Anagram indicators, or anagrinds as they've come to be called, give wide scope for play to the clue writer. Of all clue types that take indicators, setters seem to get most creative with anagrams. In essence, any word/phrase that suggests reordering of its adjacent letters can work as an anagrind.
The validity/fairness of indicators often leads to debate; that happens a lot with anagrinds (and I'm not talking about Nita Jaggi's anagrinds such as 'loud', 'large' in The Hindu – those are not okay by any yardstick). A classic point of contention is nounal anagrinds. One school of thought (which includes setters like Ximenes and Azed) is strictly against them, others setters/solvers find them acceptable in certain conditions. So an anagrind like 'different' (adjective) would be indisputable, but 'difference' (noun) tends to stir controversy.
Anagrinds By Letters Of The Alphabet
Here's a compilation of frequently seen anagram indicators. A huge set when compared to other indicators, and yet there are many more possibilities.
The indicators are placed in dictionary order. Click any letter for indicators that start with that letter.
Note: The list mentions one form of the word, consider its variants too. For example, BLEND => BLENDS, BLENDED, BLENDING and so on. Which grammatical form to use depends on the structure of the clue; note that the wordplay grammar must work for the cryptic reading as well as the surface. More on this here: Camouflaging Anagrams and Verbal Anagrammar.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABERRANT ABNORMAL ABOUT ABSURD ACCIDENTAL ADAPTED ADDLED ADJUSTED ADRIFT ADVERSELY AFFECTED AFFLICTED AFRESH AFTER A FASHION AGITATED AIMLESS ALL AT SEA | ALL OVER THE PLACE ALL WRONG ALTERED ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVELY AMALGAMATE AMBIGUOUS AMENDED AMISS AMOK ANEW ANOMALOUS ANOTHER ANOTHER WAY ANYHOW ANYWAY APPEARING AS | ARISING FROM AROUND ARRANGED ASKEW ASSEMBLED ASSORTED ASTRAY AT FAULT AT ODDS AT SEA AT SIXES AND SEVENS AT VARIANCE AWFUL AWKWARDLY AWRY |
BADLY BAFFLED BATTERED BEATEN UP BECOMES BEFUDDLED BENDS BENT BEWILDERED BIZARRE | BLEND BLUNDER BOTCHED BREAK DOWN BREAK OUT BREAK UP BREAKING BREWED BROADCAST BROKE | BROKEN DOWN BROKEN UP BUCKLES BUILT BUNGLED BUSTED BY ACCIDENT BY ARRANGEMENT BY MISTAKE |
CALAMITOUS CAN BE CAPRICIOUSLY CARELESSLY CATASTROPHIC CAUSES CAVORT CHANGE CHANGEABLE CHAOTIC CHEW UP CHOPPED UP CHURN CIRCLING CIRCULATED CLUMSY COCKTAIL COLLAPSE COMBINATION COME TO BE COME TO GRIEF COMES TO | COMIC COMICAL COMPLICATED COMPOSE COMPOSED COMPRISES CONCEALING CONCOCT CONFOUNDED CONFUSE CONSTITUENTS CONSTRUCT CONSTRUCTED CONTORT CONTORTED CONTRAPTION CONTRARIWISE CONTRARY CONTRIVANCE CONTRIVED CONVERSION CONVERT | CONVERTED CONVULSE COOK CORRECTED CORRUPT COULD BE CRACK UP CRACKED CRACKED UP CRASHED CRAZILY CREATE CROOKED CROSS CRUDE CRUMBLING CRUMPLED CRUSH CUNNING CURIOUSLY |
DAMAGE DANCE DEALT WITH DECOMPOSED DEFECTIVE DEFORMED DEMENTED DEMOLISHED DEPLORABLY DEPLOYED DERANGE DERIVED FROM DESIGN DESTROYED DEVASTATED DEVELOP DEVIANT DEVIATING DEVIOUSLY DEVISED DIFFERENT DIFFICULT DILAPIDATED | DISARRANGED DISARRAY DISASTROUS DISCLOSE DISCOMPOSED DISCONCERTED DISCORD DISCORDANT DISFIGURED DISGUISE DISHEVELLED DISINTEGRATED DISLOCATE DISMANTLED DISORDER DISORGANISED DISORIENTED DISPERSE DISPOSED DISQUIETED DISRUPTED DISSEMBLING DISSEMINATED | DISSIPATED DISSONANT DISTORTED DISTRACTED DISTRAUGHT DISTRESSED DISTRIBUTED DISTURB DITHERING DIVERGENT DIVERSIFIED DIVERT DIVERTED DIZZY DOCTOR DODDERY DOTTY DOUBTFULLY DREADFUL DRESSED DRUNKEN DUBIOUSLY |
ECCENTRIC EFFECT EMBODIES EMBROIL EMEND ENGENDERING | ENGINEERED ENSEMBLE ENTANGLED EQUIVOCAL ERRATICALLY ERRING | ERRONEOUS ERUPTING EXCEPTIONAL EXCITED EXOTIC EXPLODED EXTRAORDINARILY |
FABRICATE FAILING FALLACIOUS FALSE FALTERING FANCIFUL FANTASTIC FASHION FAULTY FERMENTED FICKLE FIDDLE FIGURING IN FIXED | FLAWED FLOUNDER FLUCTUATING FLUMMOXED FLURRIED FLUSTER FOOLISHLY FOR A CHANGE FORCED FORGED FORM OF FORMS FORMULATING FRACAS | FRACTURED FRAGMENT FREAKISH FREE FRENZIED FRESH FRISKY FROLICKING <soln> FROM <fodder> FUDGE FUNCTION FUNNILY FUNNY FUSED |
GARBLED GENERATING GET-UP GETS FACE-LIFT GIVES GIVES RISE TO GO AMOK | GO ASTRAY GO BAD GO BERSERK GO OFF GO STRAIGHT GO TO PIECES GO TO POT | GO TO THE DOGS GO WRONG GONE OFF GROTESQUE GROUND GYRATES |
HAPHAZARD HAPLESS HARASSED HASH HAVOC | HAYWIRE HELTER-SKELTER HIDDEN HIDE HIGGLEDY-PIGGLEDY | HORRIBLE HOTCHPOTCH HYBRID |
IDLY ILL ILL-DISPOSED ILL-FORMED ILL-MADE ILL-TREATED ILL-USED IMPAIRED IMPERFECT IMPROPER IN A BAD WAY IN A FASHION IN A FERMENT IN A FRENZY IN A HEAP IN A JUMBLE IN A KNOT IN A MESS IN A MUDDLE | IN A RIOT IN A TANGLE IN A TIZZY IN A TUMULT IN A TURMOIL IN A WHIRL IN CHAOS IN COMMOTION IN CONFUSION IN DISARRAY IN DISGUISE IN DISORDER IN ERROR IN KNOTS IN ORDER IN OTHER WORDS IN PIECES IN REBELLION IN REVOLT | IN RUINS IN SHREDS IN TROUBLE IN UPROAR INACCURATE INCOHERENT INCONSTANT INCORRECT INDUCE INFIRM INJURED INORDINATELY INSANELY INTERFERED WITH <fodder> INTO <soln> INTRICATE INVOLVED IRREGULAR IRRITATED |
JERKY JITTERY | JOGGLE JUGGLED | JUMBLED |
KIND OF | KINKY | KNOTTED |
LAWLESS LET LOOSE LIQUID | LOOSELY LOUSILY LOUSY | LUDICROUS LUNATIC |
MAD MADDENING MADE MADE FROM MADE OF MADE UP MAKE MAKE A BUNGLE OF MAKE A HASH OF MAKE A MESS OF MAKE-UP MALADJUSTED MALADROIT MALFORMATION MALFORMED MALFUNCTION MALTREATED MANAGED MANGLED MANIFEST MANIPULATE MANOEUVRE MARRED MASHED MATERIAL FOR | MAULED MAYBE MAYHEM MEANDERING MEDLEY MELT MELTED MENDED MERCURIAL MESS MESSED MESSILY MESSY METAMORPHOSIS MINCED MINGLED MISAPPLIED MISBEHAVED MISCONSTRUED MISERABLE MISHANDLED MISHAP MISREPRESENTED MISSHAPEN MISTAKE | MISTREATED MISUSED MIX MIX-UP MIXED MIXTURE MOBILE MODEL MODELLED MODIFICATION MODIFIED MODIFY MOLESTED MONGREL MOULD MOULDED MOVING MUDDIED MUDDLE MUDDLY MUTABLE MUTATIVE MUTILATED MUTINOUS MYSTERIOUS |
NASTY NAUGHTY NEGOTIATED NEW NEW FORM OF NEW ORDER | NEW STYLE NEWLY FORMED NEWLY MADE NOT EXACTLY NOT IN ORDER NOT PROPERLY | NOT RIGHT NOT STRAIGHT NOVEL NUTTY |
OBSCURE OBSTREPEROUS ODD ODD LOOKING ODDLY OFF OPERATE ORDERED | ORGANISE ORIGINALLY OTHERWISE OUT OUT OF OUT OF GEAR OUT OF JOINT OUT OF HAND | OUT OF ORDER OUT OF SORTS OUTCOME OF OUTED OUTLANDISH OVERTHROW OVERTURN |
PECULIAR PECULIAR LOOKING PECULIARLY PERFIDIOUS PERHAPS PERMUTATION PERPLEXED PERVERSELY PERVERTED PHONEY | PLACED PLAGUED PLASTIC PLAYED POORLY POSITIONED POSSIBLY POTENTIALLY POWDERED PREPARED | PROBLEMATIC PROCESSING PROPERLY PULVERISED PUT ANOTHER WAY PUT OUT PUT RIGHT PUT STRAIGHT |
QUARRIED | QUEER | QUESTIONABLE |
RABID RAGGED RAMBLING RAN AMOK RAVAGE RAVELLED RE-ORDERED READJUSTED REARRANGED REARRANGEMENT REASSEMBLED REBEL REBELLIOUS REBUILT RECALCITRANT RECAST RECOLLECTED RECONSTRUCTED RECREATE RECTIFIED REDESIGNED REFINE REFORM REFRACTORY | REGENERATE REGULATED REMADE REMODELLED RENDERING RENOVATED REORGANISED REPACK REPAIR REPLACED REPRESENT REPRODUCE RESETTLE RESHAPE RESHAPED RESHUFFLED RESOLVED RESORT RESULTING FROM RESULTING IN REVEAL REVIEWED REVISE REVISED | REVOLTING REVOLUTIONARY REVOLVING REWORD REWRITE RICKETY RIDICULOUS RIGGED RIOTOUS ROCKY ROTTEN ROUGH ROVING RUDE RUFFLED RUINED RUINOUS RUINS RUM RUMPLED RUN AMOK RUNNING WILD RUPTURED |
SADLY SCATTER SCRAMBLED SCRUFFY SEQUENCED SERVED UP SET SET DIFFERENTLY SET OFF SET OUT SETTING SHAKEN SHAKY SHAMBLES SHAPED SHATTERED SHIFT SHILLY-SHALLY SHUFFLE SHUFFLED | SILLY SINGULAR SKITTISH SLIPPING SLIPSHOD SLOPPY SLOVENLY SMASH SOMEHOW SORRY SORT SORT OF SORTED SPINNING SPLIT SPOILT SPORTING SPURIOUS SQUIGGLY | STAGGERED STEWED STIR STIRRED STORMY STRAIGHT STRANGE STRANGELY STRAYING STRICKEN STUMBLING STUPID SUBSTITUTE SUBTLE SUBVERT SURPRISINGLY SWAPPED SWIRLING SWITCHED |
TAMPERED WITH TANGLED TATTERED TEMPER TEMPESTUOUS TENTATIVE TERRIBLY THE RESULT OF THROWN TIDIED TIPPED TIPSY | TOPSY-TURVY TORN TORTUOUS TOSSED TOUSLE TRANSFORM TRANSLATED TRANSMUTED TRANSPORT TRANSPOSED TREACHEROUS TREATED | TRICK TROUBLED TUMBLE-DOWN TUMBLING TUMULTUOUS TURBULENT TURNED TURNED OUT TWIST |
UNCERTAIN UNCLEAR UNCOMMON UNDECIDED UNDISCIPLINED UNDOING UNDONE UNEASY UNFAMILIAR UNHAPPY UNNATURAL UNORTHODOX | UNRAVELLED UNRELIABLE UNREST UNRESTRAINED UNRULY UNSETTLED UNSETTLING UNSOUND UNSTABLE UNSTEADY | UNTIDY UNTIE UNUSUAL UNWONTED UPHEAVAL UPSET USAGE USE <fodder> FOR <soln> |
VACILLATING VAGUE VANDALISE VARIABLE | VARIABLE VARIED VARIETY VARIOUSLY | VARY VERSION VIOLENTLY VOLATILE |
WANDERING WARPED WARRING WAVERING WAY OUT WAYWARD WEAVE WEIRDLY WELL-FORMED | WELL-ORDERED WELL-ORGANISED WELL-VARIED WENT OFF WENT TO PIECES WHIRLING WILD WILTS WOBBLY | WOOLLY WORK OUT WORRIED WOVEN WRECK WRITHING WRONGLY |
Thanks to Ganesh for his inputs in compiling this list.
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I'm wondering if "un-" can be used as an anagrind, since when it's added to a word it negates it, "unclear" meaning "not clear" and so on.
ReplyDeleteFor example if I wanted to indicate an anagram of "DONE", could I use "undone" to indicate that the solver is looking for a word that isn't "done" (e.g. "node") ?
I suspect the answer is no, but I'm curious to know where the line is drawn...
Hi Māyā. You are right, the answer is no :)
ReplyDeleteFor one, if we say something is not(X), it doesn't exactly indicate an anagram of X. I would stick to anagrinds that more persuasively suggest jumbling.
You might like to read these too in the context of your question:
https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2011/11/elision.html
https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2009/01/wordplay-inversion.html
Thanks, Shuchi, for the reply and the links.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely not. Given dictionary a very simple string matching algorithm can create anagrams really quickly. However. If there was a program that was fed strings and it figured out that it was being fed anagrams and learned how to create them it would be an intelligent algorithm. Please note the algorithm does not know anagram rules but derives them from data it was fed. That is an intelligent algorithm. https://wordmaker.info/how-many/indicator.html
ReplyDelete