Dataset & Attribution

CrypticCrab includes a database of cryptic crossword indicator words that powers the Reference Lookup tool. Indicators are the signpost words and phrases that clue solvers into which wordplay technique is being used — anagrams, hidden words, reversals, and more.

This database helps learners recognise common indicator patterns and build the vocabulary needed to confidently parse cryptic clues.

The indicator data in CrypticCrab is derived from the work of George Ho and his comprehensive cryptic crossword dataset at cryptics.georgeho.org.

We're grateful for George's contribution to the cryptic crossword community. His open dataset made it possible to build a structured reference tool for learners.

The original indicator data has been restructured and extended for use in CrypticCrab:

• Indicators were reorganised into a SQLite database for efficient on-device querying
• Each indicator was categorised by cryptic technique type (e.g. anagram, hidden word, reversal, container)
• Subcategories were added to provide finer-grained grouping within each technique
• Additional metadata was added to support filtering, search, and display in the Reference Lookup tool

The derived indicator database used in CrypticCrab is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) v1.0.

This means you are free to share, modify, and use the database, provided you attribute the original source, share any derived databases under the same license, and keep the database open.

Full license text: Open Database License (ODbL) v1.0

You can download the indicator database directly. The file is a SQLite database (~3 MB) that can be opened with any SQLite-compatible tool.

Download indicators.db