Cryptic Crossword Indicator Words
Indicator words are the signal words in a cryptic clue that tell you which kind of wordplay the setter is using. Spotting them is the single biggest shortcut to solving. This directory lists 1,673 indicators across 8 clue types — search a word below, or browse by type.
Browse by clue type
Anagram1,024Anagram indicators tell you to rearrange the letters of nearby words.
Hidden word58Hidden-word indicators show the answer is concealed inside the clue's text.
Container123Container indicators tell you to put one set of letters inside another.
Reversal143Reversal indicators tell you to write a word or its letters backwards.
Deletion116Deletion indicators tell you to drop a letter or letters from a word.
Homophone60Homophone indicators tell you the answer sounds like another word.
Charade71Charade indicators join pieces of wordplay end to end.Acrostic78Acrostic indicators tell you to take the first (or last) letters of words.Why indicators matter
- They reveal the clue type. The same word can be a definition or wordplay — the indicator tells you which.
- They show what to work with. An anagram indicator points straight at the letters you need to rearrange.
- They narrow the search. Recognise the device and you stop guessing and start deducing.
- They're reusable. Setters draw from a shared vocabulary — learn it once and it pays off forever.
How do cryptic crossword clues actually work?
Almost every cryptic clue is two clues in one: a straight definition and some wordplay that spell the same answer. The indicator lives in the wordplay. Tap each part to see it.
Definition. The straight definition. Read on its own, it means the answer: a HIPPO.
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