Guide
Common Crossclimb and Pinpoint Patterns
Recognize these recurring patterns to solve LinkedIn puzzles faster. We've analyzed hundreds of past puzzles to identify the most common answer types.
LinkedIn Crossclimb Patterns
Pattern 1: Opposite Word Pairs
Many Crossclimb puzzles connect antonyms or conceptual opposites:
| Start Word | End Word | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| FISH | FOWL | "Neither fish nor fowl" |
| COLD | WARM | Temperature opposites |
| SLOW | FAST | Speed opposites |
| NOTE | MEMO | Synonyms (written messages) |
| CLOSE | SHAVE | Idiom "close shave" |
Tip: When you see the start word, think of common phrases or idioms it appears in.
Pattern 2: Common Letter Transitions
Vowel rotations (most common):
- A -> E -> I -> O -> U
- Example: FAST -> FEST -> FIST
Consonant swaps:
- M <-> N (MINE -> NINE)
- B <-> P (BALE -> PALE)
- C <-> K (CANE -> KANE)
- D <-> T (DALE -> TALE)
Position changes:
- First letter changes most often
- Last letter changes second most
- Middle letters change least
Pattern 3: High-Frequency Bridge Words
These words appear repeatedly as middle steps:
| Word | Common Transitions |
|---|---|
| FATE | LATE, GATE, MATE, HATE, FACE, FAME |
| COME | CONE, CORE, COPE, COVE, HOME |
| MINE | MANE, MILE, MIME, WINE, NINE |
| FAST | FIST, PAST, CAST, LAST, VAST |
| CORE | CARE, CURE, CONE, BORE, MORE |
Pattern 4: Thematic Clue Groups
Crossclimb clues often cluster around themes:
- Food/Kitchen: foil, bake, cook, dish
- Body parts: fist, face, foot, hand
- Actions: fail, pass, move, stop
- Time: past, late, soon, fast
LinkedIn Pinpoint Patterns
Pattern 1: Words Before/After X
The most common Pinpoint pattern. If clues seem unrelated but each could precede or follow a common word, you might have it.
| Clue Words | Answer |
|---|---|
| Oil, Stair, Ink, Fare, Fair thee | Words before "WELL" |
| Check, Beauty, St., Deutsche, Question | Words before "MARK" |
Recognition tip: If clues seem unrelated but each could precede/follow a common word, this is likely your pattern.
Pattern 2: Types of X
Categorical groupings are straightforward once you see the shared category.
| Clue Words | Answer |
|---|---|
| Vodka, Carbonara, Pesto, Alfredo, Marinara | Types of PASTA SAUCE |
| Ash, Smoke, Battleship, Slate, Silver | Shades of GRAY |
Recognition tip: Clues are all nouns that could complete "a type of ___".
Pattern 3: Definitions of X
Multiple meanings of a single word hide behind unrelated clues.
| Clue Words | Answer |
|---|---|
| Sweet wine, Videogame translation, Harbor town, Hardware interface, Left side of aircraft | Definitions of "PORT" |
Recognition tip: Clues seem completely unrelated until you find the common word they all define.
Pattern 4: Famous People Whose...
Parentheses around first names signal you should focus on the last name.
| Clue Words | Answer |
|---|---|
| (Taylor) Swift, (Sheryl) Crow, (Peter) Finch, (Florence) Nightingale, (Tony) Hawk | Famous people whose last names are BIRD NAMES |
Recognition tip: Parentheses around first names signal "focus on the last name."
Pattern 5: Parts of X
Component-based answers where each clue is a piece of something larger.
| Clue Words | Answer |
|---|---|
| Gargoyle, Gable, Gutter, Shingles, Chimney | Parts of a ROOF |
| A, X, RB, LT, D-Pad | XBOX CONTROLLER buttons |
Recognition tip: Clues are all nouns that could be physically part of something larger.
Pattern 6: X + Y Compounds
Words that combine with a common element to form real phrases.
| Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|
| ___ BOARD | Chalk, Skate, Key, Clip, Dart |
| BLACK ___ | Berry, Smith, Mail, List, Board |
| ___ HOUSE | White, Green, Light, Club, Tree |
Pattern Frequency Analysis
Based on our archive, here is how often each Pinpoint pattern appears:
| Pattern Type | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Words before/after X | ~25% |
| Types of X | ~20% |
| Definitions of X | ~15% |
| Famous people who... | ~15% |
| Parts of X | ~10% |
| Compound words | ~10% |
| Other | ~5% |
Using Patterns to Solve Faster
- Identify the pattern type. After seeing 2-3 clues, ask yourself: Could these all precede/follow a word? Are these all types of something? Are these different meanings of one word? Are these parts of something?
- Test your hypothesis. If you think it's "words before X," mentally add your guess word after each clue. Do they all work?
- Eliminate wrong patterns. If "types of X" doesn't fit clue #3, switch to another pattern hypothesis.
Track Patterns With Our Archive
Study past puzzles to sharpen your pattern recognition:
- Crossclimb Archive - All past word ladders
- Pinpoint Archive - All past connection puzzles
The more patterns you recognize, the faster you'll solve. Check today's answers when you're stuck.