Find the clue you need
Reveal one answer or the full solution.
- 1
___ and response
CALL - 2
Remove, as the least useful part
CULL - 3
Male elephant
BULL - 4
Majority portion
BULK - 5
Attempt to throw a rider off
BUCK
Top + bottom clue
The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for what some people do when Daylight Saving Time ends. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
The complete word ladder
Read from top to bottom. Highlighted letters show what changes from the previous word.
- FALLTop endpoint
- CALLFALL → CALL changes position 1 from F to C.
- CULLCALL → CULL changes position 2 from A to U.
- BULLCULL → BULL changes position 1 from C to B.
- BULKBULL → BULK changes position 4 from L to K.
- BUCKBULK → BUCK changes position 3 from L to C.
- BACKBUCK → BACK changes position 2 from U to A.
How the endpoints answer the clue
FALL + BACK
The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for what some people do when Daylight Saving Time ends. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.
Clue meanings and letter changes
| Clue | Answer & meaning | Change from previous word |
|---|---|---|
| Top endpoint | FALL FALL is the answer to “The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for what some people do when Daylight Saving Time ends. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.” and serves as an endpoint. | Start of ladder |
| ___ and response | CALL CALL is the answer to “___ and response”. | FALL → CALL changes position 1 from F to C. |
| Remove, as the least useful part | CULL CULL is the answer to “Remove, as the least useful part”. | CALL → CULL changes position 2 from A to U. |
| Male elephant | BULL BULL is the answer to “Male elephant”. | CULL → BULL changes position 1 from C to B. |
| Majority portion | BULK BULK is the answer to “Majority portion”. | BULL → BULK changes position 4 from L to K. |
| Attempt to throw a rider off | BUCK BUCK is the answer to “Attempt to throw a rider off”. | BULK → BUCK changes position 3 from L to C. |
| Bottom endpoint | BACK BACK is the answer to “The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for what some people do when Daylight Saving Time ends. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.” and serves as an endpoint. | BUCK → BACK changes position 2 from U to A. |
How to work out the order
FALL → CALL starts the chain with a change in position 1. From there, the changed positions run 1, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, which is a quick way to verify the order without relying on meaning alone.
- Solve the middle clues, then anchor CALL beside FALL because they differ at exactly one position.
- Continue through CALL → CULL → BULL → BULK → BUCK, checking spelling position by position rather than grouping words by topic.
- Place BACK at the other endpoint and use the shared endpoint clue to connect FALL with BACK.
One takeaway
This edition rewards positional checking: its 6 legal moves change letter positions 1, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2. When the clue meanings wander, the one-letter rule keeps the ladder from wandering with them.
More CrossClimb
Nearby editions: #916 · 2026-11-02 · #914 · 2026-10-31