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XWord Info Home Thumbnail view of these puzzles | Rebus puzzles | Answers that float outside the grid | Text inside blocks

49 Backward Gimmick puzzles

Crosswords where answers have to be entered backward

Entering answers backward is a crossword gimmick with a long history.

The "Count" value below shows the number of answers in each grid you have to reverse.

The Modern Era constructors:

Thumbnails for the 5 most recent:

Mon 4/1/2024
W	A	F	T	S		M	G	M			N	A	N	A
A	W	A	I	T		A	N	A	L		O	R	A	L
D	E	E	R	E		M	I	N	I	D	O	N	U	T
		L	E	E	R	A	T		S	A	M	O	S	A
D	A	W	D	L	E		C	H	A	N	D	L	E	R
O	R	E	O		C	I	A	O		T	A	D	A	S
R	A	N	F	R	O	M		B	E	E	B
M	B	A		O	U	R		B	R	A		N	A	E
			D	O	P	E		L	A	N	S	I	N	G
O	W	E	R	S		A	R	E	S		T	A	N	G
B	E	L	I	T	T	L	E		E	M	O	T	E	S
T	R	E	B	E	K		V	I	S	I	O	N
U	N	C	E	R	T	A	I	N		S	P	U	R	S
S	E	T	H		S	I	L	O		S	T	O	U	T
E	R	S	T			D	O	N		M	O	M	M	Y

POW Thu 1/17/2019
J	E	S	T	E	D		T	W	E	N		P	A	R
A	L	P	A	C	A		H	A	E	Y	L	L	E	H
M	E	L	L	O	N		E	C	N	U	O	E	N	O
P	A	I	L		S	O	L	O	S		L	A	E	M
A	N	T	I	H	E	R	O		Y	A	C	S	I	B
C	O	R	E	A		S	O	S		S	A	E	D	I
K	R	U	S	T	Y		K	U	E	H	T
S	S	N		R	E	V	I	V	E	R		F	E	D
			L	E	N	I	N		R	A	B	O	S	I
T	I	D	E	D		M	G	M		M	A	R	C	S
U	N	E	A	S	E		G	A	T	S	S	E	O	G
S	L	E	D		S	E	L	E	S		A	S	R	U
C	O	M	O	E	S	T	A		A	L	L	E	T	S
A	V	E	N	G	E	R	S		R	E	T	E	E	T
N	E	D		O	X	E	S		S	E	S	N	E	S

Sat 3/31/2018
S	T	N	A	D	E	R		S	D	A	P	S	O	S
I	H	A	V	E	T	O		B	A	Y	L	E	A	F
T	A	W	O	R	H	T		E	M	N	O	S	T	I
O	N	E	W	A	Y	S	T	R	E	E	T	S
				E	L	A	Y				S	A	P	S
I	N	S	E	T			R	O	B	O		T	H	O
N	A	M	T		L	L	A	N	I	G	N	I	O	G
A	R	O	U	S	A	L		D	R	E	A	M	E	R
S	N	O	I	T	C	E	R	I	D		T	E	B	A
A	I	R		M	E	T	A			M	O	D	E	L
D	A	E	B				N	A	L	E
		T	O	T	A	L	G	R	I	D	L	O	C	K
S	D	A	O	R	N	I		O	T	N	I	G	O	L
H	O	T	Z	O	N	E		G	R	A	N	O	L	A
O	N	S	E	T	O	V		A	E	T	E	G	A	S

Thu 2/22/2018
A	D	D	M	E		A	G	E	S		F	O	G	S
D	R	O	O	P		N	O	R	A		O	R	A	L
L	A	N	O	I	T	A	N	A	T	S	U	G	U	A
E	N	T		C	O	L	D	S		P	L	A	N	B
R	O	P	E		T	O	O		H	A	U	N	T
		A	R	B	E	G	L	A	E	R	P
A	N	N	O	Y			A	I	R			A	M	Y
T	R	I	S	E	C	T		L	E	I	S	U	R	E
M	A	C			U	M	P			M	I	N	I	S
			S	R	E	Z	I	T	E	P	P	A
	A	C	H	E	D		C	A	L		S	T	A	B
F	L	O	R	A		D	A	R	E	D		U	S	E
R	E	V	E	R	S	I	N	G	C	O	U	R	S	E
A	X	E	D		A	N	T	E		C	R	E	E	P
T	A	N	S		M	E	E	T		K	I	L	T	S

POW Thu 2/2/2017
S	T	E	P		M	O	A	N			E	R	I	C
T	A	X	I		U	N	J	A	M		V	E	G	A
A	D	E	N		C	O	A	T	I		A	C	L	U
B	A	C	K	T	O	F	R	O	N	T		O	O	L
			E	S	U	F			N	A	E	R	O	K
G	N	I	Y	A	S		D	E	O	M	E	D
E	E	N	E	R		F	O	R	W	A	R	D	H	O
R	I	G			L	E	W	I	S			E	O	N
I	N	R	E	V	E	R	S	E		S	D	A	O	T
		E	R	I	T	N	E		E	T	A	L	F	O
M	E	D	N	A	T			S	P	I	V
E	C	I		L	E	F	T	T	O	R	I	G	H	T
T	O	E	S		R	O	W	A	N		N	O	I	R
U	L	N	A		S	P	I	K	Y		C	A	K	E
P	I	T	T			S	T	E	M		I	D	E	S

Date	Count	Author	Title	Editor
Mon Apr 1, 2024	6	Alan Arbesfeld		Fagliano
Thu Jan 17, 2019	16	Ross Trudeau		Shortz
Sat Mar 31, 2018	38	Kevin G. Der		Shortz
Thu Feb 22, 2018	3	Zhouqin Burnikel		Shortz
Thu Feb 2, 2017	12	Alex Eaton-Salners		Shortz
Sun Aug 21, 2016	1	Kathy Matheson and Jeff Chen	WONDER-FUL!	Shortz
Thu Apr 28, 2016	35	Kurt Krauss		Shortz
Thu Apr 16, 2015	17	Joe Krozel and Peter Collins		Shortz
Thu Sep 11, 2014	2	Patrick Blindauer	CHANGE OF HEART	Shortz
Thu Sep 4, 2014	5	Samuel A. Donaldson		Shortz
Thu Oct 24, 2013	4	Peter A. Collins		Shortz
Sun Oct 20, 2013	1	Elizabeth C. Gorski	COUNTRY ROAD	Shortz
Thu Aug 29, 2013	30	Timothy Polin		Shortz
Thu May 30, 2013	4	Julian Lim		Shortz
Thu Aug 23, 2012	6	Mark Feldman		Shortz
Sun Nov 6, 2011	12	Elizabeth C. Gorski	BAKER'S DOZEN	Shortz
Thu Jul 28, 2011	2	Alan Arbesfeld		Shortz
Fri Apr 1, 2011	16	Elizabeth A. Long		Shortz
Thu Nov 11, 2010	1	Andrew Zhou		Shortz
Thu Sep 2, 2010	37	Patrick Blindauer and Andrea Carla Michaels		Shortz
Thu Oct 1, 2009	2	Patrick Blindauer & Rebecca Young		Shortz
Sat Nov 1, 2008	19	Donald K. Willing		Shortz
Thu Jul 17, 2008	5	Elizabeth A. Long		Shortz
Thu Aug 3, 2006	2	Nancy Salomon		Shortz
Thu Sep 23, 2004	3	Jerry E. Rosman		Shortz
Thu Apr 1, 2004	5	Byron Walden		Shortz
Sat Mar 1, 2003	2	Randolph Ross		Shortz
Sun Apr 29, 2001	1	Elizabeth C. Gorski	HIGH DEFINITION	Shortz
Sun Aug 22, 1993	5	Bernard Meren	FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS	Maleska
Thu Apr 1, 1993	40	Alfio Micci		Maleska
Fri May 8, 1992	1	Alfio Micci		Maleska
Wed Apr 1, 1992	4	Lawrence M. Rheingold		Maleska
Mon Apr 1, 1991	4	William S. McIlrath		Maleska
Sun May 20, 1990	68	John Russell	UPWARD BOUND	Maleska
Fri Jan 27, 1989	4	Bernice Gordon		Maleska
Fri Jul 15, 1988	4	Daniel Girardi		Maleska
Fri Jun 13, 1986	4	Gloria Evans		Maleska
Tue Apr 1, 1986	32	Kenneth Haxton		Maleska
Mon Apr 1, 1985	4	Ernst Theimer		Maleska
Sun Apr 1, 1984	4	Frances Hansen	!PU SMOTTOB	Maleska
Thu Apr 1, 1982	2	Ernst Theimer		Maleska
Sun Sep 28, 1980	5	Herb L. Risteen	REVERSE ENGLISH	Maleska
Tue Apr 1, 1980	3	Ernst Theimer		Maleska
Sun Dec 16, 1979	9	Michael Priestley	THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS	Maleska
Sun Jul 9, 1978	5	Herb L. Risteen	BACKUP MEN	Maleska
Sun Dec 27, 1964	1	Frances Hansen	YKCOWREBBAJ	Farrar

Other grids with similar mirror-like gimmicks

These special grids require backward thinking in a somewhat different way.

Date	Author	Editor
Tue Jun 6, 2023	Daniel Jaret	Shortz
Thu Oct 31, 2013	David Kwong	Shortz
Tue Dec 23, 2008	Joe Krozel	Shortz

XWord Info Home

137 ms

W	A	F	T	S		M	G	M			N	A	N	A
A	W	A	I	T		A	N	A	L		O	R	A	L
D	E	E	R	E		M	I	N	I	D	O	N	U	T
		L	E	E	R	A	T		S	A	M	O	S	A
D	A	W	D	L	E		C	H	A	N	D	L	E	R
O	R	E	O		C	I	A	O		T	A	D	A	S
R	A	N	F	R	O	M		B	E	E	B
M	B	A		O	U	R		B	R	A		N	A	E
			D	O	P	E		L	A	N	S	I	N	G
O	W	E	R	S		A	R	E	S		T	A	N	G
B	E	L	I	T	T	L	E		E	M	O	T	E	S
T	R	E	B	E	K		V	I	S	I	O	N
U	N	C	E	R	T	A	I	N		S	P	U	R	S
S	E	T	H		S	I	L	O		S	T	O	U	T
E	R	S	T			D	O	N		M	O	M	M	Y

J	E	S	T	E	D		T	W	E	N		P	A	R
A	L	P	A	C	A		H	A	E	Y	L	L	E	H
M	E	L	L	O	N		E	C	N	U	O	E	N	O
P	A	I	L		S	O	L	O	S		L	A	E	M
A	N	T	I	H	E	R	O		Y	A	C	S	I	B
C	O	R	E	A		S	O	S		S	A	E	D	I
K	R	U	S	T	Y		K	U	E	H	T
S	S	N		R	E	V	I	V	E	R		F	E	D
			L	E	N	I	N		R	A	B	O	S	I
T	I	D	E	D		M	G	M		M	A	R	C	S
U	N	E	A	S	E		G	A	T	S	S	E	O	G
S	L	E	D		S	E	L	E	S		A	S	R	U
C	O	M	O	E	S	T	A		A	L	L	E	T	S
A	V	E	N	G	E	R	S		R	E	T	E	E	T
N	E	D		O	X	E	S		S	E	S	N	E	S

S	T	N	A	D	E	R		S	D	A	P	S	O	S
I	H	A	V	E	T	O		B	A	Y	L	E	A	F
T	A	W	O	R	H	T		E	M	N	O	S	T	I
O	N	E	W	A	Y	S	T	R	E	E	T	S
				E	L	A	Y				S	A	P	S
I	N	S	E	T			R	O	B	O		T	H	O
N	A	M	T		L	L	A	N	I	G	N	I	O	G
A	R	O	U	S	A	L		D	R	E	A	M	E	R
S	N	O	I	T	C	E	R	I	D		T	E	B	A
A	I	R		M	E	T	A			M	O	D	E	L
D	A	E	B				N	A	L	E
		T	O	T	A	L	G	R	I	D	L	O	C	K
S	D	A	O	R	N	I		O	T	N	I	G	O	L
H	O	T	Z	O	N	E		G	R	A	N	O	L	A
O	N	S	E	T	O	V		A	E	T	E	G	A	S

A	D	D	M	E		A	G	E	S		F	O	G	S
D	R	O	O	P		N	O	R	A		O	R	A	L
L	A	N	O	I	T	A	N	A	T	S	U	G	U	A
E	N	T		C	O	L	D	S		P	L	A	N	B
R	O	P	E		T	O	O		H	A	U	N	T
		A	R	B	E	G	L	A	E	R	P
A	N	N	O	Y			A	I	R			A	M	Y
T	R	I	S	E	C	T		L	E	I	S	U	R	E
M	A	C			U	M	P			M	I	N	I	S
			S	R	E	Z	I	T	E	P	P	A
	A	C	H	E	D		C	A	L		S	T	A	B
F	L	O	R	A		D	A	R	E	D		U	S	E
R	E	V	E	R	S	I	N	G	C	O	U	R	S	E
A	X	E	D		A	N	T	E		C	R	E	E	P
T	A	N	S		M	E	E	T		K	I	L	T	S

S	T	E	P		M	O	A	N			E	R	I	C
T	A	X	I		U	N	J	A	M		V	E	G	A
A	D	E	N		C	O	A	T	I		A	C	L	U
B	A	C	K	T	O	F	R	O	N	T		O	O	L
			E	S	U	F			N	A	E	R	O	K
G	N	I	Y	A	S		D	E	O	M	E	D
E	E	N	E	R		F	O	R	W	A	R	D	H	O
R	I	G			L	E	W	I	S			E	O	N
I	N	R	E	V	E	R	S	E		S	D	A	O	T
		E	R	I	T	N	E		E	T	A	L	F	O
M	E	D	N	A	T			S	P	I	V
E	C	I		L	E	F	T	T	O	R	I	G	H	T
T	O	E	S		R	O	W	A	N		N	O	I	R
U	L	N	A		S	P	I	K	Y		C	A	K	E
P	I	T	T			S	T	E	M		I	D	E	S

W	A	F	T	S		M	G	M			N	A	N	A
A	W	A	I	T		A	N	A	L		O	R	A	L
D	E	E	R	E		M	I	N	I	D	O	N	U	T
		L	E	E	R	A	T		S	A	M	O	S	A
D	A	W	D	L	E		C	H	A	N	D	L	E	R
O	R	E	O		C	I	A	O		T	A	D	A	S
R	A	N	F	R	O	M		B	E	E	B
M	B	A		O	U	R		B	R	A		N	A	E
			D	O	P	E		L	A	N	S	I	N	G
O	W	E	R	S		A	R	E	S		T	A	N	G
B	E	L	I	T	T	L	E		E	M	O	T	E	S
T	R	E	B	E	K		V	I	S	I	O	N
U	N	C	E	R	T	A	I	N		S	P	U	R	S
S	E	T	H		S	I	L	O		S	T	O	U	T
E	R	S	T			D	O	N		M	O	M	M	Y

J	E	S	T	E	D		T	W	E	N		P	A	R
A	L	P	A	C	A		H	A	E	Y	L	L	E	H
M	E	L	L	O	N		E	C	N	U	O	E	N	O
P	A	I	L		S	O	L	O	S		L	A	E	M
A	N	T	I	H	E	R	O		Y	A	C	S	I	B
C	O	R	E	A		S	O	S		S	A	E	D	I
K	R	U	S	T	Y		K	U	E	H	T
S	S	N		R	E	V	I	V	E	R		F	E	D
			L	E	N	I	N		R	A	B	O	S	I
T	I	D	E	D		M	G	M		M	A	R	C	S
U	N	E	A	S	E		G	A	T	S	S	E	O	G
S	L	E	D		S	E	L	E	S		A	S	R	U
C	O	M	O	E	S	T	A		A	L	L	E	T	S
A	V	E	N	G	E	R	S		R	E	T	E	E	T
N	E	D		O	X	E	S		S	E	S	N	E	S

S	T	N	A	D	E	R		S	D	A	P	S	O	S
I	H	A	V	E	T	O		B	A	Y	L	E	A	F
T	A	W	O	R	H	T		E	M	N	O	S	T	I
O	N	E	W	A	Y	S	T	R	E	E	T	S
				E	L	A	Y				S	A	P	S
I	N	S	E	T			R	O	B	O		T	H	O
N	A	M	T		L	L	A	N	I	G	N	I	O	G
A	R	O	U	S	A	L		D	R	E	A	M	E	R
S	N	O	I	T	C	E	R	I	D		T	E	B	A
A	I	R		M	E	T	A			M	O	D	E	L
D	A	E	B				N	A	L	E
		T	O	T	A	L	G	R	I	D	L	O	C	K
S	D	A	O	R	N	I		O	T	N	I	G	O	L
H	O	T	Z	O	N	E		G	R	A	N	O	L	A
O	N	S	E	T	O	V		A	E	T	E	G	A	S

A	D	D	M	E		A	G	E	S		F	O	G	S
D	R	O	O	P		N	O	R	A		O	R	A	L
L	A	N	O	I	T	A	N	A	T	S	U	G	U	A
E	N	T		C	O	L	D	S		P	L	A	N	B
R	O	P	E		T	O	O		H	A	U	N	T
		A	R	B	E	G	L	A	E	R	P
A	N	N	O	Y			A	I	R			A	M	Y
T	R	I	S	E	C	T		L	E	I	S	U	R	E
M	A	C			U	M	P			M	I	N	I	S
			S	R	E	Z	I	T	E	P	P	A
	A	C	H	E	D		C	A	L		S	T	A	B
F	L	O	R	A		D	A	R	E	D		U	S	E
R	E	V	E	R	S	I	N	G	C	O	U	R	S	E
A	X	E	D		A	N	T	E		C	R	E	E	P
T	A	N	S		M	E	E	T		K	I	L	T	S

S	T	E	P		M	O	A	N			E	R	I	C
T	A	X	I		U	N	J	A	M		V	E	G	A
A	D	E	N		C	O	A	T	I		A	C	L	U
B	A	C	K	T	O	F	R	O	N	T		O	O	L
			E	S	U	F			N	A	E	R	O	K
G	N	I	Y	A	S		D	E	O	M	E	D
E	E	N	E	R		F	O	R	W	A	R	D	H	O
R	I	G			L	E	W	I	S			E	O	N
I	N	R	E	V	E	R	S	E		S	D	A	O	T
		E	R	I	T	N	E		E	T	A	L	F	O
M	E	D	N	A	T			S	P	I	V
E	C	I		L	E	F	T	T	O	R	I	G	H	T
T	O	E	S		R	O	W	A	N		N	O	I	R
U	L	N	A		S	P	I	K	Y		C	A	K	E
P	I	T	T			S	T	E	M		I	D	E	S

W	A	F	T	S		M	G	M			N	A	N	A
A	W	A	I	T		A	N	A	L		O	R	A	L
D	E	E	R	E		M	I	N	I	D	O	N	U	T
		L	E	E	R	A	T		S	A	M	O	S	A
D	A	W	D	L	E		C	H	A	N	D	L	E	R
O	R	E	O		C	I	A	O		T	A	D	A	S
R	A	N	F	R	O	M		B	E	E	B
M	B	A		O	U	R		B	R	A		N	A	E
			D	O	P	E		L	A	N	S	I	N	G
O	W	E	R	S		A	R	E	S		T	A	N	G
B	E	L	I	T	T	L	E		E	M	O	T	E	S
T	R	E	B	E	K		V	I	S	I	O	N
U	N	C	E	R	T	A	I	N		S	P	U	R	S
S	E	T	H		S	I	L	O		S	T	O	U	T
E	R	S	T			D	O	N		M	O	M	M	Y

J	E	S	T	E	D		T	W	E	N		P	A	R
A	L	P	A	C	A		H	A	E	Y	L	L	E	H
M	E	L	L	O	N		E	C	N	U	O	E	N	O
P	A	I	L		S	O	L	O	S		L	A	E	M
A	N	T	I	H	E	R	O		Y	A	C	S	I	B
C	O	R	E	A		S	O	S		S	A	E	D	I
K	R	U	S	T	Y		K	U	E	H	T
S	S	N		R	E	V	I	V	E	R		F	E	D
			L	E	N	I	N		R	A	B	O	S	I
T	I	D	E	D		M	G	M		M	A	R	C	S
U	N	E	A	S	E		G	A	T	S	S	E	O	G
S	L	E	D		S	E	L	E	S		A	S	R	U
C	O	M	O	E	S	T	A		A	L	L	E	T	S
A	V	E	N	G	E	R	S		R	E	T	E	E	T
N	E	D		O	X	E	S		S	E	S	N	E	S

S	T	N	A	D	E	R		S	D	A	P	S	O	S
I	H	A	V	E	T	O		B	A	Y	L	E	A	F
T	A	W	O	R	H	T		E	M	N	O	S	T	I
O	N	E	W	A	Y	S	T	R	E	E	T	S
				E	L	A	Y				S	A	P	S
I	N	S	E	T			R	O	B	O		T	H	O
N	A	M	T		L	L	A	N	I	G	N	I	O	G
A	R	O	U	S	A	L		D	R	E	A	M	E	R
S	N	O	I	T	C	E	R	I	D		T	E	B	A
A	I	R		M	E	T	A			M	O	D	E	L
D	A	E	B				N	A	L	E
		T	O	T	A	L	G	R	I	D	L	O	C	K
S	D	A	O	R	N	I		O	T	N	I	G	O	L
H	O	T	Z	O	N	E		G	R	A	N	O	L	A
O	N	S	E	T	O	V		A	E	T	E	G	A	S

A	D	D	M	E		A	G	E	S		F	O	G	S
D	R	O	O	P		N	O	R	A		O	R	A	L
L	A	N	O	I	T	A	N	A	T	S	U	G	U	A
E	N	T		C	O	L	D	S		P	L	A	N	B
R	O	P	E		T	O	O		H	A	U	N	T
		A	R	B	E	G	L	A	E	R	P
A	N	N	O	Y			A	I	R			A	M	Y
T	R	I	S	E	C	T		L	E	I	S	U	R	E
M	A	C			U	M	P			M	I	N	I	S
			S	R	E	Z	I	T	E	P	P	A
	A	C	H	E	D		C	A	L		S	T	A	B
F	L	O	R	A		D	A	R	E	D		U	S	E
R	E	V	E	R	S	I	N	G	C	O	U	R	S	E
A	X	E	D		A	N	T	E		C	R	E	E	P
T	A	N	S		M	E	E	T		K	I	L	T	S

S	T	E	P		M	O	A	N			E	R	I	C
T	A	X	I		U	N	J	A	M		V	E	G	A
A	D	E	N		C	O	A	T	I		A	C	L	U
B	A	C	K	T	O	F	R	O	N	T		O	O	L
			E	S	U	F			N	A	E	R	O	K
G	N	I	Y	A	S		D	E	O	M	E	D
E	E	N	E	R		F	O	R	W	A	R	D	H	O
R	I	G			L	E	W	I	S			E	O	N
I	N	R	E	V	E	R	S	E		S	D	A	O	T
		E	R	I	T	N	E		E	T	A	L	F	O
M	E	D	N	A	T			S	P	I	V
E	C	I		L	E	F	T	T	O	R	I	G	H	T
T	O	E	S		R	O	W	A	N		N	O	I	R
U	L	N	A		S	P	I	K	Y		C	A	K	E
P	I	T	T			S	T	E	M		I	D	E	S