Cryptic crossword clue
Before a doctor returned, put alcohol in new ointment

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SPIKENARD

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "ointment" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ointment = spikenard.
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 SPIKENARD mean?

SPIKENARD noun
  1. A perfumed ointment, extracted from the plant Nardostachys jatamansi that belongs to the Valerian family and grows in the Himalayas.
  2. The plant Nardostachys jatamansi (syn. Nardostachys grandiflora).
  3. Lavandula stoechas, another species used in antiquity to produce an aromatic oil.
  4. Any plant of the genus Aralia of the Araliaceae family.
  5. False spikenard (Maianthemum racemosum, syn. Smilacina racemosa)
  6. Ploughman's spikenard (Inula conyza, now Pentanema conyzae).
  7. Wild spikenard (Asarum europaeum).

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