The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word WASP
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
W
A
S
P
More clues leading to the result WASP
- Insect is no longer on top of pudding
- Insect used to be quiet
- Buzzer made little noise?
- Insect beginning to worry snake
- Privileged American class used to be soft
- Insect in meadow, as portrayed
- Point, poisonous thing – one stings
- Insect beginning to wound snake
- Insect lived quietly
- 22 across, toothed thing soaring over head of prey
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Privileged American class" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case privileged american class = wasp.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 WASP mean?
WASP noun- Any of many types of stinging flying insect resembling a hornet.
- Any of the members of suborder Apocrita, excepting the ants (family Formicidae) and bees (clade Anthophila).
- A person who behaves in an angry or insolent way, hence waspish.
- A member of the dominant American upper-class culture: a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant.
- A member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots.