Cryptic crossword clue
Polish bishop not up to the job? 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BLACKING

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
L
A
C
K
I
N
G

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Polish" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case polish = blacking.
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 BLACKING mean?

BLACKING verb
  1. To make black; to blacken.
  2. To apply blacking to (something).
  3. To boycott, usually as part of an industrial dispute.
BLACKING noun
  1. A preparation, containing lampblack, used to produce a shiny black coating.
  2. Shoe polish.

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