The New York Times Crossword · 4-Down · 12 letters
Shift the gears of, in a way … or a hint to this puzzle's Across clues The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 20, 2026
Decode the turn
Reveal the answer now—or spot the trick first.
What to notice
Choose the gear used for backward motion, then apply that idea to the clue wording.
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Answer
How the trick resolves
PUT IN REVERSE describes changing a vehicle's direction and gives the operational instruction for reading the puzzle's reversed-order Across clues.
Continue this puzzlePractice Japanese →The turn in the clue
The second half marks the answer as a thematic instruction rather than only a driving definition.
The answer in plain English
To put something in reverse is to select backward motion or reverse its usual direction.
Where this clue appeared
4-Down in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for August 20, 2026.
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