Cryptic crossword clue
Consider penning lines, any number almost 4-4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word WELL-NIGH

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
W
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L
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H

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "almost" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case almost = well-nigh.
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 WELL-NIGH mean?

WELL-NIGH adverb
  1. Almost, nearly.

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