Crossclimb #630 Answer – January 20, 2026

NEEDWANT

Answer

NEEDWANT

NEED
NERD
A passionate expert about a niche subject (like an emoji enthusiast who gets this right away: 🤓)
HERD
Grouping of buffalo
HARD
Not simple
HAND
Something that may be raised to ask or answer a question
WAND
Spellcasting stick
WANT

Combo Clue

Two verbs someone that is missing something might use to complete the phrase “I ___ it!”

📖 How I Solved It

I got into puzzle #630 and immediately felt a mix of excitement and confusion. The combo clue was tricky: 'I ___ it!' threw me off for a bit. I kept thinking about different verbs, and at one point, I wrote down 'need' but then second-guessed myself and thought maybe it was 'want.' I bounced back and forth between those two, leading me to write down some other random guesses like 'wish.' I didn't realize until I was nearly done that 'NEEDWANT' was the answer! The word ladder had me stumped for a minute too, especially with 'NERD' and 'HERD.' I thought I was stuck, but then I remembered how often those words can pop up in everyday conversation. Once I got my bearings, the rest flowed pretty smoothly, and I was relieved to see it all come together.

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for January 20, 2026 (#630) is NEEDWANT. The complete word ladder is: NEED → NERD → HERD → HARD → HAND → WAND → WANT.