Cryptic crossword clue
Perhaps Cockney leader protected swimmer 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word BOWHEAD

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
O
W
H
E
A
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "swimmer" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case swimmer = bowhead.
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 BOWHEAD mean?

BOWHEAD noun
  1. A large whale, Balaena mysticetus, having a large, rounded head, that inhabits Arctic waters.

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