The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word ONIONS*
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
O
N
I
O
N
S
*
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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 ONIONS* mean?
ONIONS* noun- A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice.
- The bulb of such a plant.
- The genus as a whole.
- A ball.
- A person from Bermuda or of Bermudian descent.