The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word PORNO
P
O
R
N
O
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "hard stuff" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hard stuff = porno.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 PORNO mean?
PORNO noun- Pornography.
- A pornographic film.
- Pornographic