The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 plus 4 letter word ELECTRIC BLUE
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More clues leading to the result ELECTRIC BLUE
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "it looks startling" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case it looks startling = electric blue.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 ELECTRIC BLUE mean?
ELECTRIC BLUE adjective- Of a bright, metallic blue colour (electric blue).