This is an incomplete list of substitution and movement indicators, covering anything which suggests swapping or movement of letters in a word. Indicators which are suggestive of upwards motion are valid only in down clues (*).
Substitution and switching of letters[]
Changing the middle one or two letters[]
- having a change of heart
Swapping the middle two letters[]
- having a heart transplant
Swapping the first and last letters[]
- changing sides
- exchange clothes
Movement of letters[]
- bubbling up*
- coming up*
- most prominently
- rising*
- to the bottom*
- to the top*
Cycling[]
These indicators suggest the movement of the first letter(s) to the end (or v.v., gives the same result).
E.g.: ABCDEFG -> DEFGABC
- cycling
Spoonerization[]
- Spooner's
- swapping tops
- starts to change
Swapping specific letters[]
These indicators suggest the changing of all instances of the letter(s) X for the letter(s) Y.
- confused X with Y
- making X Y
- X becoming Y
- X to Y
- Y for X
- Y in place of X
- Y, not X