The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word DERMA
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
E
R
M
A
More clues leading to the result DERMA
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Layer of skin" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case layer of skin = derma.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 DERMA mean?
DERMA noun- The inner layer of the skin; the dermis
- A Jewish dish of roast or boiled seasoned meat and flour etc. in a casing, especially kishke