Expulsion and departure indicators direct the solver to remove one piece of text from another. An expulsion involves X getting rid of Y (result = X-Y), as in ‘rookie drops everything’ for CALLOW – ALL = COW; a departure means X being lost from Y (result = Y-X), as in ‘Britain quits group’ for BAND – B = AND. This list is long but not exhaustive – in general, any term which suggests something being removed from something else is likely to be acceptable, although setters should avoid ones which are normally used only in a restricted context (eg ‘disembarks’, which relates specifically to ships). Where the indicator is a verb, other forms are possible, such as the infinitive (eg ‘right to avoid exercise’ for DRILL – R = DILL). With past participles or adjectives, the form in the wordplay will be along the lines of ‘X with Y removed’, eg ‘depressed when stripped of diamonds’ for DOWN – D = OWN. Note that a few verbs, such as ‘leave’ and ‘abandon’ can be used to indicate either expulsion or departure (‘I left the broccoli’ / ‘I left the table’). Reduction indicators direct the solver to remove letters from a specific position in the target word(s) – at the start, at the end, or in the middle (eg ‘nearly finished’ for DONE without the last letter = DON). Setters should be aware that some publications will not accept first letter reduction indicators that suggest decapitation.
Date last modified: 21/10/24
Recent changes: (22/01/24) added buries/burying/buried (bury = ‘to hide’), (25/01) added bereft of, robbed of, separated from, parted from, taken from, (07/03) added last letter reduction indicators much of, a great deal of, (27/03) added renders/rendering/rendered by, banned, relieved of, barring, (03/08) added dispenses with/dispensing with, lavishes/lavishing, (04/09) added chops/chopping/chopped, out of, losing heart, lacking heart, cored, disembowelled, filleted, internals of, internally, interior, insides; removed guts, endless, interminable for F/L deletion, (21/10) added absconds/absconding, bolts/bolting. breaks/breaking (transitive, departure), drains/draining, leaked, breaking loose/breaking out.
| Indicator | Alternative form(s) | Variety | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a great deal of | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| a lot of | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| abandoning | abandoned/abandons | Departure | Standard | |
| abandoning | abandons | Expulsion | Standard | |
| abject | Departure | Advanced | ||
| abrupt | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| absconding | absconds | Departure | Standard | |
| all but | all except | Expulsion | Standard | |
| almost | almost entirely | Reduction - last letter | Standard | |
| apart from | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| avoiding | avoids | Expulsion | Standard | |
| avoiding | avoided/avoids | Departure | Standard | |
| away | away from | Departure | Standard | |
| axed | Departure | Standard | ||
| axing | axes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| banished | Departure | Standard | ||
| banishing | banishes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| banned | Departure | Standard | ||
| bar | Expulsion | Standard | P*N | |
| bare | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| barring | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| belted out | Departure | Standard | ||
| belting out | belts out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| bereft of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| binned | Departure | Standard | ||
| bins | Expulsion | Standard | V*N | |
| bitten off | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| blanked out | Departure | Standard | ||
| blanking out | blanks out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| blotted out | Departure | Standard | ||
| blotting | blots | Expulsion | Standard | |
| blowing | blown/blows | Departure | Standard | |
| blowing | blows | Expulsion | Standard | |
| blues | Expulsion | Advanced | V*N | |
| bolting | bolts | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| bounced | Departure | Standard | ||
| bouncing | bounces | Expulsion | Standard | |
| boundless | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| breaking | breaks | Departure | Advanced | V*N |
| breaking loose | breaking out | Departure | Standard | |
| brushing off | brushing aside | Expulsion | Standard | |
| bulk of | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| buried | Departure | Standard | ||
| burying | buries | Expulsion | Standard | |
| but for | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| bypassed | Departure | Standard | ||
| bypassing | bypasses | Expulsion | Standard | |
| cancelled | Departure | Standard | ||
| cancelling | cancels | Expulsion | Standard | |
| cashiered | Departure | Standard | ||
| cashiers | Expulsion | Standard | V*N | |
| cast out | Departure | Standard | ||
| casting out | casts out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| ceded | Departure | Standard | ||
| ceding | cedes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| chapped | Reduction - last letter | Advanced | ||
| chiefly | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| chopped | Departure | Standard | ||
| chopping | chops | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| chucked | chucked out | Departure | Standard | |
| chucking (out) | chucks (out) | Expulsion | Standard | |
| clear of | cleared of | Expulsion | Standard | |
| cleared | cleared out | Departure | Standard | |
| cleft | Departure | Adavnced | V*N | |
| clipped | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| coming out | comes out | Departure | Standard | |
| concealed | Departure | Standard | ||
| concealing | conceals | Expulsion | Standard | |
| conceded | Departure | Standard | ||
| conceding | concedes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| consumed | Departure | Standard | ||
| cored | Reduction - middle letter(s) | Standard | ||
| covered | covered up | Departure | Standard | |
| covering head(s) | Reduction - first letter(s) | Standard | ||
| cropped | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| curt | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| curtailed | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| cut | cut out | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| cut | Reduction - last letter | Standard | V*N | |
| cut by | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| cutting | cuts | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| declined | Departure | Standard | ||
| declining | declines | Expulsion | Standard | |
| deducted | Departure | Standard | ||
| deficient in | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| deleted | Departure | Standard | ||
| deleting | deletes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| delivered | Departure | Standard | ||
| delivering | delivers | Expulsion | Standard | |
| denied | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| denied opening | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| departing | departs | Departure | Standard | |
| deported | Departure | Standard | ||
| deporting | deports | Expulsion | Standard | |
| deprived of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| deserted by | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| deserting | deserts | Departure | Standard | |
| detached | Departure | Standard | ||
| devoid of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| disappearing | disappears | Departure | Standard | |
| discarded | Departure | Standard | ||
| discharged | Departure | Standard | ||
| discharging | discharges | Expulsion | Standard | |
| discounted | Departure | Standard | ||
| discounting | discounts | Expulsion | Standard | |
| disembowelled | Reduction - middle letter(s) | Standard | ||
| disgorged | Departure | Standard | ||
| disgorging | disgorges | Expulsion | Standard | |
| disheartened | Reduction - middle letters | Standard | ||
| dismissed | Departure | Standard | ||
| dismissing | dismisses | Expulsion | Standard | |
| disowned | Departure | Standard | ||
| disowning | disowns | Expulsion | Standard | |
| dispatched | Departure | Standard | ||
| dispatching | dispatches | Expulsion | Standard | |
| dispensing with | dispenses with | Expulsion | Standard | |
| disposed of | Departure | Standard | ||
| disposing of | disposes of | Expulsion | Standard | |
| disregarded | Departure | Standard | ||
| disregarding | disregards | Expulsion | Standard | |
| ditched | Departure | Standard | ||
| ditching | ditches | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| divested of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| docked | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| doesn't close | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| doesn't enjoy | not enjoying | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| draining | drains | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| driven out | Departure | Standard | ||
| driving out | drives out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| dropped | Departure | Standard | ||
| dropping | drops | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| ducking | ducks | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| dumped | Departure | Standard | ||
| dumping | dumps | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| eclipsed | Departure | Standard | ||
| eclipsing | eclipses | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| ejaculating | ejaculates | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| ejected | Departure | Standard | ||
| ejecting | ejects | Expulsion | Standard | |
| eliminated | Departure | Standard | ||
| eliminating | eliminates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| eluded by | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| eluding | eludes | Departure | Standard | |
| emerging | emerges | Departure | Standard | |
| endless | endlessly | Reduction - last letter | Standard | |
| eradicated | Departure | Standard | ||
| eradicating | eradicates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| escaping | escapes | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| eschewed | Departure | Standard | ||
| eschewing | eschews | Expulsion | Standard | |
| ex | Expulsion | Advanced | P*N | |
| except | except for | Expulsion | Standard | |
| excluded | Departure | Standard | ||
| excluding | excludes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| exiled | Departure | Standard | ||
| exiling | exiles | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| exiting | exits | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| expelled | Departure | Standard | ||
| expelling | expels | Expulsion | Standard | |
| expressed | Departure | Standard | ||
| expressing | expresses | Expulsion | Standard | |
| expunged | Departure | Standard | ||
| expunging | expunges | Expulsion | Standard | |
| extracted | Departure | Standard | ||
| extruded | Departure | Standard | ||
| extruding | extrudes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| exuding | exudes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| exuding | exuded/exudes | Departure | Standard | |
| faceless | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| failing | fails | Departure | Standard | |
| filleted | Reduction - middle letter(s) | Standard | ||
| fired | Departure | Standard | ||
| firing | fires | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| flushed | Departure | Standard | ||
| flushing | flushes | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| flying | flies | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| for the most part | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| forbidden to | Departure | Standard | ||
| forgetting | forgets | Expulsion | Standard | |
| forgotten | Departure | Standard | ||
| forlorn | Departure | Advanced | ||
| frameless | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| free | Departure | Standard | A*V | |
| free of | free from | Expulsion | Standard | |
| getting rid of | gets rid of | Expulsion | Standard | |
| going | gone/goes | Departure | Standard | |
| hampered | Reduction - last letter | Advanced | ||
| having no | has no/hasn't | Expulsion | Standard | |
| having no leads | Reduction - first letters | Standard | ||
| headed | Reduction - first letter | Advanced | V*V | |
| headless | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| heartless | heartlessly | Reduction - middle letters | Standard | |
| hidden | Departure | Standard | ||
| husked | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| ignored | Departure | Standard | ||
| ignoring | ignores | Expulsion | Standard | |
| incomplete | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| infinite | infinitely | Reduction - last letter | Advanced | |
| inside | insides | Reduction - both ends | Standard | |
| interminable | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| internally | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| internals of | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| isn't available | not available | Departure | Standard | |
| isn't enjoyed by | Departure | Advanced | ||
| isolated | Departure | Standard | ||
| isolating | isolates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| jettisoned | Departure | Standard | ||
| jettisoning | jettisons | Expulsion | Standard | |
| junks | Expulsion | Standard | V*N | |
| kicked out | Departure | Standard | ||
| kicking out | kicks out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| killed | Departure | Standard | ||
| killing | kills | Expulsion | Standard | |
| knocked back | Departure | Standard | ||
| knocked out | Departure | Standard | ||
| knocking back | knocks back | Expulsion | Standard | |
| knocking out | knocks out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| lacking | lacks | Expulsion | Standard | |
| lacking | Departure | Standard | ||
| lacking heart | Reduction - middle letter(s) | Standard | ||
| laid aside | Departure | Standard | ||
| largely | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| lavishing | lavishes | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| laying aside | lays aside | Expulsion | Standard | |
| leaderless | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| leaked | Departure | Standard | ||
| leaking | leaks | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| leaking | Departure | Standard | ||
| leaving | leaves/left by | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| leaving | leaves | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| leaving out | leaves out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| less | Expulsion | Standard | P*A | |
| lessened by | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| let out | Departure | Standard | ||
| let slip | Departure | Standard | ||
| letting out | lets out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| letting slip | lets slip | Expulsion | Standard | |
| liberated | Departure | Standard | ||
| liberating | liberates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| limitless | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| lining of | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| lopped | Reduction - first letter | Advanced | ||
| losing | loses | Expulsion | Standard | |
| losing head(s) | Reduction - first letter(s) | Standard | ||
| losing heart | Reduction - middle letters | Standard | ||
| losing heart | Reduction - middle letter(s) | Standard | ||
| lost | Departure | Standard | ||
| mainly | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| minus | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| missing | misses | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| missing | missed out | Departure | Standard | |
| most of | mostly | Reduction - last letter | Standard | |
| much of | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| naked | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| nearly | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| needing | needs | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| nicked | Reduction - last letter | Advanced | ||
| no | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| not | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| not quite | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| not the first | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| not the last | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| nowhere to be seen | Departure | Standard | ||
| obliterated | Departure | Standard | ||
| obliterating | obliterates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| obscured | Departure | Standard | ||
| obscuring | obscures | Expulsion | Standard | |
| ousted | Departure | Standard | ||
| ousting | ousts | Expulsion | Standard | |
| out of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| out of bounds | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| out of sight | Departure | Standard | ||
| outing | Expulsion | Standard | V*N | |
| outing | Departure | Standard | V*N | |
| parted from | Departure | Standard | ||
| passed over | Departure | Standard | ||
| passing | passes | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| passing | passed | Departure | Standard | |
| passing over | passes over | Expulsion | Standard | |
| peeled | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| polled | Departure | Advanced | ||
| polling | polls | Expulsion | Advanced | V*N |
| pruned | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| pulled out | Departure | Standard | ||
| pulling out | pulls out | Departure | Standard | |
| put away | Departure | Standard | ||
| put out | Departure | Standard | ||
| putting away | puts away | Expulsion | Standard | |
| putting out | puts out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| quitting | quits | Departure | Standard | |
| racing | races | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| rebuffing | rebuffed/rebuffs | Departure | Standard | |
| rebuffing | rebuffs | Expulsion | Standard | |
| reduced by | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| refused to | Departure | Standard | ||
| regardless of | Expulsion | Advanced | ||
| rejected | Departure | Standard | ||
| rejecting | rejects | Expulsion | Standard | |
| rejecting outsiders | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| released | Departure | Standard | ||
| releasing | releases | Expulsion | Standard | |
| relegated | Departure | Standard | ||
| relegating | relegates | Expulsion | Standard | |
| relieved of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| relinquished | Departure | Standard | ||
| relinquishing | relinquishes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| removed | Departure | Standard | ||
| rendering | renders | Expulsion | Standard | |
| renounced | Departure | Standard | ||
| renouncing | renounces | Expulsion | Standard | |
| rid of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| rids | ridding | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| robbed of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| rubbed out | Departure | Standard | ||
| rubbing out | rubs out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| running | runs | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| save | Expulsion | Standard | P*V | |
| saving | Expulsion | Standard | P*V,P*N | |
| saving skin | save skin | Reduction - both ends | Standard | |
| scored | Departure | Standard | ||
| scoring | scores | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| scrapped | Departure | Standard | ||
| scrapping | scraps | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| scratching | scratches | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| scratching | scratched/scratches | Departure | Standard | |
| scratching backside | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| scratching head(s) | Reduction - first letter(s) | Standard | ||
| screened | Departure | Standard | ||
| screening | screens | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| scrubbed | Departure | Standard | ||
| scrubbing | scrubs | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| sending out | sends out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| sent out | Departure | Standard | ||
| separated from | Departure | Standard | ||
| set aside | Departure | Standard | ||
| setting aside | sets aside | Expulsion | Standard | |
| shed | Departure | Standard | V*N | |
| shedding | sheds | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| shelled | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| shifting | shifts | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| shifting | shifted/shifts | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| short of | short | Expulsion | Standard | |
| shortened | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| shot of | gets shot of | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| shoved out | Departure | Standard | ||
| shoving out | shoves out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| shunning | shunned/shuns | Departure | Standard | |
| shunted | Departure | Advanced | ||
| shunting | shunts | Expulsion | Advanced | V*N |
| shy of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| sidestepping | sidesteps | Departure | Standard | |
| skinless | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| skinned | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| skipping | skips | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| snatched | Departure | Standard | ||
| snubbed | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| snubbing | snubbed/snubs | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| snubbing | snubs | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| spending | spends | Expulsion | Standard | |
| spent | Departure | Standard | ||
| spilling | spills | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| spilling | spilt/spills | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| spirited away | Departure | Standard | ||
| splitting | splits | Departure | Standard | V*N |
| spurning | spurned/spurns | Departure | Standard | |
| spurning | spurns | Expulsion | Standard | |
| squeezed out | Departure | Standard | ||
| squeezing out | squeezes out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| steering clear of | steers clear of | Expulsion | Standard | |
| stifled | Departure | Standard | ||
| stifling | stifles | Expulsion | Standard | |
| stolen | Departure | Standard | ||
| stricken | Departure | Standard | ||
| striking | strikes | Expulsion | Standard | V*A,V*N |
| stripped | Departure | Standard | ||
| stripped of | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| struck | Departure | Standard | ||
| stunted | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| suppressed | Departure | Standard | ||
| suppressing | suppresses | Expulsion | Standard | |
| surrendered | Departure | Standard | ||
| surrendering | surrenders | Expulsion | Standard | |
| tailed | Reduction - last letter | Standard | V*V | |
| tailless | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| taken from | Departure | Standard | ||
| taken out | Departure | Standard | ||
| taking out | takes out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| throwing out | throws out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| thrown out | Departure | Standard | ||
| tipped | Reduction - first letter | Advanced | V*V | |
| topless | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| topped | Reduction - first letter | Advanced | V*V | |
| torn out | Departure | Standard | ||
| trimmed | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| truncated | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| turned down | Departure | Standard | ||
| turning down | turns down | Expulsion | Standard | |
| unbounded | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| uncapped | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| unconfined | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| uncovered | Reduction - both ends | Standard | V*V | |
| uncrowned | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| unemployed | Departure | Standard | ||
| unending | not ending | Reduction - last letter | Standard | |
| unfinished | Reduction - last letter | Standard | ||
| unframed | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| unleashed | Departure | Standard | ||
| unleashing | unleashes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| unloaded | Departure | Standard | ||
| unloading | unloads | Expulsion | Standard | |
| unopened | Reduction - first letter | Standard | ||
| unremembered | Departure | Advanced | ||
| unsettled | Departure | Advanced | ||
| unsettling | unsettles | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| unsheathed | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| unwanted | Departure | Standard | ||
| unwrapped | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| vanished | Departure | Advanced | ||
| vanishing | vanishes | Departure | Standard | |
| vanishing | vanishes | Expulsion | Advanced | |
| vanquished | Departure | Standard | ||
| vanquishing | vanquishes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| vented | Departure | Standard | ||
| venting | vents | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| voided | Departure | Standard | ||
| voiding | voids | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| wanting | wants | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| wanting | Departure | Standard | ||
| wasted | Departure | Standard | ||
| wasting | wastes | Expulsion | Standard | |
| wingless | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| wiped | Departure | Standard | ||
| wiped out | Departure | Standard | ||
| wiping | wipes | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |
| wiping out | wipes out | Expulsion | Standard | |
| with heart void | Reduction - middle letters | Standard | ||
| withheld | Departure | Standard | ||
| without | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| without limits | Reduction - both ends | Standard | ||
| won't have | Expulsion | Standard | ||
| yielded | Departure | Standard | ||
| yielding | yields | Expulsion | Standard | V*N |