The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word ALCOTT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
L
C
O
T
T
More clues leading to the result ALCOTT
- Author recited something boring before bed
- A bed bagged by officer for US writer
- Female writer of a vacuous lyric going too far
- Writer‘s account, one side claimed, not at all measured
- American who had four sisters in family in rural cottage
- Novelist residing in rural cottage
- Rural cottage providing home for a writer
- Chapter at start of book penned by key US author
- Louisa may be a successful author
- Woman who wrote about four sisters inhabiting rural cottage
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "American who had four sisters in family" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case american who had four sisters in family = alcott.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.