The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word ADAPTATION
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
A
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Paint a toad for a change? Yes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case paint a toad for a change? yes = adaptation.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 ADAPTATION mean?
ADAPTATION noun- The process of adapting something or becoming adapted to a situation; adjustment, modification.
- A change that is made or undergone to suit a condition or environment.
- The process of change that an organism undergoes to be better suited to its environment.
- An instance of an organism undergoing change, or the structure or behavior that is changed.
- The process of adapting an artistic work from a different medium.
- (authorship) An artistic work that has been adapted from a different medium.