The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word IMBROGLIO
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
M
B
R
O
G
L
I
O
More clues leading to the result IMBROGLIO
- Oil rig mob behaving badly in mess
- Vandalising oil rig, mob makes mess
- Setter’s run in mire and grease, flipping mess!
- Confusion as I turn right, going left, in limbo dancing
- Everyman’s run into lav: behold, Everyman’s in a muddle
- Embarrassing state of confusion, with Wanderer’s sibling beginning to geld Manx cat
- Explosion in oil rig, with mob in confusion
- Writer’s vivacity, when keeping log, stirred confusing situation
- I’m playing Borg: 51-0? What a mess!
- Confusion with men returning in horrible big limo
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "in mess" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case in mess = imbroglio.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 IMBROGLIO mean?
IMBROGLIO noun- A complicated situation; an entanglement.