The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word HALF-HITCH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
H
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Loose knot" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case loose knot = half-hitch.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 HALF-HITCH mean?
HALF-HITCH noun- (knots) A knot or hitch made by passing the end of the rope once around the standing part or other rope.