The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word OSTLER
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
O
S
T
L
E
R
More clues leading to the result OSTLER
- Old way the French primarily regarded a stableman
- Army loses head with half-cut bugler, a stable man once
- Best man perhaps comes through role having inebriated groom
- Groom loiters uneasily: ‘I may be jilted’
- Horseman, one with sharp elbows evading justice
- Disruptive figure in queue, not Jack — a stable type?
- Give him a nag in the inn?
- Groom's house talk picked up frequently with hesitation
- Groom emptied stall, tore off
- Groom stole away to get married, essentially
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "a stable man once" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a stable man once = ostler.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 OSTLER mean?
OSTLER noun- A person employed at an inn, hostelry, or stable to look after horses; a groom