The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word EMOJI
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
E
M
O
J
I
More clues leading to the result EMOJI
- Joe, I'm changing image in text message
- Smiley face perhaps in demo, jittery?
- During demo, jihadis display sign of feeling
- See 21A
- Graphic expression using exclamation mark, or just italic capitals
- Iconic symbol that is backed after intervention by second judge
- Icon? Judge one after protest without depth
- Record company describes Simpson as an icon
- Character expressing feelings held regularly in Exmoor jail
- Initially every man only just identifies digital icons
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Iconic symbol" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case iconic symbol = emoji.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 EMOJI mean?
EMOJI noun- A digital graphic icon with a unique code point used to represent a concept or object, originally used in Japanese text messaging but since adopted internationally in other contexts such as social media.