Cryptic crossword clue
Apes sobbing, maltreated 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word GIBBONS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
G
I
B
B
O
N
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Apes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case apes = gibbons.
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 GIBBONS mean?

GIBBONS noun
  1. A small ape of the family Hylobatidae with long limbs, which it uses to travel through rainforests by swinging from branch to branch.

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