Crossclimb #591 Answer – December 12, 2025

RINGSIDE

Answer

RINGSIDE

RINGTOP
KING
Card that's second best in poker

Solution: In poker, the king is one of the highest-ranking cards, often considered second best after the ace.

KIND
Three-of-a-___ (specific poker hand)

Solution: A three-of-a-kind hand in poker means you have three cards of the same rank, which is a specific and recognized combination.

WIND
What makes a flag flap

Solution: Wind is the natural movement of air, which is what causes flags to flap and wave.

WINE
Ingredient in sangria

Solution: Wine is a key ingredient in sangria, a popular beverage made by mixing wine with fruit and other ingredients.

WIDE
The second W of WWW

Solution: The second 'W' in WWW stands for 'World Wide Web,' and it’s a term often associated with being broad or extensive, hence 'wide.'

SIDEBOTTOM

Combo Clue

Compound word that describes a seat close to the action at a boxing match

📖 How I Solved It

I was pretty excited when I dove into Puzzle #591 today. The combo clue about a boxing match immediately caught my eye, and I thought 'ringside' fit perfectly. But, man, the word ladder was a bit tricky! The clue for 'KING' threw me off at first because I was thinking of all sorts of royal references instead of poker hands. I kept bouncing around ideas until I finally remembered that the king is pretty crucial in many poker games. My 'aha moment' came when I connected 'KING' to 'KIND'—I realized it was a three-of-a-kind hand, which made the rest of the ladder fall into place. I almost wrote down 'WIND' as 'WINDY' at one point, but thankfully I caught that before it became a dead end. Overall, pulling together the clues felt super satisfying, and I loved how they all tied back to the overall theme of the puzzle!

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for December 12, 2025 (#591) is RINGSIDE. The complete word ladder is: RING → KING → KIND → WIND → WINE → WIDE → SIDE.