The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SAPLINGS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
A
P
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More clues leading to the result SAPLINGS
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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 SAPLINGS mean?
SAPLINGS noun- A young tree, but bigger than a seedling.
- A youngster, especially a male nearing maturity.