Cryptic crossword clue
Needle from small tree 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word SPINE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
S
P
I
N
E


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The straight part
We know that "Needle" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case needle = spine.
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 SPINE mean?

SPINE noun
  1. The series of bones situated at the back from the head to the pelvis of a person, or from the head to the tail of an animal; backbone, vertebral column.
  2. Something resembling a backbone, such as a ridge, or a long, central structure from which other structures radiate.
  3. A pointed, fairly rigid protuberance or needle-like structure on an animal, shell, or plant.
  4. The heartwood of trees.
  5. Courage or assertiveness.
  6. The stiffness of an arrow.

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