The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word EMERY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
M
E
R
Y
More clues leading to the result EMERY
- Coarse rock some may remember on reflection
- Abrasive English line this writer penned
- Polish nanny remembered after upsetting hosts
- Central Yemen railway is smoother
- Some ‘iffy’ remedies returned? On the surface, that’s rough
- Provider of polish, a grotesque comedian?
- An abrasive comedian
- Abrasive gallery remembers revolutionary exhibits
- Abrasive European happy taking one right away
- Polish, weird, introducing former German currency shortly
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "On the surface, that’s rough" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case on the surface, that’s rough = emery.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 EMERY mean?
EMERY noun- An impure type of corundum, often used for sanding or polishing.
- To sand or polish with emery.
- To coat with emery.