The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word TOM
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
O
M
More clues leading to the result TOM
- Boy for whom big book is too much
- Short grave type pursuing queen
- Cat to mouse: no use escaping
- Cat book unfinished
- Two cats beat it!
- Means of signalling back words across Channel
- Check on vehicle turning up bringing queen's consort?
- Bell’s unfinished book
- Cat starts to torment old Macavity
- Cat misses point of book
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Bel" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bel = tom.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 TOM mean?
TOM noun- A flat gong (without knob) that is struck with a felt-covered hammer.
- The male of the domesticated cat.
- The male of the turkey.
- The male of the orangutan.
- The male of certain other animals.
- Prostitutes
- A lesbian.
- The jack of trumps in the card game gleek.
- A close-stool.
- A small joined pair of drums, beaten with the hands.
- (usually as a pair) Any cylindrical drum, with no snare; part of a drum kit.
- A tomato (the fruit).
- Jewellery
- (of a black person) To act in an obsequiously servile manner toward white authority.
- To dig out a hole below the hatch cover of a bulker and fill it with cargo or weights to aid stability.