The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word HARDENED
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
H
A
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D
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D
More clues leading to the result HARDENED
- Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
- Edward’s back in race, dead set
- Put outside haunt moved quickly, no longer a softie
- Redhead struggling to inspire northern set
- Set point held by redhead, converted
- Being experienced, ran across lair
- Set height 5 Down?
- Inveterate hied around hideaway
- Set hour with A Study in Scarlet
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "no longer a softie" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case no longer a softie = hardened.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 HARDENED mean?
HARDENED verb- To become hard (tough, resistant to pressure).
- To make something hard or harder (tough, resistant to pressure).
- To strengthen.
- To modify (a website or other system) to make it resistant to malicious attacks.
- To become or make (a person or thing) resistant or less sensitive.
- To become or make (a consonant) more fortis.
- Unfeeling or lacking emotion due to experience; callous.
- Firmly established or unlikely to change; inveterate.
- Having extra defences against attack; highly fortified.