The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DISHONEST
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
D
I
S
H
O
N
E
S
T
More clues leading to the result DISHONEST
- Crafty recipe — one has little time
- Wicked piece of radish one's tasted
- Dish one street that’s corrupt
- Bent cops refine superintendent’s case
- Gorgeous creature brought to love retreat is cheating
- His doesn’t work — it’s bent
- Bent receiver must have one way
- Lovely old home? Not true
- Untruthful hedonists booted out
- Serve one’s time as a con man, say?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "cheating" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cheating = dishonest.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 DISHONEST mean?
DISHONEST adjective- Not honest.
- Interfering with honesty.
- Dishonourable; shameful; indecent; unchaste; lewd.
- Dishonoured; disgraced; disfigured.