Reversal indicators
Something here gets read backwards.
Reversal indicators suggest going back or turning round. In down clues, words like “up”, “rising” or “over” are common because the answer reads upwards in the grid. The reversed part can be a word, an abbreviation, or the whole answer.
Common Reversal indicators
- back
- backed
- backing
- backward
- backwards
- brought back
- coming back
- flipped
- flipping
- from the east
- going up
- going west
- inverted
- lifted
- looking back
- mirrored
- over
- overturned
- raised
- recalled
- reflected
- reflecting
- regressive
- rejected
- retired
- retiring
- retreating
- retreats
- retrograde
- returned
- returning
- returns
- reverse
- reversed
- reversing
- revolutionary
- rising
- sent back
- set back
- taken back
- turned
- turned over
- turning
- turns
- up
- up-ended
- upended
- upwards
- west
Other indicator types
Anagram · Hidden word · Container · Insertion · Homophone · Remove first letter · Remove last letter · Remove outer letters · Remove middle letter · Outer letters · Central letters · First letters · Last letters · Alternate letters · Spoonerism · Charade (building blocks) · Link word