Cryptic crossword clue
Innovator holding up letter to show worthy opponent 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word CHALLENGER

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
H
A
L
L
E
N
G
E
R

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "worthy opponent" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case worthy opponent = challenger.
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 CHALLENGER mean?

CHALLENGER noun
  1. One who challenges; especially, one who plays against the current champion of a game or contest in hopes of winning and becoming the new champion.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations