The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SPRUCE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
P
R
U
C
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Neat/wood" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case neat/wood = spruce.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 SPRUCE mean?
SPRUCE noun- Any of various large coniferous evergreen trees or shrubs from the genus Picea, found in northern temperate and boreal regions; originally and more fully spruce fir.
- The wood of a spruce.
- (used attributively) Made of the wood of the spruce.
- Prussian leather; pruce.
- (usually with up) To arrange neatly; tidy up.
- (usually with up) To make oneself spruce (neat and elegant in appearance).
- To tease.
- Smart, trim, and elegant in appearance; fastidious (said of a person).