Crossclimb #572 Answer – November 23, 2025

LAKESWAN

Answer

LAKESWAN

LAKETOP
LANE
One-way segment of a street

Solution: A one-way segment of a street that fits perfectly for the word ladder.

SANE
Of sound mind and thinking reasonably

Solution: This clue refers to being of sound mind, which often appears in everyday language.

SANG
Performed music vocally

Solution: A simple past tense of sing; it was a straightforward clue once I got past the initial confusion.

SAAG
___ Paneer (Indian dish featuring leafy greens; answer only uses letters from “GAS”)

Solution: A type of Indian dish that worked well with the letters I had, but I had to think creatively!

SWAG
Clothes, mugs, and other branded items given out by an employer

Solution: This clue hints at promotional items and is a fun word that ties nicely back to the ladder.

SWANBOTTOM

Combo Clue

Two-word name of a Tchaikovsky ballet featuring a princess transformed into a water bird.

📖 How I Solved It

I sat down to tackle puzzle #572, and right off the bat, the combo clue threw me for a loop. A Tchaikovsky ballet about a princess and a water bird? I was drawing blanks! I thought of various ballets, but nothing clicked. I wasted too much time guessing wrong answers like 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Nutcracker'. It wasn't until I finally remembered 'Swan Lake' that everything fell into place. The word ladder was a bit tricky too, especially the switch from 'SANG' to 'SAAG'. I was stuck there for a while, not thinking of 'saag' as an acceptable dish! But once I got over that hurdle, it was smooth sailing toward 'SWAN'. It's always such a great feeling to finish a puzzle after a tough start!

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for November 23, 2025 (#572) is LAKESWAN. The complete word ladder is: LAKE → LANE → SANE → SANG → SAAG → SWAG → SWAN.