The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word REFORMER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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More clues leading to the result REFORMER
- One keen to change, about to confront past
- Note preceding Martin Luther?
- Concerning previous person trying to fix things
- For example Martin Luther King’s European past
- Early Protestant religious teaching given by prior
- One seeking political change — once soldiers get precedence
- Case of remarkable one-time revolutionary
- King rejected old advocate for change
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "One keen to change" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one keen to change = reformer.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 REFORMER mean?
REFORMER noun- One who reforms, or who works for reform.
- (history) One who was involved in the Reformation.
- (chemical engineering, fuel cells) A device which converts hydrocarbons into a hydrogen-rich mixture of gases.
- (chemical engineering) A device used to convert petroleum refinery naphthas, typically having low octane ratings, into high-octane liquid products called reformates.