The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word INAMORATO
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
N
A
M
O
R
A
T
O
More clues leading to the result INAMORATO
- Very soon squeal meeting old lover boy
- One who's fond of travelling to Romania
- He loves books a Black Sea state briefly rejected
- Before long, one deserts old flame?
- Soon desert old lover
- Find fame for naked artist along with lover
- Lover boy keen to mask revolting smell
- Presently, sleazeball has love for sweetheart
- Love throwing chap up into air too carelessly
- Lover upended in chariot, a Roman imperialist
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "flame?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case flame? = inamorato.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 INAMORATO mean?
INAMORATO noun- A lover; a gallant.