Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · #868
Today's ladder links BACK and PACK — 7 rungs, one letter changing at a time.
Today's Crossclimb ladder
1BACKtop
2BARK
3LARK
4LACK
5LICK
6PICK
7PACKbottom
Rung clues
- BACK —
- BARK — Outside covering of a tree
- LARK — Songbird whose name completes the phrase “on a ___”, meaning to do something impulsively or just for fun
- LACK — Shortage or absence of something
- LICK — Short taste, as of a lollipop
- PICK — Choose between a few options
- PACK —
How today's puzzle plays
The ladder in order: BACK → BARK → LARK → LACK → LICK → PICK → PACK.
Every adjacent pair differs by exactly one letter — use that to check your order.