Cryptic crossword clue
Ray’s bottom is starting to get dirty 5

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
S
M
E
A
R


Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "get dirty" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case get dirty = smear.
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 SMEAR mean?

SMEAR noun
  1. A mark made by smearing.
  2. Any of various forms of distortion that make a signal harder to see or hear.
  3. A Pap smear.
  4. A false attack.
  5. A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact
  6. A rough glissando in jazz music.
SMEAR verb
  1. To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
  2. To have a substance smeared on (a surface).
  3. To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about an individual, their statements, or their actions.
  4. To become spread by smearing.
  5. To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.

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