Cryptic crossword clue
Give directors a hand making timber 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CLAPBOARD

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "timber" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case timber = clapboard.
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 CLAPBOARD mean?

CLAPBOARD noun
  1. A narrow board, usually thicker at one edge than the other, used as siding for houses and similar structures of frame construction.
  2. Such boards, arranged horizontally and overlapping with thick edge down, collectively, as siding.
  3. An oak board of a size used for barrel staves.
CLAPBOARD verb
  1. To cover with clapboards.
CLAPBOARD noun
  1. A clapper board; a device used in film production, having hinged boards that are brought together with a clap, used to synchronize picture and sound at the start of each take of a motion picture or other video production.

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