The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word ADDLED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
A
D
D
L
E
D
More clues leading to the result ADDLED
- Give extra source of illumination, in a mess
- Confused? Put on light
- Burdened, with leader gone — it's rotten
- Off like a horse, perhaps, heading away
- Confused Welshman embracing two daughters
- Rotten tot given direction
- Confused, walked like a duck with ducks
- Total steered out of it
- Tot escorted off
- & 10 “Famously ineffective session of MPs”
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Confused" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case confused = addled.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 ADDLED mean?
ADDLED verb- (provincial) To earn, earn by labor; earn money or one's living.
- (provincial) To thrive or grow; to ripen.
- To make addle; to grow addle; to muddle
- To cause fertilised eggs to lose viability, by killing the developing embryo within through shaking, piercing, freezing or oiling, without breaking the shell.
- (of eggs) Bad, rotten; inviable, containing a dead embryo.
- Confused; mixed up.
- Morbid, corrupt, putrid, or barren.