The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SCAVENGER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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More clues leading to the result SCAVENGER
- Old inventor of apparatus / for clearing away waste
- Bone-picker, namely one seeking retribution
- Perhaps a rat, namely one getting his own back
- First to collect rags, even when chucked?
- One bent on retaliation after son caught person going through the bins
- Versace design “no good” admitted picky individual
- One gathers second coming starts with Nemesis
- See vegan mistreated in series totter?
- That is Iron Man – perhaps he can collect up the mess
- One finding and keeping such odd characters to meet Nemesis, perhaps
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "One gathers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one gathers = scavenger.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 SCAVENGER mean?
SCAVENGER noun- Someone who scavenges, especially one who searches through rubbish for food or useful things.
- An animal that feeds on decaying matter such as carrion.
- A street sweeper.
- A child employed to pick up loose cotton from the floor in a cotton mill.
- A substance used to remove impurities from the air or from a solution.
- To scavenge.
- To clean the rubbish from a street, etc.