The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word MARTIN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
M
A
R
T
I
N
More clues leading to the result MARTIN
- Saint has home by marketplace
- Trading place, home for a bird
- Bird to spoil metal container
- Alien ignoring second appearance of a bird
- Downed one can at end of month
- Grit regularly swallowed by cardinal bird
- B from 6
- Bird strike repelled can
- Tweeter hurt by something in circulation
- Swallow egg and stuff on the counter
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Downed one" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case downed one = martin.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 MARTIN mean?
MARTIN noun- Any of various passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, which also includes swallows, that catch insects whilst flying.
- A perforated stone-faced runner for grinding.