The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word AGATE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
A
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A
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More clues leading to the result AGATE
- A means of access for jeweller’s stone
- An entrance in stone
- At front of entrance there's a stone
- Precious stone and silver bolted down?
- A name is up on end of grave stone
- Opening letter scandal, as it were, is a gem
- Jewel, one of 19?
- A jar right off for semiprecious stone
- Stone precious metal eroded
- Stone showing vital date, first and last for ancient interred
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Precious stone" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case precious stone = agate.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 AGATE mean?
AGATE noun- A semi-pellucid, uncrystallized variety of quartz, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged in stripes or bands, or blended in clouds.
- The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5 1/2-point.
- One fourteenth of an inch
- A diminutive person; so called in allusion to the small figures cut in agate for rings and seals.
- A tool used by gold-wire drawers, bookbinders, etc.;—so called from the agate fixed in it for burnishing.
- A marble made from agate.
- (usually in the plural) A testicle.
- On the way; agoing.