LinkedIn Crossclimb #774

LinkedIn Crossclimb #774 is the LinkedIn Crossclimb daily for June 13, 2026. Crossclimb is LinkedIn's word-ladder game: solve 5 middle crossword clues, order the rungs so adjacent words differ by one letter, then unlock the top and bottom combo words. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Hard. Estimated solve time: 6–10 min. Read the explainer sections below for strategy, or jump straight into play.

The complete word ladder from DRAW to LOTS:

DRAW → DRAT → BRAT → BOAT → BOAS → BOTS → LOTS

Top and bottom share the combo clue: “A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly”

1. Middle 1Sample 1

   BRAT

   Misbehaving child

   Clue insight

   Sample 1: Misbehaving child = BRAT

   Solving note

   A plausible wrong answer often differs in length or cannot one-letter-link to other middles — verify before reordering.

2. Middle 2Sample 2

   BOTS

   Programs that might be used to chat

   Clue insight

   Sample 2: Programs that might be used to chat = BOTS

   Solving note

   A plausible wrong answer often differs in length or cannot one-letter-link to other middles — verify before reordering.

3. Middle 3Sample 3

   BOAT

   Vessel with life vests

   Clue insight

   Sample 3: Vessel with life vests = BOAT

   Solving note

   A plausible wrong answer often differs in length or cannot one-letter-link to other middles — verify before reordering.

4. Middle 4Sample 4

   BOAS

   Large, slithery hunters that constrict their prey

   Clue insight

   Sample 4: Large, slithery hunters that constrict their prey = BOAS

   Solving note

   A plausible wrong answer often differs in length or cannot one-letter-link to other middles — verify before reordering.

5. Middle 5Sample 5

   DRAT

   Phooey!

   Clue insight

   Sample 5: Phooey! = DRAT

   Solving note

   A plausible wrong answer often differs in length or cannot one-letter-link to other middles — verify before reordering.

1. DRAW → DRATStep 1

   W→T at the fourth letter (DRAW → DRAT)

   Transition 1 W→T at the fourth letter (DRAW → DRAT)

   Combo boundary transition.

2. DRAT → BRATStep 2

   D→B at the first letter (DRAT → BRAT)

   Transition 2 D→B at the first letter (DRAT → BRAT)

   Interior ladder transition.

3. BRAT → BOATStep 3

   R→O at the second letter (BRAT → BOAT)

   Transition 3 R→O at the second letter (BRAT → BOAT)

   Interior ladder transition.

4. BOAT → BOASStep 4

   T→S at the fourth letter (BOAT → BOAS)

   Transition 4 T→S at the fourth letter (BOAT → BOAS)

   Interior ladder transition.

5. BOAS → BOTSStep 5

   A→T at the third letter (BOAS → BOTS)

   Transition 5 A→T at the third letter (BOAS → BOTS)

   Interior ladder transition.

6. BOTS → LOTSStep 6

   B→L at the first letter (BOTS → LOTS)

   Transition 6 B→L at the first letter (BOTS → LOTS)

   Combo boundary transition.

Optimal order: DRAT → BRAT → BOAT → BOAS → BOTS. 1 valid permutation(s) from 5 middles. Unique ordering.

Combo classification: "A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly" → endpoints DRAW, LOTS.

The combo clue "A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly" describes both end words together — "DRAW" and "LOTS" each differ by one letter from their adjacent middle rungs and satisfy the shared top+bottom prompt.

Phase 1: Solve the 5 middle crossword clues to unlock BRAT, BOTS, BOAT, BOAS, DRAT. Middle 1: "Misbehaving child" → BRAT. "Misbehaving child" resolves to "BRAT" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 2: "Programs that might be used to chat" → BOTS. "Programs that might be used to chat" resolves to "BOTS" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 3: "Vessel with life vests" → BOAT. "Vessel with life vests" resolves to "BOAT" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 4: "Large, slithery hunters that constrict their prey" → BOAS. "Large, slithery hunters that constrict their prey" resolves to "BOAS" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 5: "Phooey!" → DRAT. "Phooey!" resolves to "DRAT" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Phase 2: Order the middle rungs so adjacent words differ by one letter — valid chain: DRAT → BRAT → BOAT → BOAS → BOTS. Ladder step: W→T at the fourth letter (DRAW → DRAT) (connects to a combo end). Ladder step: D→B at the first letter (DRAT → BRAT). Ladder step: R→O at the second letter (BRAT → BOAT). Ladder step: T→S at the fourth letter (BOAT → BOAS). Ladder step: A→T at the third letter (BOAS → BOTS). Ladder step: B→L at the first letter (BOTS → LOTS) (connects to a combo end). Phase 3: Unlock combo ends — top "DRAW" and bottom "LOTS" share the clue: A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly.

Only one middle permutation forms a valid ladder from top to bottom — if ordering feels stuck, recheck a middle answer.

This Crossclimb is a 4-letter word ladder from DRAW to LOTS. The top and bottom rows share one combo clue: A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly. The solution path is DRAW → DRAT → BRAT → BOAT → BOAS → BOTS → LOTS, changing exactly one letter between each rung. Middle clues include Misbehaving child, Programs that might be used to chat, and Vessel with life vests, and others — solve these before reordering. Correct middle order: DRAT → BRAT → BOAT → BOAS → BOTS. The combo clue "A two word phrase for how you might determine things randomly" describes both end words together — "DRAW" and "LOTS" each differ by one letter from their adjacent middle rungs and satisfy the shared top+bottom prompt. Only one middle permutation forms a valid ladder from top to bottom — if ordering feels stuck, recheck a middle answer. Use the Solution tab above for a three-phase walkthrough (middles → order → combo ends), or the Solved board tab for the complete ladder at a glance.