The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 4 letter word WATER HOLE
W
A
T
E
R
H
O
L
E
Buddy explains!

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 WATER HOLE mean?
WATER HOLE noun- A depression in which water collects, especially one where wild animals come to drink.
- A watering hole; a place where people meet to drink and talk.
- A part of the electromagnetic spectrum, between the regions where hydrogen and hydroxyl radiate, that is relatively quiet in terms of radio astronomy.