The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 4 letter word CAST IRON
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
A
S
T
I
R
O
N
More clues leading to the result CAST IRON
- M. le Président, missing mother, drinks fizz to become resolute
- Totally reliable friend endlessly quaffing drink
- Very strong players supported by press
- Actors getting support from press? It’s hard
- Very strong, all the players with club
- Alloy moulded into cars
- Strong players joining club
- Prisoner keeps moving metal
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "It’s hard" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case it’s hard = cast iron.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CAST IRON mean?
CAST IRON noun- A hard and brittle, but strong, alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon, formed by casting in a mould.
- Made of cast iron.
- Durable; tough; resiliant.
- Inflexible or without exception.