Cryptic crossword clue
Arithmetic: two poor grades in ten? Turning that round, it’s essential! 5,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 4 letter word NEEDS MUST

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
N
E
E
D
S
M
U
S
T


Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "it’s essential" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case it’s essential = needs must.
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.


Latest crossword clues with full explanations