The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word OCCUPIED
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
O
C
C
U
P
I
E
D
More clues leading to the result OCCUPIED
- Engaged epic duo to dance around clubs
- Unavailable because engaged
- Oscar’s dice scattered around cup that is full
- Busy trophy wife regularly featured in love record …
- In enemy hands from brief December coup I bungled
- … captured and tied up
- Taken up and taken over
- After vacation, place is not this busy
- Busy, as ladies often seem to be …
- Oscar caught by copper and possibly spotted getting tied up
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "In enemy hands" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case in enemy hands = occupied.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 OCCUPIED mean?
OCCUPIED adjective- Reserved, engaged.
- Busy, unavailable.
- Subjugated, under the control of a foreign military presence.
- (of time) To take or use.
- To take or use space.
- To have sexual intercourse with.
- To do business in; to busy oneself with.
- To use; to expend; to make use of.