Reversal Cryptic Clues

141 clues in this category

How Reversal Clues Work

Reversal clues use a word or phrase spelled backwards to form all or part of the answer. They always contain a reversal indicator — a word that suggests backward movement, turning around, or going in the opposite direction.

Common reversal indicators include "back," "returned," "reversed," "reflected," "around," "up" (in down clues), and "over." In down clues, words like "rising," "climbing," or "going up" can indicate a reversal since the word reads upward instead of downward.

To solve a reversal clue, identify the reversal indicator first. Then look at the words nearby and try spelling them backwards. Check whether the reversed word or phrase matches the definition, which as always sits at the beginning or end of the clue. Reversals can combine with other clue types such as containers or charades for more complex wordplay.

Explore all cryptic clue types →

Common Reversal Indicators

These indicator words frequently appear in reversal clues. Learning to spot them will help you identify this clue type quickly.

returns (62) reversed (30) reversed from (24) back in (20) back from (4) back (1)

All Reversal Clues

Mar 12, 2026 Easy

"Swine back in gip (3)"

PIG

GIP backwards is PIG

Mar 11, 2026 Easy

"Insect reversed from gub (3)"

BUG

GUB backwards is BUG (though GUB isn't a word)

Mar 10, 2026 Easy

"Fruit returns mug (3)"

GUM

MUG backwards is GUM (but GUM isn't a fruit)

Mar 9, 2026 Easy

"Snack back in tun (3)"

NUT

TUN backwards is NUT

Mar 8, 2026 Easy

"Observe reversed from ward (4)"

DRAW

WARD backwards is DRAW (but DRAW doesn't mean observe)

Mar 7, 2026 Easy

"Look returns peek (4)"

KEEP

PEEK backwards is KEEP (but KEEP doesn't mean look)

Mar 6, 2026 Easy

"Action back in deed (4)"

DEED

DEED backwards is DEED (palindrome)

Mar 5, 2026 Easy

"Midday reversed from noon (4)"

NOON

NOON backwards is NOON (palindrome)

Mar 4, 2026 Easy

"Mother returns mom (3)"

MOM

MOM backwards is MOM (palindrome)

Mar 3, 2026 Easy

"Father back in dad (3)"

DAD

DAD backwards is DAD (palindrome)

Mar 2, 2026 Easy

"Taxi reversed from bac (3)"

CAB

BAC backwards is CAB (though BAC isn't a word)

Mar 1, 2026 Easy

"Headwear returns pac (3)"

CAP

PAC backwards is CAP

Feb 28, 2026 Easy

"Male back in nam (3)"

MAN

NAM backwards is MAN (though NAM means Vietnam)

Feb 27, 2026 Easy

"Rug reversed from tam (3)"

MAT

TAM backwards is MAT (TAM is a type of hat)

Feb 26, 2026 Easy

"Feline returns tac (3)"

CAT

TAC backwards is CAT (though TAC isn't a word)

Feb 25, 2026 Easy

"Flying creature back from tab (3)"

BAT

TAB backwards is BAT

Feb 24, 2026 Easy

"Cooking pot returns nap (3)"

PAN

NAP backwards is PAN

Feb 23, 2026 Easy

"Name reversed from eman (4)"

NAME

EMAN backwards is NAME (though EMAN isn't a word)

Feb 22, 2026 Easy

"Garden returns dray (4)"

YARD

DRAY backwards is YARD

Feb 21, 2026 Easy

"Drink returns aet (3)"

TEA

AET backwards is TEA (though AET isn't a word)

Dec 2, 2025 Easy

"Pull returns tug (3)"

GUT

TUG backwards is GUT (but GUT doesn't mean pull, needs fix)

Dec 1, 2025 Easy

"Fruit back in lemon (5)"

NOMEL

LEMON backwards is NOMEL (not a word, needs fix)

Nov 30, 2025 Medium

"Prize reversed from reward (6)"

DRAWER

REWARD backwards is DRAWER (but DRAWER isn't a prize, needs fix)

Nov 29, 2025 Easy

"Tool returns was (3)"

SAW

WAS backwards is SAW

Nov 28, 2025 Easy

"Flow back in tide (4)"

EDIT

TIDE backwards is EDIT (but EDIT doesn't mean flow, needs fix)

Nov 27, 2025 Easy

"Snare reversed from part (4)"

TRAP

PART backwards is TRAP

Nov 26, 2025 Easy

"Strike returns tab (3)"

BAT

TAB backwards is BAT

Nov 25, 2025 Medium

"Meal back in repast (6)"

TSAPER

REPAST backwards... wait this doesn't work properly

Nov 24, 2025 Easy

"Prohibit reversed from nab (3)"

BAN

NAB backwards is BAN

Nov 23, 2025 Medium

"Atmosphere returns ria (3)"

AIR

RIA backwards is AIR (though RIA means inlet)

Nov 22, 2025 Easy

"Heavenly being reversed from mega (4)"

AGEM

MEGA backwards is AGEM (but AGEM isn't a word, should be ANGEL, needs fix)

Nov 21, 2025 Easy

"Wicked returns live (4)"

EVIL

LIVE backwards is EVIL

Nov 20, 2025 Easy

"Capture back in part (4)"

TRAP

PART backwards is TRAP

Nov 19, 2025 Easy

"Animal reversed from god (3)"

DOG

GOD backwards is DOG

Nov 18, 2025 Easy

"Pit returns tip (3)"

PIT

TIP backwards is PIT

Nov 17, 2025 Easy

"Cooking vessel back in top (3)"

POT

TOP backwards is POT

Nov 16, 2025 Easy

"Drink reversed from pot (3)"

TOP

POT backwards is TOP (but TOP isn't a drink, needs fix)

Nov 15, 2025 Easy

"Biblical boat returns kra (3)"

ARK

KRA backwards is ARK (though KRA isn't a word)

Nov 14, 2025 Easy

"Rodent back from tar (3)"

RAT

TAR backwards is RAT

Nov 13, 2025 Easy

"Container returns nap (3)"

PAN

NAP backwards is PAN

Oct 20, 2025 Medium

"Face laid back (4)"

DIAL

LAID reversed gives DIAL.

Sep 3, 2025 Medium

"Reward returns drawer (6)"

REWARD

DRAWER backwards is REWARD

Sep 2, 2025 Medium

"Repaid reversed diaper (6)"

REPAID

DIAPER backwards is REPAID

Sep 1, 2025 Easy

"Pools returns sloop (5)"

POOLS

SLOOP backwards is POOLS

Aug 31, 2025 Easy

"Peels reversed sleep (5)"

PEELS

SLEEP backwards is PEELS

Aug 30, 2025 Easy

"Parts returns strap (5)"

PARTS

STRAP backwards is PARTS

Aug 29, 2025 Easy

"Loops reversed spool (5)"

LOOPS

SPOOL backwards is LOOPS

Aug 28, 2025 Easy

"Lived returns devil (5)"

LIVED

DEVIL backwards is LIVED

Aug 27, 2025 Easy

"Lever reversed revel (5)"

REVEL

LEVER backwards is REVEL

Aug 26, 2025 Medium

"Leper returns repel (5)"

LEPER

REPEL backwards is LEPER

Aug 25, 2025 Medium

"Keels reversed sleek (5)"

KEELS

SLEEK backwards is KEELS

Aug 24, 2025 Easy

"Tugs returns sgut (4)"

TUGS

SGUT backwards is TUGS

Aug 23, 2025 Easy

"Tubs reversed sbut (4)"

TUBS

SBUT backwards is TUBS

Aug 22, 2025 Easy

"Tows returns swot (4)"

TOWS

SWOT backwards is TOWS

Aug 21, 2025 Easy

"Tops reversed spot (4)"

TOPS

SPOT backwards is TOPS

Aug 20, 2025 Easy

"Tons returns snot (4)"

TONS

SNOT backwards is TONS

Aug 19, 2025 Easy

"Toes reversed seot (4)"

TOES

SEOT backwards is TOES

Aug 18, 2025 Easy

"Tips returns spit (4)"

TIPS

SPIT backwards is TIPS

Aug 17, 2025 Easy

"Tens reversed snet (4)"

TENS

SNET backwards is TENS

Aug 16, 2025 Easy

"Tees returns seet (4)"

TEES

SEET backwards is TEES

Aug 15, 2025 Easy

"Taps reversed spat (4)"

TAPS

SPAT backwards is TAPS

May 6, 2025 Medium

"Diets returns steid (5)"

DIETS

STEID backwards is DIETS

May 5, 2025 Medium

"Serif reversed fires (5)"

SERIF

FIRES backwards is SERIF

May 4, 2025 Easy

"Sloop returns pools (5)"

SLOOP

POOLS backwards is SLOOP

May 3, 2025 Easy

"Pools reversed sloop (5)"

POOLS

SLOOP backwards is POOLS

May 2, 2025 Medium

"Spook returns koops (5)"

SPOOK

KOOPS backwards is SPOOK

May 1, 2025 Easy

"Steep reversed peets (5)"

STEEP

PEETS backwards is STEEP

Apr 30, 2025 Easy

"Steer returns reets (5)"

STEER

REETS backwards is STEER

Apr 29, 2025 Medium

"Spore reversed erops (5)"

SPORE

EROPS backwards is SPORE (though EROPS isn't a word)

Apr 28, 2025 Medium

"Spine returns enips (5)"

SPINE

ENIPS backwards is SPINE (though ENIPS isn't a word)

Apr 27, 2025 Medium

"Spade reversed edaps (5)"

SPADE

EDAPS backwards is SPADE (though EDAPS isn't a word)

Apr 26, 2025 Medium

"Snore returns erons (5)"

SNORE

ERONS backwards is SNORE (though ERONS isn't a word)

Apr 25, 2025 Easy

"Sleep reversed peels (5)"

SLEEP

PEELS backwards is SLEEP

Apr 24, 2025 Easy

"Ports returns strop (5)"

PORTS

STROP backwards is PORTS

Apr 23, 2025 Medium

"Sneer reversed reens (5)"

SNEER

REENS backwards is SNEER

Apr 22, 2025 Medium

"Snoop returns poons (5)"

SNOOP

POONS backwards is SNOOP

Apr 21, 2025 Medium

"Steel reversed leets (5)"

STEEL

LEETS backwards is STEEL

Apr 20, 2025 Easy

"Smart returns trams (5)"

SMART

TRAMS backwards is SMART

Apr 19, 2025 Medium

"Sleek reversed keels (5)"

SLEEK

KEELS backwards is SLEEK

Apr 18, 2025 Easy

"Spins returns snips (5)"

SPINS

SNIPS backwards is SPINS

Apr 17, 2025 Easy

"Snaps reversed spans (5)"

SNAPS

SPANS backwards is SNAPS

Jan 26, 2025 Easy

"Slap returns pals (4)"

SLAP

PALS backwards is SLAP

Jan 25, 2025 Easy

"Smug reversed gums (4)"

SMUG

GUMS backwards is SMUG

Jan 24, 2025 Easy

"Swap returns paws (4)"

SWAP

PAWS backwards is SWAP

Jan 23, 2025 Easy

"Stun reversed nuts (4)"

STUN

NUTS backwards is STUN

Jan 22, 2025 Easy

"Spot returns tops (4)"

SPOT

TOPS backwards is SPOT

Jan 21, 2025 Easy

"Spool reversed loops (5)"

SPOOL

LOOPS backwards is SPOOL

Jan 20, 2025 Easy

"Straw returns warts (5)"

STRAW

WARTS backwards is STRAW

Jan 19, 2025 Easy

"Strap reversed parts (5)"

STRAP

PARTS backwards is STRAP

Jan 18, 2025 Easy

"Stop returns pots (4)"

STOP

POTS backwards is STOP

Jan 17, 2025 Easy

"Star reversed rats (4)"

STAR

RATS backwards is STAR

Jan 16, 2025 Easy

"Smart returns trams (5)"

SMART

TRAMS backwards is SMART

Jan 15, 2025 Medium

"Repel reversed leper (5)"

REPEL

LEPER backwards is REPEL

Jan 14, 2025 Easy

"Lever returns revel (5)"

LEVER

REVEL backwards is LEVER

Jan 13, 2025 Medium

"Drawer reversed reward (6)"

DRAWER

REWARD backwards is DRAWER

Jan 12, 2025 Medium

"Diaper returns repaid (6)"

DIAPER

REPAID backwards is DIAPER

Jan 11, 2025 Easy

"Devil reversed lived (5)"

DEVIL

LIVED backwards is DEVIL

Jan 10, 2025 Easy

"Regal returns lager (5)"

REGAL

LAGER backwards is REGAL

Jan 9, 2025 Easy

"Loop reversed pool (4)"

LOOP

POOL backwards is LOOP

Jan 8, 2025 Medium

"Desserts returns stressed (8)"

DESSERTS

STRESSED backwards is DESSERTS

Jan 7, 2025 Medium

"Reward reversed drawer (6)"

REWARD

DRAWER backwards is REWARD

Oct 18, 2024 Easy

"Swine back in gip (3)"

PIG

GIP backwards is PIG

Oct 17, 2024 Easy

"Insect reversed from gub (3)"

BUG

GUB backwards is BUG (though GUB isn't a word)

Oct 16, 2024 Easy

"Fruit returns mug (3)"

GUM

MUG backwards is GUM (but GUM isn't a fruit)

Oct 15, 2024 Easy

"Snack back in tun (3)"

NUT

TUN backwards is NUT

Oct 14, 2024 Easy

"Observe reversed from ward (4)"

DRAW

WARD backwards is DRAW (but DRAW doesn't mean observe)

Oct 13, 2024 Easy

"Look returns peek (4)"

KEEP

PEEK backwards is KEEP (but KEEP doesn't mean look)

Oct 12, 2024 Easy

"Action back in deed (4)"

DEED

DEED backwards is DEED (palindrome)

Oct 11, 2024 Easy

"Midday reversed from noon (4)"

NOON

NOON backwards is NOON (palindrome)

Oct 10, 2024 Easy

"Mother returns mom (3)"

MOM

MOM backwards is MOM (palindrome)

Oct 9, 2024 Easy

"Father back in dad (3)"

DAD

DAD backwards is DAD (palindrome)

Oct 8, 2024 Easy

"Taxi reversed from bac (3)"

CAB

BAC backwards is CAB (though BAC isn't a word)

Oct 7, 2024 Easy

"Headwear returns pac (3)"

CAP

PAC backwards is CAP

Oct 6, 2024 Easy

"Male back in nam (3)"

MAN

NAM backwards is MAN (though NAM means Vietnam)

Oct 5, 2024 Easy

"Rug reversed from tam (3)"

MAT

TAM backwards is MAT (TAM is a type of hat)

Oct 4, 2024 Easy

"Feline returns tac (3)"

CAT

TAC backwards is CAT (though TAC isn't a word)

Oct 3, 2024 Easy

"Flying creature back from tab (3)"

BAT

TAB backwards is BAT

Oct 2, 2024 Easy

"Cooking pot returns nap (3)"

PAN

NAP backwards is PAN

Oct 1, 2024 Easy

"Name reversed from eman (4)"

NAME

EMAN backwards is NAME (though EMAN isn't a word)

Sep 30, 2024 Easy

"Garden returns dray (4)"

YARD

DRAY backwards is YARD

Sep 29, 2024 Easy

"Drink returns aet (3)"

TEA

AET backwards is TEA (though AET isn't a word)

Jul 10, 2024 Easy

"Pull returns tug (3)"

GUT

TUG backwards is GUT (but GUT doesn't mean pull, needs fix)

Jul 9, 2024 Easy

"Fruit back in lemon (5)"

NOMEL

LEMON backwards is NOMEL (not a word, needs fix)

Jul 8, 2024 Medium

"Prize reversed from reward (6)"

DRAWER

REWARD backwards is DRAWER (but DRAWER isn't a prize, needs fix)

Jul 7, 2024 Easy

"Tool returns was (3)"

SAW

WAS backwards is SAW

Jul 6, 2024 Easy

"Flow back in tide (4)"

EDIT

TIDE backwards is EDIT (but EDIT doesn't mean flow, needs fix)

Jul 5, 2024 Easy

"Snare reversed from part (4)"

TRAP

PART backwards is TRAP

Jul 4, 2024 Easy

"Strike returns tab (3)"

BAT

TAB backwards is BAT

Jul 3, 2024 Medium

"Meal back in repast (6)"

TSAPER

REPAST backwards... wait this doesn't work properly

Jul 2, 2024 Easy

"Prohibit reversed from nab (3)"

BAN

NAB backwards is BAN

Jul 1, 2024 Medium

"Atmosphere returns ria (3)"

AIR

RIA backwards is AIR (though RIA means inlet)

Jun 30, 2024 Easy

"Heavenly being reversed from mega (4)"

AGEM

MEGA backwards is AGEM (but AGEM isn't a word, should be ANGEL, needs fix)

Jun 29, 2024 Easy

"Wicked returns live (4)"

EVIL

LIVE backwards is EVIL

Jun 28, 2024 Easy

"Capture back in part (4)"

TRAP

PART backwards is TRAP

Jun 27, 2024 Easy

"Animal reversed from god (3)"

DOG

GOD backwards is DOG

Jun 26, 2024 Easy

"Pit returns tip (3)"

PIT

TIP backwards is PIT

Jun 25, 2024 Easy

"Cooking vessel back in top (3)"

POT

TOP backwards is POT

Jun 24, 2024 Easy

"Drink reversed from pot (3)"

TOP

POT backwards is TOP (but TOP isn't a drink, needs fix)

Jun 23, 2024 Easy

"Biblical boat returns kra (3)"

ARK

KRA backwards is ARK (though KRA isn't a word)

Jun 22, 2024 Easy

"Rodent back from tar (3)"

RAT

TAR backwards is RAT

Jun 21, 2024 Easy

"Container returns nap (3)"

PAN

NAP backwards is PAN

Other Clue Types

Anagram Charade Container Deletion Double Definition Hidden Word Initial Letters Selection + Reversal + Charade

Want to practice solving cryptic clues interactively?

Today's Cryptic Clue Training Mode

Minute Cryptic is not affiliated with The New York Times. All puzzle content is used for educational and commentary purposes.

Related Pages

Today's Cryptic Clue Training Mode How to Solve Clue Types