Crossclimb #645 Answer – February 4, 2026

KINDMEAN

Answer

KINDMEAN

KIND
MIND
"Peace of ___" (free from worry)
MEND
Repair a hole in a sock, for example
LEND
Give a temporary payment
LEAD
Metal name (incorrectly) used to describe the part of a pencil that writes
LEAN
Slender or thin
MEAN

Combo Clue

Two opposite ways you can behave toward others.

📖 How I Solved It

So, I was tackling puzzle #645, and right off the bat, I got the combo clue: "Two opposite ways you can behave toward others." That made me think of 'kind' and 'mean,' but I couldn't quite link it to the rest of the clues. I got stuck on the word ladder for a bit. The clue for 'MIND' threw me off for a while because I thought of 'peace of mind' but got tangled up trying to remember what comes after that. I even guessed 'FIND' for a second—no idea why! But once I got 'MIND,' the rest flowed pretty easily. 'LEND' and 'MEND' were straightforward, and I finally made my way back to 'MEAN.' It was a fun ride, but man, those little brain teasers can be tricky!

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for February 4, 2026 (#645) is KINDMEAN. The complete word ladder is: KIND → MIND → MEND → LEND → LEAD → LEAN → MEAN.