The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word PAWN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
P
A
W
N
More clues leading to the result PAWN
- Hand on tradition, ultimately giving pledge
- Clumsily touch knight — instead of this?
- Pop instrument
- Man taking drugs from Native American
- Man and wife accepted by god
- Assistant with navy, one of many on board
- Lay hands on new tool
- Wife boarding vessel to find man on board
- Clumsily handle new piece
- Roughly handle new puppet
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "puppet" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case puppet = pawn.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 PAWN mean?
PAWN noun- The most common chess piece, or a similar piece in a similar game. In chess each side has eight; moves are only forward, and attacks are only forward diagonally or en passant.
- Someone who is being manipulated or used to some end.
- The state of being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge.
- An instance of pawning something.
- An item given as security on a loan, or as a pledge.
- A pawnshop; pawnbroker.
- To pledge; to stake or wager.
- To give as security on a loan of money; especially, to deposit (something) at a pawn shop.
- A psychoactive preparation of betel leaf combined with areca nut and/or cured tobacco, chewed recreationally in Asia; such a preparation served wrapped in the leaf.
- A gallery.
- (originally leet) To own, to defeat or dominate (someone or something, especially a game or someone playing a game).