Crossclimb #662 Answer – February 21, 2026

WHITESPACE

Answer

WHITESPACE

WHITE
WHINE
“Complain continually”
SHINE
“Give off a bright light”
SPINE
“Body part not found in any invertebrate animals (such as earthworms or insects)”
SPIRE
“A tall, pointed structure at the top of a tower, particularly a church steeple”
SPARE
“"___ no expense"”
SPACE

Combo Clue

“A two-word phrase that describes the empty area between visual elements in graphic design”

📖 How I Solved It

I was really excited to tackle puzzle #662, but I hit a snag with the combo clue. 'A two-word phrase that describes the empty area between visual elements in graphic design' had me scratching my head for a while. I thought of 'negative space' initially and even tried to fit in 'blank area' before realizing it had to be 'WHITESPACE.' The word ladder was a fun challenge, though! I got stuck on the transition from 'WHINE' to 'SHINE'—I didn't even think about the brightness angle at first. I ended up going down a few wrong paths, but once I figured out the flow of the ladder, everything clicked. The satisfaction of finally getting to 'SPACE' was pretty sweet!

💡 Tips for This Puzzle

❓ FAQ

The Crossclimb answer for February 21, 2026 (#662) is WHITESPACE. The complete word ladder is: WHITE → WHINE → SHINE → SPINE → SPIRE → SPARE → SPACE.