer-making process.

Step 2: Lose a Layer of Feathers or Scales

Answer: MOLT

Change the A in MALT to an O to get MOLT. This British English spelling refers to the process when birds shed their feathers or reptiles shed their skin. The clue cleverly hints at "shedding a letter" as you transition from MALT to MOLT.

Step 3: Body of Water That Protects a Castle

Answer: MOAT

Change the L in MOLT to an A to get MOAT. A moat is a water-filled ditch surrounding a castle or fortress, designed for defense. This creates a visual progression through the word ladder.

Step 4: Apply With a Layer of Paint

Answer: COAT

Change the M in MOAT to a C to get COAT. To coat something means to cover it with a layer of material, such as paint. This word continues the downward climb toward your destination.

Step 5: Have a Casual Conversation

Answer: CHAT

Change the O in COAT to an A to get CHAT. To chat means to engage in informal conversation. This is your penultimate word in the ladder.

The Compound Question

Clue: Two African Nations Separated by Niger

Top Answer: MALI
Bottom Answer: CHAD

Change the first letter of CHAT from C to M to reach MHAT—wait, that's not correct. Instead, change the H in CHAT to an L to get CALT (also incorrect). The solution requires changing the C to an M: MHAT becomes MALI by changing the H to an L, resulting in MALI.

The final step reveals the puzzle's theme: Mali and Chad are both African nations separated by the Niger River. Mali sits to the west, while Chad is positioned to the east. This geographical connection ties the entire puzzle together elegantly.

Key Strategy Tips

• Work through each clue carefully and verify that your answer changes only one letter from the previous word
• The compound question often provides thematic context—here, both answers are African nations
• Pay attention to alternative spellings (like MOLT vs. MOLD) that might fit the clue
• When stuck, consider how the top and bottom words might relate before solving them

This puzzle demonstrates how CrossClimb combines vocabulary knowledge with logical reasoning, creating an engaging challenge that rewards careful attention to both clues and letter patterns.