The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word TRANSIENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
R
A
N
S
I
E
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T
More clues leading to the result TRANSIENT
- Passing rain's unfortunately penetrating temporary shelter
- Passing trains, ten diverted
- Passing Sian frolicking in river
- Passing article one’s put back in river
- Passenger transport crossing space in passing
- Passing time with artist playing tennis
- Passing flower round, as in assembly
- Nurse enters passage that’s short
- Temporary interns at work
- New entrant is fly-by-night
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "fly-by-night" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case fly-by-night = transient.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 TRANSIENT mean?
TRANSIENT noun- Something which is transient.
- A transient phenomenon, especially an electric current; a very brief surge.
- (acoustics) A relatively loud, non-repeating signal in an audio waveform which occurs very quickly, such as the attack of a snare drum.
- A person who passes through a place for a short time; a traveller; a migrant worker
- A homeless person.
- Passing or disappearing with time; transitory.
- Remaining for only a brief time.
- Decaying with time, especially exponentially.
- (stochastic processes, of a state) having a positive probability of being left and never being visited again.
- Occasional; isolated; one-off
- Passing through; passing from one person to another.
- Intermediate.
- Operating beyond itself; having an external effect.