The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PADDLES
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
A
D
D
L
E
S
Buddy explains!

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 PADDLES mean?
PADDLES noun- A two-handed, single-bladed oar used to propel a canoe or a small boat.
- A double-bladed oar used for kayaking.
- Time spent on paddling.
- A slat of a paddleboat's wheel.
- A paddlewheel.
- A blade of a waterwheel.
- A game controller with a round wheel used to control player movement along one axis of the video screen.
- A meandering walk or dabble through shallow water, especially at the seaside.
- A kitchen utensil shaped like a paddle and used for mixing, beating etc.
- A bat-shaped spanking implement
- A ping-pong bat.
- A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming.
- In a sluice, a panel that controls the flow of water.
- A group of inerts
- A handheld defibrillation/cardioversion electrode
- Hand
- Padel (sport)
- To propel something through water with a paddle, oar, hands, etc.
- To row a boat with less than one's full capacity.
- To spank with a paddle.
- To pat or stroke amorously or gently.
- To tread upon; to trample.
- To walk or dabble playfully in shallow water, especially at the seaside.
- To toddle.
- To toy or caress using hands or fingers.