The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 14 letter word MERRY-GO-ROUND
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
M
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Ride/cycle" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ride/cycle = merry-go-round.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 MERRY-GO-ROUND mean?
MERRY-GO-ROUND noun- A carousel; a pleasure ride, typically found at fairs and amusement parks, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which various seats are fixed, frequently shaped like horses or other animals.
- A piece of playground equipment consisting of a circular platform that is made to revolve by pushing while users stand on it.
- A meaningless cycle; a bustle of activity that gets nowhere
- A freight train of hopper goods wagons which loads and unloads its cargo while moving.