Spike in a World Cup player's footwear

CLEAT is the answer to "Spike in a World Cup player's footwear" in LinkedIn Crossclimb on Saturday, September 26, 2026. It has five letters and sits on rung 1, just under the top word.

"Spike in a World Cup player's footwear" answer

The answer for Saturday's puzzle is:

CLEAT

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 CLEAT fits

If you've already solved CHEAT, change its second letter from H to L. The top word, CLEAN, unlocks once the middle rungs are in order, and it differs from CLEAT only in the fifth letter, N instead of T.

The full ladder for September 26, 2026

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

Other clues from the September 26 Crossclimb

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

• Peek at a classmate's test, say → CHEAT
• Crude and unimaginative, as a trick → CHEAP
• Little sound from a nest → CHEEP
• Animals often herded by dogs → SHEEP

For the whole solution in one place, top and bottom words included, see the September 26 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.

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