Find the clue you need
Reveal one answer or the full solution.
- 1
Middle clue 1 — original clue text unavailable
HERD - 2
Middle clue 2 — original clue text unavailable
HERE - 3
Middle clue 3 — original clue text unavailable
HIRE - 4
Middle clue 4 — original clue text unavailable
DIRE - 5
Middle clue 5 — original clue text unavailable
DARE
Top + bottom clue
Reveal the solution to see the two endpoint words.
The complete word ladder
Read from top to bottom. Highlighted letters show what changes from the previous word.
- HARDTop endpoint
- HERDHARD → HERD changes position 2 from A to E.
- HEREHERD → HERE changes position 4 from D to E.
- HIREHERE → HIRE changes position 2 from E to I.
- DIREHIRE → DIRE changes position 1 from H to D.
- DAREDIRE → DARE changes position 2 from I to A.
- WAREDARE → WARE changes position 1 from D to W.
How the endpoints answer the clue
HARD + WARE = HARDWARE
HARD means firm, difficult, or requiring effort and starts HARDWARE.
Clue meanings and letter changes
| Clue | Answer & meaning | Change from previous word |
|---|---|---|
| Top endpoint | HARD HARD means firm, difficult, or requiring effort and starts HARDWARE. | Start of ladder |
| Middle clue 1 | HERD HERD is a large group of animals such as cattle or sheep. | HARD → HERD changes position 2 from A to E. |
| Middle clue 2 | HERE HERE means in this place. | HERD → HERE changes position 4 from D to E. |
| Middle clue 3 | HIRE HIRE means to employ someone for a job. | HERE → HIRE changes position 2 from E to I. |
| Middle clue 4 | DIRE DIRE describes circumstances that are extremely serious or urgent. | HIRE → DIRE changes position 1 from H to D. |
| Middle clue 5 | DARE DARE is a challenge to perform a difficult or risky action. | DIRE → DARE changes position 2 from I to A. |
| Bottom endpoint | WARE WARE refers to manufactured goods and completes HARDWARE. | DARE → WARE changes position 1 from D to W. |
How to work out the order
HERD → HERE → HIRE is the most constrained segment. DIRE and DARE extend it, while WARE has only one sensible place at the bottom.
- Attach HERD beneath HARD by changing A to E.
- Order HERE → HIRE → DIRE using the shared final RE.
- Finish DIRE → DARE → WARE and combine the endpoints into HARDWARE.
One takeaway
Do not decide top-to-bottom direction too early. Build the valid chain first; the endpoint clue can handle orientation after the spelling has done its honest work.
More CrossClimb
Nearby editions: #822 · 2026-07-31 · #820 · 2026-07-29