Cryptic crossword clue
Protection against smeared mascaras 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word ANTIMACASSAR

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
N
T
I
M
A
C
A
S
S
A
R

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Protection" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case protection = antimacassar.
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 ANTIMACASSAR mean?

ANTIMACASSAR noun
  1. A cover for the back or arms of a chair or sofa, originally to prevent them from being soiled by macassar oil.

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