The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word EXPERIMENT
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
E
X
P
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More clues leading to the result EXPERIMENT
- Island people in specialist trial
- Ace having people following India in test
- One leading soldiers in skilful operation that could go wrong?
- Island’s soldiers engaged in specialist trial
- Crack international troops held in trial
- Authority imprisons single blokes for trial
- Test upcoming agent and other ranks separately during leave
- Single people in skilful trial
- I must accompany soldiers in specialist trial
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "operation that could go wrong" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case operation that could go wrong = experiment.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 EXPERIMENT mean?
EXPERIMENT noun- A test under controlled conditions made to either demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy of something previously untried.
- Experience, practical familiarity with something.
- To conduct an experiment.
- To experience; to feel; to perceive; to detect.
- To test or ascertain by experiment; to try out; to make an experiment on.