Cryptic crossword clue
A bolt from the blue 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
L
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "A bolt from the blue" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a bolt from the blue = lightning.
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 LIGHTNING mean?

LIGHTNING noun
  1. A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.
  2. A discharge of this kind.
  3. Anything that moves very fast.
  4. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers.
LIGHTNING verb
  1. To produce lightning.
LIGHTNING adjective
  1. Extremely fast or sudden; moving (as if) at the speed of lightning.

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