Crossclimb 794 Answer & Solution Guide
Answer: PORTHOLE 🌟
🎮 Puzzle Overview
Crossclimb #794 (July 3, 2026) challenges you with a word ladder connecting PORT (top) to HOLE (bottom). The theme clue reveals that combining the top and bottom words forms PORTHOLE — a nautical term for a window on a ship. Each intermediate word differs by just one letter from its neighbors, creating a chain of seven words total.
🪜 Complete Word Ladder
| Position | Word | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Top) | PORT | A harbor or the theme word for the top row |
| 2 | PART | Line on the scalp where hair is brushed in opposite directions |
| 3 | PARE | Cut back, as expenses |
| 4 | MARE | Adult female horse or zebra |
| 5 | MORE | "The ___, the merrier" |
| 6 | MOLE | Dark skin spot |
| 7 (Bottom) | HOLE | The bottom half of PORTHOLE |
🧠 Player Solution Walkthrough
Step 1: Understanding the Puzzle
The theme clue tells us the top and bottom words combine to form "a compound word for a window on a ship." That word is PORTHOLE — meaning PORT sits at the top and HOLE at the bottom. However, the clue also warns: "The first word may be at the bottom." This is a red herring today since PORT is indeed at the top, but always good to double-check.
Step 2: Starting from the Middle
With the endpoints locked (PORT and HOLE), look at the middle rungs. MARE stands out immediately — "Adult female horse or zebra" is a clean definition. MORE follows naturally: "The ___, the merrier" is a classic idiom. The one-letter change from MARE → MORE (swapping the A for an O) is subtle but clean.
Step 3: Connecting to the Ends
Working upward from MARE: PARE means "Cut back, as expenses" — a word that trips people up because it sounds like "pair." From PARE, one letter change gets you to PART (the line in your hair). PART → PORT requires just swapping the vowel.
Going downward from MORE: MOLE is "Dark skin spot" — straightforward. MOLE → HOLE is the final hop, swapping M for H.
Step 4: The Full Ladder
PORT → PART → PARE → MARE → MORE → MOLE → HOLE
P→Pa Pa→Pa Pa→Ma Ma→Mo Mo→Mo Mo→Ho
Every step changes exactly one letter, and each word has a clear, unambiguous clue.
Step 5: Answer
The answer to Crossclimb #794 is PORTHOLE — a small, typically round window in the side of a ship or aircraft. The word dates back to the 16th century, originating from the French word porte (door) combined with hole, originally referring to an opening in a ship's side used for loading cargo or mounting cannons.
📚 Word Reference
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| PORT | A harbor or dock; also left side of a ship | "The cargo ship arrived at port after a week at sea." |
| PART | A line in hair; to divide or separate | "She parts her hair on the left side." |
| PARE | To trim or reduce gradually | "We need to pare down the budget this quarter." |
| MARE | An adult female horse or zebra | "The mare gave birth to a healthy foal last spring." |
| MORE | A greater amount or additional quantity | "The more you practice, the better you get." |
| MOLE | A small, dark spot on the skin; also a burrowing mammal | "The dermatologist checked the mole on her arm." |
| HOLE | An opening or hollow space | "There's a hole in my sock." |
| PORTHOLE | A small window in a ship's hull | "We watched the sunset through the ship's porthole." |
❓ FAQ
Q1: What is the answer to Crossclimb #794? A: The answer is PORTHOLE — a compound word formed by combining PORT (top) and HOLE (bottom).
Q2: How many words are in the ladder? A: Seven words total: PORT → PART → PARE → MARE → MORE → MOLE → HOLE.
Q3: What's the trickiest clue in this puzzle? A: "Cut back, as expenses" for PARE catches many players off guard — it's easy to think of "pair" or "pear" first, but the clue specifically points to reduction.
Q4: Why is MARE between PARE and MORE? A: PARE → MARE changes the P to M, and MARE → MORE changes the A to O. The ladder follows single-letter changes at each step.
Q5: What does PORTHOLE mean in nautical terms? A: A porthole is a small, typically round window in a ship's hull. Historically, the word comes from "port" (an opening) + "hole," originally used for loading cargo and later repurposed for light and ventilation.
🎯 Strategy Tips
- Start from the endpoints first — knowing PORT and HOLE limits your options significantly
- Look for common vowel patterns — PORT → PART → PARE shows how A and O swap naturally
- Don't overlook simple words — MORE and HOLE are basic vocabulary, but they're the glue holding the ladder together
- Watch for proper nouns vs. common words — MARE could trip you up if you only think of the moon crater or place names
- Verify each hop — before moving on, confirm that each word differs from its neighbor by exactly one letter