Cryptic crossword clue
Hairs and swellings left and right in different places 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BRISTLES

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
B
R
I
S
T
L
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S

Buddy explains!

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

BRISTLES noun
  1. A stiff or coarse hair.
  2. The hairs or other filaments that make up a brush, broom, or similar item.
BRISTLES verb
  1. To rise or stand erect, like bristles.
  2. Abound, to have an abundance of something
  3. (with at) To be on one's guard or raise one's defenses; to react with fear, suspicion, or distance.
  4. To fix a bristle to.

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