LinkedIn Crossclimb Answer #909 — Monday, October 26, 2026
The 7-word ladder
The top + bottom rows = A word meaning to distribute playing cards, and a word for what each player then has. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
Actually existing
Enjoy literature
Heavy metallic element that can block X-rays
___ an ear (listen)
Terrestrial animals live on it
The top + bottom rows = A word meaning to distribute playing cards, and a word for what each player then has. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
Ladder specification
| Puzzle | #909 |
|---|---|
| Date | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Rungs | 7 |
| Word length | 4 letters each |
| Single-letter steps | 6 of 6 |
| Positions that change | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Distinct letters used | 7 |
The solution, step by step
Crossclimb is a word ladder: each rung differs from the one above it by exactly one letter. Below is the order that works for #909, with the letter that changes at each step.
1. DEAL
The top + bottom rows = A word meaning to distribute playing cards, and a word for what each player then has. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
2. REAL
Letter 1 changes from D to R. Actually existing
3. READ
Letter 4 changes from L to D. Enjoy literature
4. LEAD
Letter 1 changes from R to L. Heavy metallic element that can block X-rays
5. LEND
Letter 3 changes from A to N. ___ an ear (listen)
6. LAND
Letter 2 changes from E to A. Terrestrial animals live on it
7. HAND
Letter 1 changes from L to H. The top + bottom rows = A word meaning to distribute playing cards, and a word for what each player then has. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
How Crossclimb works
The ladder
You get 7 words of 4 letters, each with a trivia clue. Neighbouring words differ by exactly one letter, which is what makes it a climb rather than a quiz. Puzzle #909changes letter position 1, 2, 3 and 4 somewhere along the way.
The top and bottom rows
The first and last rungs carry a two-part clue: together they form one answer, and either may sit at the top or the bottom. That is why the opening clue reads as a riddle rather than a definition — the first word can be at either end of the ladder.
How to approach it
- Solve the middle rungs first. They are ordinary definitions; the bracketed pair is deliberately ambiguous.
- Write the letter that changes under each rung. Two rungs that change the same position is a strong signal your ladder is right.
- If a word fits the clue but differs by two letters from its neighbour, it is the wrong word — the one-letter rule is absolute.
Sources and method
Clues and rungs are taken from the official LinkedIn Crossclimb puzzle for Oct 26, 2026. The step-by-step letter comparison above is generated by us from those words, not copied from another site.
- LinkedIn Crossclimb (official puzzle) — www.linkedin.com/games/crossclimb/ · clues and rungs
- LinkedIn Games hub — www.linkedin.com/games/ · daily schedule and reset time
Other Crossclimb answers
- Crossclimb #911Oct 28, 2026
- Crossclimb #910Oct 27, 2026
- Crossclimb #908Oct 25, 2026
- Crossclimb #906Oct 23, 2026
- Crossclimb #905Oct 22, 2026
- Crossclimb #904Oct 21, 2026
- Crossclimb #903Oct 20, 2026
- Crossclimb #902Oct 19, 2026
- Crossclimb #900Oct 17, 2026
Browse all Crossclimb answers →
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