The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word KNOCK
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
K
N
O
C
K
More clues leading to the result KNOCK
- Find fault with batsman's innings
- The rugby ref blowing his whistle, say? It happens further down the line
- Pink slate
- Members meeting at centre criticise poverty vocally
- Criticise every run collected by batsman
- Pink roast
- Criticise return of head man
- Thump Kelvin’s ugly conk
- Find fault with tap
- Criticise the effect of a loose bearing
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Find fault with/tap" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case find fault with/tap = knock.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 KNOCK mean?
KNOCK noun- Sudden fatigue as a result of glycogen depletion from not having taken in enough nutrition.
- An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.
- A sharp impact.
- Criticism.
- Preignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition; also, the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.
- A batsman's innings.
- To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.
- To criticize verbally; to denigrate; to undervalue.
- To kick a ball towards another player; to pass.
- To impress forcibly or strongly; to astonish; to move to admiration or applause.
- To bump or impact.
- To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.