The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word LEFTWARD
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
L
E
F
T
W
A
R
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "not in the right direction" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case not in the right direction = leftward.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 LEFTWARD mean?
LEFTWARD adjective- To or from the left.
- To or from the left.