Cryptic crossword clue
Deer have small black sinuous tails

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word ELKS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
L
K
S

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The straight part
We know that "Deer" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case deer = elks.
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 ELKS mean?

ELKS noun
  1. Any of various large species of deer such as the red deer, moose or wapiti (see usage notes).
ELKS noun
  1. The European wild, whistling, or common swan (Cygnus cygnus, syn. Cygnus ferus).

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