Prods, as with a stick or finger
Crossclimb Answer — July 18, 2026
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Saturday, July 18, 2026
The answer to “Prods, as with a stick or finger” in LinkedIn Crossclimb on Saturday, July 18, 2026 is POKES — a 5-letter word, and rung 4 of that day's ladder. Crossclimb is a word ladder, so this isn't just a trivia answer: POKES has to fit both the clue and the one-letter chain running through the puzzle. Below you'll find why it fits, exactly where it sits in the ladder, and links to the day's other clues if more than one rung is giving you trouble.
“Prods, as with a stick or finger” answer
The Crossclimb answer for “Prods, as with a stick or finger” (Saturday, July 18, 2026) is:
POKES
You can also reveal it one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather keep some of the challenge.
Why the answer is POKES
From POKER you change the fifth letter of POKER from R to S to reach POKES, then change the third letter of POKES from K to L to get POLES.
How POKES fits the ladder
Crossclimb stacks 7 words where each one changes a single letter from the word above it. Here's the full ladder for July 18, 2026, with “Prods, as with a stick or finger” highlighted:
| Rung | Word | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Top word | VOTER | (unlocks last — fits the letters above the ladder) |
| Clue rung | VOWER | One who makes a commitment, as a bride or groom on their wedding day |
| Clue rung | POWER | Electricity, for example |
| Clue rung | POKER | Bluffing game played around a table at a casino |
| Clue rung | POKES ← this clue | Prods, as with a stick or finger |
| Clue rung | POLES | Ends of a magnetic field, such as Earth's North and South |
| Bottom word | POLLS | (unlocks last — fits the letters below the ladder) |
POKES sits at rung 4: from POKER you change the fifth letter of POKER from R to S to reach POKES, then change the third letter of POKES from K to L to get POLES. Each neighbouring rung is exactly one letter away, which is how you can derive POKES even if the clue alone stumps you — solve a neighbour and the single-letter rule points straight here.
More clues from this Crossclimb puzzle
Stuck on another rung? Here are the other clues from the July 18, 2026 ladder — tap any for its answer and where it sits in the chain:
- One who makes a commitment, as a bride or groom on their wedding day → VOWER
- Electricity, for example → POWER
- Bluffing game played around a table at a casino → POKER
- Ends of a magnetic field, such as Earth's North and South → POLES
Want the whole ladder in one place, including the top and bottom words? The full July 18, 2026 solution is on that day's Crossclimb answers page, and today's live Crossclimb answers are always one tap from the main Crossclimb page.
About LinkedIn Crossclimb
Crossclimb is one of LinkedIn's daily games: solve short trivia clues to fill a ladder of words, where each word changes just one letter from the one above it, then order the rungs so the chain holds. Completing the middle rungs unlocks the top and bottom words, which are easier because they must fit the letters already in place. A new puzzle drops every day at midnight Pacific Time (3:00 a.m. Eastern), and it's free to play at LinkedIn Games. This was a Saturday puzzle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Prods, as with a stick or finger” in Crossclimb?
The answer is POKES, a 5-letter word. It appeared in LinkedIn Crossclimb on Saturday, July 18, 2026 as rung 4 of the ladder.
How does POKES fit the Crossclimb ladder?
POKES is rung 4 of the July 18, 2026 ladder: POKER → POKES → POLES. Each step changes exactly one letter, so POKES both answers the clue and keeps the chain intact.
Can “Prods, as with a stick or finger” have a different Crossclimb answer?
Yes — because each day's ladder is different, LinkedIn can reuse the same clue with a different answer that fits that day's chain.
Where can I see the rest of this day's Crossclimb answers?
The full ladder for July 18, 2026, including the top and bottom words, is on that day's Crossclimb answers page.
What time does Crossclimb reset?
Every day at midnight Pacific Time (3:00 a.m. Eastern). We post each day's answers as soon as the new puzzle goes live.