Crossclimb #569 Answer – November 20, 2025

DUCTTAPE

Answer

DUCTTAPE

DUCTTOP
DUCK
Bird that quacks

Solution: A duck is a waterbird known for its distinct quacking sound.

TUCK
___ in (make snug at bedtime)

Solution: To tuck something in means to make it snug, like tucking in a child at bedtime.

TACK
Pointy thing stuck in a bulletin board, sometimes preceded by the word thumb

Solution: A tack is a small, sharp nail used for fastening papers to a board.

TALK
Communicate using spoken words

Solution: To talk is to communicate verbally with someone.

TALE
​​A ___ of Two Cities (Dickens novel that begins "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ...")

Solution: A tale is a narrative or story; 'A Tale of Two Cities' is a famous novel by Charles Dickens.

TAPEBOTTOM

Combo Clue

Two-word roll of sticky stuff used to seal ventilation leaks and for a variety of other tasks too.

📖 How I Solved It

I tackled puzzle #569 on a rainy afternoon, and let me tell you, that combo clue had me scratching my head! "Two-word roll of sticky stuff used to seal ventilation leaks and for a variety of other tasks too"—I thought about duct tape but couldn't quite pull the answer together at first. I kept overthinking it and even guessed 'sticky paper' before realizing how off that was. Once I finally remembered the good ol' duct tape, the rest of the puzzle fell into place. The word ladder was a fun challenge too; I almost got stuck on 'TACK' and 'TALK' since they sounded so similar. But after a bit of back and forth, I finally got to 'TAPE' and felt that sweet relief of finishing the puzzle! It's always a good feeling when you can connect the dots, even if it takes a few wrong turns.

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for November 20, 2025 (#569) is DUCTTAPE. The complete word ladder is: DUCT → DUCK → TUCK → TACK → TALK → TALE → TAPE.