The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word GRAIL
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
G
R
A
I
L
More clues leading to the result GRAIL
- Discovered in Agra – illustrious vessel
- Good storyteller from the east cherished ambition
- Greek pain container of legend
- Aim when holy and delicate for a key change
- A girl in distress, the object of chivalrous attention
- Good artist, the Italian revealing holy object?
- Good bar is thing much sought after
- Good alternative to roads is what some look for
- King given drink, reportedly, in first-century cup
- King’s conclusion; to be sick in a castle? The opposite with this!
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "vessel" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case vessel = grail.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 GRAIL mean?
GRAIL noun- The Holy Grail.
- The object of an extended or difficult quest.http//www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grail
- A book of offices in the Roman Catholic Church; a gradual.
- Small particles of earth; gravel.
- One of the small feathers of a hawk.