The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word PUGS
P
U
G
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Men of the day" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case men of the day = pugs.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 PUGS mean?
PUGS noun- A small dog of an ancient breed originating in China, having a snub nose, wrinkled face, squarish body, short smooth hair, and curled tail.
- A bargeman.
- Chaff; the refuse of grain
- Any geometrid moth of the genus Eupithecia.
- An elf or hobgoblin.
- An upper servant in a great house.
- A harlot; a prostitute.
- One who fights with fists; a boxer.
- Any compressed clay-like material mixed and worked into a soft, plastic condition for making bricks, pottery or for paving. (Also pug soil)
- A pug mill.
- The pawprint or footprint of an animal
- A term of endearment.