Cryptic crossword clue
Old king imprisons spouse, head to foot, in small compartment 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CUBBYHOLE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
U
B
B
Y
H
O
L
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "small compartment" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case small compartment = cubbyhole.
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 CUBBYHOLE mean?

CUBBYHOLE noun
  1. A small, snug room which may be used as a place of privacy and safety by children
  2. A small compartment; a pigeonhole
  3. A glove compartment

Latest crossword clues with full explanations