The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word TRAMMELS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "hampers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hampers = trammels.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 TRAMMELS mean?
TRAMMELS noun- Whatever impedes activity, progress, or freedom, such as a net or shackle.
- A fishing net that has large mesh at the edges and smaller mesh in the middle
- A kind of net for catching birds, fishes, or other prey.
- A set of rings or other hanging devices, attached to a transverse bar suspended over a fire, used to hang cooking pots etc.
- A net for confining a woman's hair.
- A kind of shackle used for regulating the motions of a horse and making it amble.
- An instrument for drawing ellipses, one part of which consists of a cross with two grooves at right angles to each other, the other being a beam carrying two pins (which slide in those grooves), and also the describing pencil.
- A beam compass.