The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 8 letter word NIGHT WATCHMAN
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More clues leading to the result NIGHT WATCHMAN
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "After dark, timekeeper" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case after dark, timekeeper = night watchman.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 NIGHT WATCHMAN mean?
NIGHT WATCHMAN noun- Prior to police forces, a person appointed by a town or city to walk the streets at night and guard the burghers from felons and robbers.
- A person who guards (usually at a building) at night.
- The last batsman in a three or five day game to play on a particular day and thus carry over the batting to the following day.