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SWITCHBACK
Definition of SWITCHBACK
noun
A railway track on a steep slope in a zigzag formation, in which a train travels in a reverse direction at each switch. A railway track on which there are steep ascents and descents, a train moving partially or fully by the force of gravity using the momentum generated when descending to travel up an ascending part of the track; especially , such a track built for fun rides at an amusement park; a type of rollercoaster.
Wiktionary · CC BY-SA
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from switch (“to turn (a train) from one railway track to another using a switch”, verb) + back (“so as to reverse direction and return”, adverb). The verb is derived from the noun.
Etymology via Wiktionary (CC BY-SA).
Word DNA
How it is built
Same root, SWITCHBACK · 1 relative in the game
OUTLIER scores every word on how unusual it is, and that number is not published. Working it out at the board is the game.
SWITCHBACK in OUTLIER
Players have found it on 1 board so far.
It first turned up on Day 140, 7 October 2026. Nobody has seen it on a board for 3 days.
First ever to find it
on Day 140, 7 October 2026 - before anyone else in Outlier's history. See the Pioneers
Built from these letters
SWITCHBACK starts with S and ends with K. Sorted, its letters read ABCCHIKSTW - the shape to hunt for when the grid is scrambled. C appears more than once.
Words that start SWITCH
Its neighbours in the OUTLIER dictionary - shortest first.
Could you have found SWITCHBACK?
OUTLIER is a daily word game. One grid, the same grid for everybody, and the words nobody else spots are the ones that pay. This word was on Day 140 - and most players walked straight past it.
Play today's OUTLIER