Cryptic crossword clue
Goal remains — the shorter version 2,4

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
E
N
D
A
S
H

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "— the shorter version" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case — the shorter version = en dash.
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.

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