The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word MAN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
M
A
N
More clues leading to the result MAN
- Possibly tiger mother doing more tidying?
- Fellow one's pulled from the sea
- Lady’s loose gown unsettling to boyfriend
- Crew's long hair cut
- Mum entertaining an English woman of voracious appetite
- I will not be included in key staff
- Legion sending off its last soldier
- Husband a bishop, perhaps
- Mum’s new bloke
- ... perhaps, or staff
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "gender-specific crew" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gender-specific crew = man.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 MAN mean?
MAN noun- An adult male human.
- (collective) All human males collectively: mankind.
- A human, a person of either gender, usually an adult. (See usage notes.)
- (collective) All humans collectively: mankind, humankind, humanity. (Sometimes capitalized as Man.)
- A member of the genus Homo, especially of the species Homo sapiens.
- An male person, usually an adult; a (generally adult male) sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.
- An adult male who has, to an eminent degree, qualities considered masculine, such as strength, integrity, and devotion to family; a mensch.
- Manliness; the quality or state of being manly.
- A husband.
- A lover; a boyfriend.
- A male enthusiast or devotee; a male who is very fond of or devoted to a specified kind of thing. (Used as the last element of a compound.)
- A person, usually male, who has duties or skills associated with a specified thing. (Used as the last element of a compound.)
- A person, usually male, who can fulfill one's requirements with regard to a specified matter.
- A male who belongs to a particular group: an employee, a student or alumnus, a representative, etc.
- An adult male servant.
- A vassal; a subject.
- A piece or token used in board games such as chess.
- Used to refer to oneself or one's group: I, we; construed in the third person.
- A term of familiar address often implying on the part of the speaker some degree of authority, impatience, or haste.
- A friendly term of address usually reserved for other adult males.
- A player on whom another is playing, with the intent of limiting their attacking impact.
- Used to place emphasis upon something or someone; sometimes, but not always, when actually addressing a man.
- To supply (something) with staff or crew (of either sex).
- To take up position in order to operate (something).
- (possibly obsolete) To brace (oneself), to fortify or steel (oneself) in a manly way. (Compare man up.)
- To wait on, attend to or escort.
- To accustom (a raptor or other type of bird) to the presence of people.