The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word BENDER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
E
N
D
E
R
More clues leading to the result BENDER
- Note duke getting in ale for drinking bout
- Oblivion achieved ultimately in drink in this?
- Heavy drinking session sees new head of department drowning in ale
- Drinking session ale knight and duke swallowed
- Might stag go on one knee?
- Binge, oddly nude, consumed by drink
- In the end man doused in booze. On this certainly!
- Turner‘s ‘Bacchanalian Evening’?
- Spree’s close in west Berlin?
- Drinking spree in outdoor shelter
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "this" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case this = bender.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 BENDER mean?
BENDER noun- One who, or that which, bends.
- A device to aid bending of pipes to a specific angle.
- A bout of heavy drinking.
- A homosexual man.
- A simple shelter, made using flexible branches or withies
- A suspended sentence.
- A sixpence.
- A spree, a frolic.
- Something exceptional.
- (British slang) Used to express disbelief or doubt at what one has just heard.
- (British slang) Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.