Find the clue you need
Reveal one answer or the full solution.
- 1
High-quality, like some dining
FINE - 2
Source of warmth in cold weather
FIRE - 3
Warning a golfer yells
FORE - 4
Accidentally did damage to, as a page of a book
TORE - 5
___ of voice (indicator of emotion)
TONE
Top + bottom clue
The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for a certain evergreen tree's seed-bearing organ. 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.
- PINETop endpoint
- FINEPINE → FINE changes position 1 from P to F.
- FIREFINE → FIRE changes position 3 from N to R.
- FOREFIRE → FORE changes position 2 from I to O.
- TOREFORE → TORE changes position 1 from F to T.
- TONETORE → TONE changes position 3 from R to N.
- CONETONE → CONE changes position 1 from T to C.
How the endpoints answer the clue
PINE + CONE
The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for a certain evergreen tree's seed-bearing organ. 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 | PINE PINE is the answer to “The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for a certain evergreen tree's seed-bearing organ. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.” and serves as an endpoint. | Start of ladder |
| High-quality, like some dining | FINE FINE is the answer to “High-quality, like some dining”. | PINE → FINE changes position 1 from P to F. |
| Source of warmth in cold weather | FIRE FIRE is the answer to “Source of warmth in cold weather”. | FINE → FIRE changes position 3 from N to R. |
| Warning a golfer yells | FORE FORE is the answer to “Warning a golfer yells”. | FIRE → FORE changes position 2 from I to O. |
| Accidentally did damage to, as a page of a book | TORE TORE is the answer to “Accidentally did damage to, as a page of a book”. | FORE → TORE changes position 1 from F to T. |
| ___ of voice (indicator of emotion) | TONE TONE is the answer to “___ of voice (indicator of emotion)”. | TORE → TONE changes position 3 from R to N. |
| Bottom endpoint | CONE CONE is the answer to “The top + bottom rows = A two-word phrase for a certain evergreen tree's seed-bearing organ. Keep in mind: The first word may be at the bottom.” and serves as an endpoint. | TONE → CONE changes position 1 from T to C. |
How to work out the order
PINE → FINE starts the chain with a change in position 1. From there, the changed positions run 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 1, which is a quick way to verify the order without relying on meaning alone.
- Solve the middle clues, then anchor FINE beside PINE because they differ at exactly one position.
- Continue through FINE → FIRE → FORE → TORE → TONE, checking spelling position by position rather than grouping words by topic.
- Place CONE at the other endpoint and use the shared endpoint clue to connect PINE with CONE.
One takeaway
This edition rewards positional checking: its 6 legal moves change letter positions 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 1. When the clue meanings wander, the one-letter rule keeps the ladder from wandering with them.
More CrossClimb
Nearby editions: #916 · 2026-11-02 · #915 · 2026-11-01