Cryptic crossword clue
Very painful, as in going mad 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word AGONISING

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
G
O
N
I
S
I
N
G

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Very painful" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very painful = agonising.
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 AGONISING mean?

AGONISING verb
  1. To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.
  2. To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately, whether mentally or physically.
AGONISING noun
  1. The act of one who agonizes.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations