The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word SKINNER
S
K
I
N
N
E
R
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Comedian/hides his trade" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case comedian/hides his trade = skinner.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 SKINNER mean?
SKINNER noun- Someone who skins animals.
- A hunting knife used for skinning animals.
- One who deals in skins, pelts, or hides.
- A sex offender.