The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PAPYRUS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
A
P
Y
R
U
S
More clues leading to the result PAPYRUS
- Smothering resistance, recklessly pays up for ancient document
- Tall sedge of Pennsylvania pear genus
- Old man, unusually spry, snatching University manuscript from long ago
- Surreptitiously photograph your American manuscript
- Suffer endless scramble to secure page in historic paper
- Pays up for recycling, putting in right kind of paper
- Scroll worthless reading matter on your meeting with American
- . Valueless year with Russian manuscript
- First to produce a syrup that's used in making paper
- Ancient document with syrup spread across a page
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Ancient document" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ancient document = papyrus.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 PAPYRUS mean?
PAPYRUS noun- (usually uncountable) A plant (Cyperus papyrus) in the sedge family, native to the Nile river valley.
- (usually uncountable) A material similar to paper made from the papyrus plant.
- A scroll or document written on papyrus.