The term 'hardly dry' can be described by two crossword solutions: 'HUMID' (5 letters) and 'SODDEN' (6 letters). Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air, and is usually measured as a percentage. A HUMID environment is one with a high level of moisture in the air. SODDEN describes something that is soaked or saturated with liquid, usually water. Therefore, the term 'hardly dry' implies that an object or environment is still quite wet, either from humidity or from being soaked in liquid.