Cryptic crossword clue
A Christie novel has an added French dialect

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word NORMAN

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
N
O
R
M
A
N


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The straight part
We know that "French dialect" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case french dialect = norman.
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 NORMAN mean?

NORMAN noun
  1. Normie
  2. A wooden bar, or iron pin.

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