The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PUNGENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
U
N
G
E
N
T
More clues leading to the result PUNGENT
- Kick around information that's hot
- Caustic wordplay by man of breeding
- Powerful fellow supports joke
- Joke on bloke is caustic
- Powerful pressure on a French chap of good standing?
- Caustic play on words fellow delivers
- Joke man is offensive
- . Caustic Tim Vine?
- Whiffy low-down in boat
- Withholding information, bet it’s spicy
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "hot" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hot = pungent.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 PUNGENT mean?
PUNGENT adjective- Having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances.
- Having a strong taste that stings the tongue, said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
- Stinging; acerbic.
- Having a sharp and stiff point.