The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word EDUCATES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
E
D
U
C
A
T
E
S
More clues leading to the result EDUCATES
- Gives instruction to put old coin in northward spot
- Trains Tom to wear suede pants
- Schools etc used a complex
- Teaches Tom to wear polished suede
- Old coinstuck between points; trains …
- Trains or coaches
- New acts due to support English schools
- Finally Cambridge University college involved in meetings for schools
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Gives instruction" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gives instruction = educates.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 EDUCATES mean?
EDUCATES verb- To instruct or train