The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BROADSIDE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
B
R
O
A
D
S
I
D
E
More clues leading to the result BROADSIDE
- Bishop leads the way with team making attack
- Attack American woman's detailed theory
- Sad and bored, I muffed a lot of shots
- Criticism of minor thoroughfare hard shoulder?
- Attack American woman on team
- Bachelor’s on the verge of highway attack
- Dido bears outrageously fierce verbal attack
- England’s fast bowler leading team’s attack
- General takes part in fierce verbal attack
- Bombardment damaged sideboard
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Criticism" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case criticism = broadside.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 BROADSIDE mean?
BROADSIDE noun- One side of a ship above the water line; all the guns on one side of a warship; their simultaneous firing.
- (by extension) A forceful attack, be it written or spoken.
- A large sheet of paper, printed on one side and folded.
- The printed lyrics of a folk song or ballad; a broadsheet.
- To collide with something sideways on
- Sideways; with the side turned to the direction of some object.