The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word AUSTERE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
A
U
S
T
E
R
E
More clues leading to the result AUSTERE
- Gold and stone, before going without luxuries
- Forbidding rate, use different
- Bleak wind from the south and east
- All Ulster, note, contains not a single lough grave
- Famous authoress with no name on grave
- Self-disciplined in beret, suavely looking up
- Harsh about replacing author’s final piece
- Gold record-player with no ordinary remote
- Rule out treasure being scattered in grave
- Gold head of Nabokov removed from novelist’s grave
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Bleak" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bleak = austere.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 AUSTERE mean?
AUSTERE adjective- Grim or severe in manner or appearance
- Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy