The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word INANE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
I
N
A
N
E
More clues leading to the result INANE
- Senseless idea not alerting new entrants first of all
- Absurd how dialogue ends
- Fatuous characters in Twain anecdote
- Some shenanigans turned silly
- Article in trendy magazine ultimately lacking sense
- Silly section of refrain, an embarrassment
- Absurd and mad to toss away shilling
- Foolish, that is, crossing old lady?
- Mad after son’s departure? That’s silly
- How pantomime ends is silly
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Vacuous" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case vacuous = inane.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 INANE mean?
INANE noun- That which is void or empty.
- Lacking sense or meaning (often to the point of boredom or annoyance)
- Purposeless; pointless