# Do you anagram words as you read? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484 "2025-01-27T19:00:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/21 "2025-01-28T15:15:08Z")
I’m good at word puzzles and I love to read. I don’t play around with words while I’m reading a book or other publication. I will do it when I see words out in the wild - signs, vehicles, etc. Then I do anagrams, read them backwards, etc. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/22 "2025-01-28T15:20:11Z")
Each clam, Ma AKA Helps Trek Win ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/23 "2025-01-28T16:23:49Z")
I don’t see anagrams at all. The only way I even get any on Jeopardy! is if I get the word from the clue itself. I can barely\* anagram a three letter word. (But I’m pretty good at Scrabble. Go figure). Reading some of the comments above about counting letters and auto-anagramming and such, I feel less ashamed to mention my quirk. I spell words in my head, for no real reason. It’s like an OCD quirk (but I’m not OCD). \*I originally typed “barley”, HA! ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/24 "2025-01-28T16:43:55Z")
Some low key Rainman shit going on in this thread 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/25 "2025-01-28T16:52:18Z")
Next thing you know someone will show up to tell us they perceive various words as having intrinsic colors or shapes irrespective of their physical font, color, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/26 "2025-01-28T19:10:42Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > perceive various words as having intrinsic colors Don’t you _know_? Verbs smell different than nouns, and you can always tell and adjective (sweet) from an adverb (salty). ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/27 "2025-01-28T20:39:57Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Next thing you know someone will show up to tell us they perceive various words as having intrinsic colors or shapes irrespective of their physical font, color, etc. Isn’t this a known form of synesthesia? Not something I experience myself, but I think it’s not completely uncommon…? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/28 "2025-01-28T20:42:44Z")
I always read words backwards for fun. Just to see what comes up. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/29 "2025-01-28T20:52:20Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > Isn’t this a known form of synesthesia? I know the idea that numbers (numerals?) have colors is common enough to be well-established. I do not know that it extends to words, although it sure might. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/30 "2025-01-29T13:42:26Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I always read words backwards for fun. Just to see what comes up. So do I. It was while stuck in traffic next to “Cleveland Avenue” that I noticed that "Cleveland " backwards was “DNA Level C”. Sounds like something out of _The Andromeda Strain_. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/31 "2025-01-29T13:56:12Z")
I like that political fights are usually between the Starcomed and Snacilbuper parties. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/32 "2025-01-29T14:02:12Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > OTOH, it might well make you an absolute ninja assassin at Scrabble. You just unlocked a 15 year old memory of me and my friends getting absolutely triggered by the release of the movie “Ninja Assassin”. Yeah, that’s what fucking Ninjas _do_, no shit! What’s next, “Wizard Magician”? “Sneak Thief”? “Berserker who is also a Warrior”? I am imagining this scene: A Daimyo summons a ninja to his quarters. The ninja bows before the Daimyo as he issues his command: “You must kill the Shogun!”. Awkward pause. The ninja stands up awkwardly. “Ah, I’m so sorry, this happens all the time… You must have me confused. I’m not that kind of ninja. I’m a birthday party ninja. You know, I jump put of a cake and throw confetti shuriken at the birthday boy. You want a ninja _assassin_. I can put you in touch with my buddy Rain?” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2025, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/33 "2025-02-17T07:58:48Z")
Oh, sure. I will do that. If I’m driving, and I happen to catch sight of a Pontiac, I can’t help but immediately rearrange the letters of that word into “caption.” ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2025, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/34 "2025-02-17T08:29:43Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I am a fast reader, and probably absorb text as phrases or sentences rather than individual words. (Aside, from another thread: I do not hear the words in my head). I am a fast reader, and I also read sentences in chunks (or complete sentences if they are short) rather than as individual words. Stopping to focus on individual words seems painfully slow to me. I have never been fond of anagram puzzles, but I can see anagrams if I really stop and think about it. They don’t come naturally though. FWIW, I can read and write backwards easily. I can also read upside down easily, but can’t write upside down anywhere near as easily as I can write backwards. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2025, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484/35 "2025-02-17T09:10:17Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I can also read upside down easily At school (less so today) I was a voracious reader. My reading speed (like others above reading chunks -and even two or even three lines at the same time) got to the point where I felt I was missing out on nuance and style. So I started reading upsidedown. That didn’t slow me down much after a very short period of learning. However, not being the best behaved student, I would quite often be called into the office to account for myself. Being able to rapidly read upsidedown my offence on the table of the teacher gave me time to work out (a) which offence, and (b) how to lie my way out of it. As for anagrams, I don’t. I usually need to pause, so perhaps I should try to read books entirely written in anagram format, to slow me down again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-anagram-words-as-you-read/1013484.md?page=1)