The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word UPSTATE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
U
P
S
T
A
T
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "north of New York?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case north of new york? = upstate.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 UPSTATE mean?
UPSTATE noun- The northern section of a state.
- Of the northern section of a state.
- To the northern section of a state.