Cryptic crossword clue
Pray with private for new recruit 8

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
E
G
I
N
N
E
R


Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "new recruit" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case new recruit = beginner.
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 BEGINNER mean?

BEGINNER noun
  1. Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started.
  2. Someone who sets something in motion.

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