The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word MUMMIFIED
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More clues leading to the result MUMMIFIED
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "very old and very dry" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very old and very dry = mummified.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 MUMMIFIED mean?
MUMMIFIED adjective- Preserved, for a dead body, by mummification.
- To make into a mummy, by preserving a dead body.
- To become a mummy.