Cryptic crossword clue
Most inhospitable small boat in river 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word STARKEST

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Most inhospitable" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case most inhospitable = starkest.
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 STARKEST mean?

STARKEST adjective
  1. Hard, firm; obdurate.
  2. Severe; violent; fierce (now usually in describing the weather).
  3. Strong; vigorous; powerful.
  4. Stiff, rigid.
  5. Plain in appearance; barren, desolate.
  6. Complete, absolute, full.

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