To learn how to solve anagrams, remember that an anagram uses every letter exactly once. Count the letters, split them into vowels and consonants, set aside likely endings such as -ING or -ED, and rebuild the word from strong letter pairs. For phrases, find one long word first, then anagram the letters left over.
What is an anagram?
An anagram is a word or phrase made by rearranging all the letters of another word or phrase, using each letter exactly once. LISTEN and SILENT are anagrams. So are EARTH and HEART, and DORMITORY and DIRTY ROOM. The “every letter, exactly once” rule is what makes an anagram different from simply making words out of letters.
Anagrams turn up in crosswords (especially cryptic ones), word games, puzzle books, team names and pen names. Solving them uses the same few techniques every time.
Five techniques for solving anagrams
1. Count and sort the letters
Count the letters so you know exactly how long the answer is, then write the vowels and consonants in separate rows. Checking the count at the end stops you settling for a word that is one letter short.
2. Take out the endings
Look for -ING, -ED, -ER, -EST, -ION, -LY and plural -S. If the letters include them, set them aside. TEARING, for example, is easier to see as TEAR plus ING. Prefixes like RE-, UN- and DIS- work the same way at the front.
3. Look for letter pairs and clusters
Common pairs such as TH, CH, SH, ST, CK and QU, and common vowel pairs such as EA, OU and AI, act as building blocks. Two blocks plus a couple of loose letters is a much smaller puzzle than eight loose letters.
4. Break the original order
The letters you are given are arranged to mislead you. Write them in a circle, in reverse, or in alphabetical order, so the original order stops suggesting the wrong word.
5. Try likely shapes
English words follow patterns: consonant-vowel-consonant at the start, a double letter in the middle, a silent E at the end. Try a few shapes such as _ _ _ _ ING or RE _ _ _ _ and see which one the letters fill.
Worked example: a single word
Letters: T I N S E L (six letters, a crossword answer meaning “pay attention”)
- Vowels I and E; consonants T, N, S and L.
- No -ING or -ED here, but ST and NT are possible pairs, and EN is a common ending sound.
- Try the shape _ _ S T E N: L and I fill the gaps to make LISTEN, which matches the meaning.
The same letters also make SILENT, ENLIST and INLETS. See every anagram of TINSEL in the anagram solver.
Worked example: a phrase
Multi-word anagrams look scarier but follow the same method. Find the longest word you can, cross its letters off, then solve what is left as a smaller anagram.
Letters: ASTRONOMER (ten letters, two words)
- Spot MOON (M, O, O, N) among the letters and cross it off.
- That leaves A, S, T, R, E, R. With an -ER ending, STARER fits.
- Answer: MOON STARER, a classic anagram that also describes an astronomer.
For names and longer phrases, the anagram generator finds one-, two- and three-word anagrams and lets you insist on a particular word, which is handy for team names and wordplay.
Anagrams in crossword clues
In cryptic crosswords, anagram clues contain a hint word, called an indicator, that suggests change or disorder: broken, wild, confused, novel, odd, out or perhaps. The letters to rearrange sit right beside it. In the clue “Pay attention to broken tinsel (6)”, “broken” is the indicator, TINSEL is the letters to rearrange and “pay attention” is the definition: LISTEN. Our guide to solving cryptic crosswords covers this and the other clue types.
Some famous anagrams
Good anagrams are fun because the new phrase comments on the old one. A few well-known examples show how much a reshuffle can change:
- SCHOOLMASTER → THE CLASSROOM
- ELEVEN PLUS TWO → TWELVE PLUS ONE (both equal thirteen, and both use the same letters)
- DORMITORY → DIRTY ROOM
- ASTRONOMER → MOON STARER
Count the letters in any of these and you will find every one used exactly once, which is the test every anagram has to pass.
Checking your answer
- Count the letters in your answer against the original.
- Cross off each letter once. If a letter is left over or used twice, it is not an anagram.
- Check the answer makes sense with the clue or theme, not just the letters.
The anagram solver does this instantly and also offers two-word anagrams. If you only need a word from some of the letters, use the unscrambler instead.
Questions and answers
What is an anagram?
An anagram is a word or phrase made by rearranging all the letters of another word or phrase, using each letter exactly once. LISTEN and SILENT are anagrams.
What is the easiest way to solve an anagram?
Set aside common endings such as -ING or -ED, look for letter pairs like TH and ST, and write the letters in a circle so the original order stops misleading you.
How do you solve a two-word anagram?
Find the longest word you can make, cross its letters off, and solve the remaining letters as a smaller anagram. Check every letter is used exactly once.
How do I spot an anagram in a cryptic crossword clue?
Look for an indicator word suggesting change, such as broken, wild or confused, next to a group of words with exactly as many letters as the answer.