Cryptic crossword clue
Initially used for sleep, otherwise promoting rest 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word REPOSEFUL

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
R
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "promoting rest" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case promoting rest = reposeful.
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 REPOSEFUL mean?

REPOSEFUL adjective
  1. Providing repose, restful.
  2. Having an appearance of repose, peaceful.

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