Cryptic crossword clue
Mob cannot get out of control when joined by workers who will not fight? 13

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 13 letter word NONCOMBATANTS

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
N
O
N
C
O
M
B
A
T
A
N
T
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "who will not fight" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case who will not fight = noncombatants.
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 NONCOMBATANTS mean?

NONCOMBATANTS noun
  1. A non-fighting member of the armed forces.
  2. A civilian in time of conflict.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations