Cryptic crossword clue
Marine marker left by second person returning after start of month 4-4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word LIFE-BUOY

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
L
I
F
E
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B
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O
Y

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Marine marker" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case marine marker = life-buoy.
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 LIFE-BUOY mean?

LIFE-BUOY noun
  1. A buoyant object (most commonly torus-shaped) that is used as a life-saving device by keeping a person afloat;
  2. (metaphoric) Something that rescues one from difficulties.

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