LinkedIn Crossclimb #781

LinkedIn Crossclimb #781 is the LinkedIn Crossclimb daily for June 20, 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: Medium. Estimated solve time: 4–6 min. Read the explainer sections below for strategy, or jump straight into play.

The complete word ladder from MASK to PUCK:

MASK → TASK → TACK → LACK → LICK → PICK → PUCK

Top and bottom share the combo clue: “Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block.”

1. Middle 1First middle

   TASK

   Element of a project that must be completed

   Clue insight

   I read "Element of a project that must be completed" and write TASK. "Element of a project that must be completed" resolves to "TASK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer.

   Solving note

   First middle: Lock this before reordering middles.

2. Middle 2Second middle

   TACK

   Affix to the wall with a small pin

   Clue insight

   I read "Affix to the wall with a small pin" and write TACK. "Affix to the wall with a small pin" resolves to "TACK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer.

   Solving note

   Second middle: Lock this before reordering middles.

3. Middle 3Third middle

   LACK

   Complete absence, as of a quality

   Clue insight

   I read "Complete absence, as of a quality" and write LACK. "Complete absence, as of a quality" resolves to "LACK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer.

   Solving note

   Third middle: Lock this before reordering middles.

4. Middle 4Fourth middle

   LICK

   Small taste of an ice cream cone

   Clue insight

   I read "Small taste of an ice cream cone" and write LICK. "Small taste of an ice cream cone" resolves to "LICK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer.

   Solving note

   Fourth middle: Lock this before reordering middles.

5. Middle 5Fifth middle

   PICK

   Choose among options

   Clue insight

   I read "Choose among options" and write PICK. "Choose among options" resolves to "PICK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer.

   Solving note

   Fifth middle: Lock this before reordering middles.

1. MASK → TASKStep 1

   M→T at the first letter (MASK → TASK)

   I check MASK → TASK: M→T at the first letter (MASK → TASK).

   First link: Consonant swap — keep the chain tight.

2. TASK → TACKStep 2

   S→C at the third letter (TASK → TACK)

   I check TASK → TACK: S→C at the third letter (TASK → TACK).

   Second link: Consonant swap — keep the chain tight.

3. TACK → LACKStep 3

   T→L at the first letter (TACK → LACK)

   I check TACK → LACK: T→L at the first letter (TACK → LACK).

   Third link: Consonant swap — keep the chain tight.

4. LACK → LICKStep 4

   A→I at the second letter (LACK → LICK)

   I check LACK → LICK: A→I at the second letter (LACK → LICK).

   Fourth link: Vowel swap — keep the chain tight.

5. LICK → PICKStep 5

   L→P at the first letter (LICK → PICK)

   I check LICK → PICK: L→P at the first letter (LICK → PICK).

   Fifth link: Consonant swap — keep the chain tight.

6. PICK → PUCKStep 6

   I→U at the second letter (PICK → PUCK)

   I check PICK → PUCK: I→U at the second letter (PICK → PUCK).

   Sixth link: Vowel swap — keep the chain tight.

I arrange middles as TASK → TACK → LACK → LICK → PICK because that's the chain where every hop changes one letter. 6 links checked — M→T at the first letter (MASK → TASK) through I→U at the second letter (PICK → PUCK).

Combo clue "Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block." — I only fill MASK and PUCK after middles order cleanly. The pair should read naturally against the clue.

The combo clue "Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block." describes both end words together — "MASK" and "PUCK" 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 TASK, TACK, LACK, LICK, PICK. Middle 1: "Element of a project that must be completed" → TASK. "Element of a project that must be completed" resolves to "TASK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 2: "Affix to the wall with a small pin" → TACK. "Affix to the wall with a small pin" resolves to "TACK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 3: "Complete absence, as of a quality" → LACK. "Complete absence, as of a quality" resolves to "LACK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 4: "Small taste of an ice cream cone" → LICK. "Small taste of an ice cream cone" resolves to "LICK" once you read the clue as a 4-letter crossword answer. Middle 5: "Choose among options" → PICK. "Choose among options" resolves to "PICK" 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: TASK → TACK → LACK → LICK → PICK. Ladder step: M→T at the first letter (MASK → TASK) (connects to a combo end). Ladder step: S→C at the third letter (TASK → TACK). Ladder step: T→L at the first letter (TACK → LACK). Ladder step: A→I at the second letter (LACK → LICK). Ladder step: L→P at the first letter (LICK → PICK). Ladder step: I→U at the second letter (PICK → PUCK) (connects to a combo end). Phase 3: Unlock combo ends — top "MASK" and bottom "PUCK" share the clue: Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block..

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 MASK to PUCK. The top and bottom rows share one combo clue: Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block. The solution path is MASK → TASK → TACK → LACK → LICK → PICK → PUCK, changing exactly one letter between each rung. Middle clues include Element of a project that must be completed, Affix to the wall with a small pin, and Complete absence, as of a quality, and others — solve these before reordering. Correct middle order: TASK → TACK → LACK → LICK → PICK. The combo clue "Something an ice hockey goalie wears, and something an ice hockey goalie tries to block." describes both end words together — "MASK" and "PUCK" 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.