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Most cryptic clues can be parsed into the components: definition, wordplay and indicator. Clue types such as anagrams, telescopic clues, container clues, all follow this structure.
An occasional clue will use a variant of this format, that of "inverting" the wordplay. Consider the example below.
(from FT12970):
In a roundabout way, German article carries significance? On the contrary, vacuous levity (12) MEAN{DER}ING LY
German article = DER, significance = MEANING.
The containment indicator 'carries' would imply that DER contains MEANING, but the additional indicator 'on the contrary' swaps the container/contents indication. So then, MEANING contains DER.
Such clues have an extra indicator for the inversion. These are typically words that convey a sense of "the opposite" - such as 'contrary', 'converse'.
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Try solving this clue that uses wordplay inversion:
(from Times 24125):
Translating from this language? Just the opposite (5)
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4 comments
I did not see the above clue before. Offhand - solving the clue cold, as they say - I think the answer is SLANG. Confirm if this is correct.
That's what I had entered first too! Later realized that the answer is LATIN (the opposite of "translating from this language" => "this language from transLATINg").
Oh, it's a reversal hidden, then!
I saw a great but difficult one of these a while ago.
(Paraphrasing)
Ay, in a terrible way! (8)
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