Cryptic crossword clue
Clean medical department, bandaging artery first 3-7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word PRE-EMINENT

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
R
E
-
E
M
I
N
E
N
T

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "first" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case first = pre-eminent.
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 PRE-EMINENT mean?

PRE-EMINENT adjective
  1. Exceeding others in quality or rank; of outstanding excellence, extremely notable or important.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations