Cryptic crossword clue
Polish up on question and answer — definitely not a 23! 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word BURQA

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
U
R
Q
A

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "definitely not a 23" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case definitely not a 23 = burqa.
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 BURQA mean?

BURQA noun
  1. An Islamic garment that covers the whole body, which has a net screen covering the eyes so they cannot be seen, and is worn by women.
  2. A dress made from felt or karakul (the short curly fur of young lambs of the breed of that name), traditionally worn by men of the Caucasus region.

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