Cryptic crossword clue
Fool around thus, working with adults only just after 2,4,2

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 2 plus 4 plus 2 letter word AS SOON AS

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
S
S
O
O
N
A
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "only just after" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case only just after = as soon as.
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.

Crossword Answer definitions

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