The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word BALEEN
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More clues leading to the result BALEEN
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The straight part
We know that "Large mammal’s horny plates" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case large mammal’s horny plates = baleen.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 BALEEN mean?
BALEEN noun- The bony material that makes up the plates in the mouth of the baleen whale, Mysticeti, which it uses to trap its food; formerly used in corsetry
- A baleen whale