Cryptic crossword clue
Highly subtle play on words after penalties 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FINESPUN

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
F
I
N
E
S
P
U
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Highly subtle" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case highly subtle = finespun.
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 FINESPUN mean?

FINESPUN adjective
  1. Spun into a fine thread
  2. Delicate and subtle, with fine detail

Latest crossword clues with full explanations