Drag and drop indicators tell the solver that part of a word (or phrase) indicated by the wordplay should be moved to a different position or that two elements of it should be swapped. So in the clue “Cycling elite returns (6)” an element of the word SELECT must be taken from one end and moved to the other, producing ELECTS, and in the across clue “Swapping sides, plunder firearm (4)” the two ‘sides’ of LOOT must be swapped over in order to produce TOOL.
As with reversal indicators, when applied to a single word in order to produce the solution (rather than part of it) there is a risk of ambiguity if the indicator is placed between the definition and the indication of the word to be manipulated. “Famous cycling sailors (4)” could be equally well be a clue to STAR or TARS.
Incidentally, a reversal is not in general the same as a ‘drag and drop’ operation because it typically involves multiple moves (although a reversal of LEVER, say, has the same effect as a side swap).
When it comes to the movement of a specified letter or group of letters within a word, only a subset of the possible indicators is shown here, sufficient to demonstrate the possibilities. Anything which suggests movement forwards, backwards, downwards or upwards is likely to be valid – so while ‘x demoted’ is listed, the similar, and equally sound, ‘x relegated’ is not.
The list below can be sorted alphabetically on Indicator (default) or Across/Down, in either ascending (default) or descending sequence. The Search box allows full and partial searching of the first two columns in the list.
Date last modified: 21/10/24
Nature of change: Several character promotion/demotion indicators added.
| Indicator | Alternative form(s) | Across or Down | Effect | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| back at the start | Across | Last letter to start | Standard | |
| back to front | Either | Last letter to start | Standard | |
| beginning to end | Either | First letter to end | Standard | |
| beginning to fall | start to fall | Down | First letter moved down | Standard |
| beginning to retreat | first to retreat | Across | First letter moved back | Standard |
| cycling | cycles, cycled | Either | Cyclic shift | Standard |
| ending on top | Down | Last letter to start | Standard | |
| first to back | start to back | Across | First letter to end | Standard |
| first to be relegated | Down | First letter moved down | Standard | |
| first to finish | Either | First letter to end | Standard | |
| first to last | Either | First letter to end | Standard | |
| head down | Down | First letter moved down | Standard | |
| head to foot | Down | First letter to end | Standard | |
| head to tail | Either | First letter to end | Standard | |
| leader retreating | leader dropping back | Across | First letter moved back | Standard |
| leads to retreat | Across | First two letters moved back | Standard | |
| leads to reverse | Either | First two letters swapped | Standard | |
| preposterous | Either | Last letter to start | Advanced | |
| second to last | Either | Second letter to end | Standard | |
| swapping sides | Across | End letters exchanged | Standard | |
| swapping tips | exchanging tips | Either | End letters exchanged | Standard |
| tail first | tail aloft | Either | Last letter to start | Standard |
| with head dropping | Down | First letter moved down | Standard | |
| with opener dropping down | Down | First letter moved down | Standard | |
| with parts exchanged | with parts swapped | Either | Cyclic shift | Standard |
| x advanced | x advancing | Either | x moved nearer to start | |
| x brought forward | Across | x moved nearer to start | Standard | |
| x coming to fore | x coming to head | Either | x moved to start | Standard |
| x demoted | with demotion of x | Down | x moved nearer to end | Standard |
| x dropping | x stepping down | Down | x moved nearer to end | |
| x given a boost | x given a lift | Down | x moved nearer to start | |
| x promoted | with promotion of x | Down | x moved nearer to start | Standard |
| x pushed back | Across | x moved nearer to end | ||
| x put back | Across | x moved nearer to end | Standard | |
| x rising | x climbing | Down | x moved nearer to start | |
| x taken up | x stepping up | Down | x moved nearer to start | |
| x taking lead | becoming leader | Either | x moved to start | Standard |