Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penalty

Hint

Think of a word that can mean acceptable and also a monetary punishment. 💸

All Crossclimb Answers

Answers for Crossclimb on Aug 31, 2026, #853

  1. FINE

Clues

  1. 1Grow weary from activity
  2. 2Employ someone to join a work team
  3. 3Home for bees
  4. 4Number of stars in many top ratings
  5. 5Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penaltyFINE

FINE is the answer to "Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penalty" in LinkedIn Crossclimb on Monday, August 31, 2026. It has four letters and sits on rung 5, just above the bottom word.

"Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penalty" answer

The answer for Monday's puzzle is:

FINE

The rest of the ladder at the top of the page stays hidden until you tap a rung, so you can check this word without giving away the others.

Why FINE fits

If you've already solved FIVE, change its third letter from V to N. The bottom word, LINE, unlocks once the middle rungs are in order, and it differs from FINE only in the first letter, L instead of F.

The full ladder for August 31, 2026

Here's every word from that day, with FINE marked.

RungWordClue
Top wordTIMEUnlocks after the middle rungs
Rung 1TIREGrow weary from activity
Rung 2HIREEmploy someone to join a work team
Rung 3HIVEHome for bees
Rung 4FIVENumber of stars in many top ratings
Rung 5FINE (this clue)Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penalty
Bottom wordLINEUnlocks after the middle rungs

Other clues from the August 31 Crossclimb

The other four clues from that day, each linked to its own page:

For the whole solution in one place, top and bottom words included, see the August 31 Crossclimb answers. Today's puzzle is on the main Crossclimb page.

About LinkedIn Crossclimb

Crossclimb is LinkedIn's daily word-ladder game. You answer short trivia clues, then put the words in order so each one differs from the next by a single letter; getting that right unlocks the top and bottom words. A new ladder goes live at midnight Pacific (3 a.m. Eastern), and it's free to play on LinkedIn.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to "Satisfactory, or amount paid as a penalty" in Crossclimb?

FINE, which has four letters. It was on rung 5 of the Monday, August 31, 2026 ladder.

How does FINE connect to the rest of the ladder?

It sits between FIVE and LINE, and it's one letter away from each.