Cryptic crossword clue
Carriage departed before time during endless floods, perhaps 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
W
A
G
O
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T
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E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Carriage" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case carriage = wagonette.
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 WAGONETTE mean?

WAGONETTE noun
  1. A kind of pleasure wagon, uncovered and with seats extended along the sides, designed to carry six or eight persons besides the driver.

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