Crossclimb 754 Answer & Solution Guide
Answer: WASHED + DISHES = A two-word phrase for what someone who cleaned up after dinner did 🌟
🎮 Puzzle Overview
Today's Crossclimb puzzle #754 features a word ladder connecting WASHED (top) to DISHES (bottom). The theme clue tells us these form "A two-word phrase for what someone who cleaned up after dinner did" — and note that the first word may be at the bottom. The five intermediate words each differ by just one letter, forming a classic single-step word ladder.
Top word: WASHED Bottom word: DISHES Theme: DISHES WASHED — or more naturally, "washed dishes" (the first word is at the bottom!)
🪜 Complete Word Ladder
| Position | Word | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Top) | WASHED | — |
| 2 | MASHED | Crushed into a soft form like some potatoes |
| 3 | MASSED | Came together as a single large group |
| 4 | MISSED | Didn't hit the target |
| 5 | DISSED | Peppered with insults, in slang |
| 6 | DISHED | Spread some gossip |
| 7 (Bottom) | DISHES | — |
🧠 Player Solution Walkthrough
Step 1: Understanding the Puzzle
The top and bottom words form a common phrase: WASHED DISHES (or "dishes washed" — what you do after dinner!). The clue hints that the first word of the phrase might be at the bottom, so think of it as "DISHES WASHED" when reading top-to-bottom, but the actual phrase is "WASHED DISHES."
Step 2: Starting from the Middle
Work from clues you're most confident about. "Didn't hit the target" is a clear one — that's MISSED. "Came together as a single large group" points to MASSED. These two words differ by just one letter (I → A), so they're neighbors in the ladder.
Step 3: Connecting to the Ends
From MASSED, changing the S to M gives MASHED — think "mashed potatoes." And MASHED connects to WASHED by changing just the first letter (M → W).
Working downward from MISSED: changing the M to D gives DISSED (slang for "peppered with insults"). DISSED changes to DISHED (S → H), and DISHED connects to DISHES (changing the last letter D → S).
Step 4: The Full Ladder
Here's the complete chain with one-letter changes noted:
- WASHED → MASHED (W→M)
- MASHED → MASSED (H→S)
- MASSED → MISSED (A→I, keeping SS)
- MISSED → DISSED (M→D)
- DISSED → DISHED (S→H)
- DISHED → DISHES (D→S)
Step 5: Answer
The answer is "WASHED DISHES" — the classic after-dinner chore. Someone who cleaned up after dinner "washed the dishes." The puzzle cleverly puts the first word (WASHED) at the top and the second word (DISHES) at the bottom!
📚 Word Reference
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| WASHED | Cleaned with water; past tense of "wash" |
| MASHED | Crushed into a soft mass, as in "mashed potatoes" |
| MASSED | Gathered together in a large group; assembled in force |
| MISSED | Failed to hit, reach, or catch something |
| DISSED | (Slang) Showed disrespect toward someone; criticized harshly |
| DISHED | Shared gossip or information casually; "dished the dirt" |
| DISHES | Plates, bowls, and other items used for serving food; also the act of cleaning them |
❓ FAQ
Q1: What is the answer to Crossclimb 754? A: The top word is WASHED and the bottom word is DISHES. Together they form "WASHED DISHES" — what someone who cleaned up after dinner did.
Q2: How many steps are in the word ladder? A: There are 7 words total (top + 5 middle + bottom), meaning 6 one-letter changes to go from WASHED to DISHES.
Q3: What's the trickiest clue in this puzzle? A: "Peppered with insults, in slang" (DISSED) might trip up some players since it's informal slang. The rest are fairly common words.
Q4: Why does the clue say "the first word may be at the bottom"? A: Because the phrase is "WASHED DISHES" — but in the puzzle, WASHED is at the top and DISHES is at the bottom. Reading top-to-bottom gives you "DISHES WASHED," which isn't the natural word order. The hint helps you realize the answer is "WASHED DISHES" with the first word at the top.
Q5: Can the ladder go in the opposite direction? A: Yes! DISHES → DISHED → DISSED → MISSED → MASSED → MASHED → WASHED works perfectly. But the puzzle places WASHED at the top.
🎯 Strategy Tips
- Start with confident clues — MISSED and MASSED are probably the easiest to identify quickly
- Work outward — once you have the middle words, connecting to the ends becomes easier
- Watch for slang — DISSED is informal English; don't overthink it
- One letter at a time — each step changes exactly one letter; if you're changing more, something's off
- Read the hint carefully — "the first word may be at the bottom" tells you the answer is WASHED DISHES, not DISHES WASHED