The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word COPY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
O
P
Y
More clues leading to the result COPY
- Imitate policeman going to Yard
- Work in city randomly accepting notes to emend
- Modest about page as material for newspaper
- Sub maybe busy, with rising sea level unknown
- Catch end of baby’s crib
- Bluebottle on bottom of Barbary ape
- Work at the centre of constabulary’s case?
- See old cover for Playboy issue
- Impersonate policeman and end in custody
- Follow officer to yard
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "material for paper /material for paper" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case material for paper /material for paper = copy.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 COPY mean?
COPY noun- The result of copying; an identical duplicate of an original.
- An imitation, sometimes of inferior quality.
- The text that is to be typeset.
- A gender-neutral abbreviation for copy boy.
- The output of copywriters, who are employed to write material which encourages consumers to buy goods or services.
- The text of newspaper articles.
- A school work pad.
- A printed edition of a book or magazine.
- Writing paper of a particular size, called also bastard.
- That which is to be imitated, transcribed, or reproduced; a pattern, model, or example.
- An abundance or plenty of anything.
- Copyhold; tenure; lease
- (genetics) The result of gene or chromosomal duplication.
- To produce an object identical to a given object.
- To give or transmit a copy to (a person).
- To place a copy of an object in memory for later use.
- To imitate.
- To receive a transmission successfully.