Cryptic crossword clue
Police empty a box of theirs, losing one - crackers 7

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
E
T
A
R
D
S

Buddy explains!

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

PETARDS noun
  1. A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to breach a door or wall.
  2. Anything potentially explosive, in a non-literal sense.
  3. A loud firecracker.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations