🪜 Crossclimb
Change one letter at a time to reach the target word. Can you match par?
🎉 You climbed it!
How to Play Crossclimb
Crossclimb is a word ladder. Starting from the top word, build a chain of real four-letter words down to the target word at the bottom:
- Change exactly one letter at each step, keeping the other letters in place.
- Every step must be a real English word.
- You can't use the same word twice.
For example, COLD → CORD → CARD → WARD → WARM. Par is the fewest steps needed. Match par for three stars; any route that reaches the target counts as solved.
Daily puzzle and unlimited mode
The Daily Puzzle is the same for everyone and changes at midnight UTC: par 4 on weekdays and par 5 at the weekend. Solve it each day to build your streak. In Unlimited mode you can play as many easy (par 3), medium (par 4) or hard (par 5 to 6) ladders as you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which words are allowed?
Any real four-letter English word, including plurals and less common words. Names, abbreviations and offensive words are not accepted.
What does the hint do?
A hint adds the next word on a shortest route from your current word to the target. If you've taken a long detour, it finds the best way from where you are now. Hints are counted in your result.
Is there a time limit?
No. A timer shows how long you've taken, but you can take as long as you like and use as many steps as you need.
Who invented word ladders?
Word ladders were popularised by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, who published them as "Doublets" in the 1870s.
Crossclimb Tips & Strategy
- Compare the start and end words letter by letter. Letters that already match should usually stay unchanged.
- Vowels are your friend. Swapping a vowel (CAT to COT) opens up many more real words than swapping a consonant.
- Work backwards from the end word if you get stuck. Ask which words are one letter away from the target.
- Avoid unusual words. Common short words have far more one-letter neighbours, so they keep your options open.
- Use the hint sparingly. Try at least two different first steps before asking for help.
Playing Crossclimb with Your Team
Word ladders are a great warm-up for brainstorming sessions. Show a puzzle on screen and let the team call out the next word together. It gets everyone talking and thinking laterally in a couple of minutes.