The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word NICOTINE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
N
I
C
O
T
I
N
E
More clues leading to the result NICOTINE
- What attracts smokers — nearly ten outside one small building
- Good to admit oxygen can poison
- What attracts smokers — several outside one small building
- Hooker I bed in baseball team?
- Old money invested in particular drug
- Poison making one number — one going to bed, confined
- Poisonous compound not designed to impress one in particular
- Rosberg can finally see something in smoke
- Notice about holding in toxin
- Arrest adolescent providing narcotic substance, we hear
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "something in smoke" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case something in smoke = nicotine.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 NICOTINE mean?
NICOTINE noun- An alkaloid (C10H14N2), commonly occurring in the tobacco plant. In small doses it is a habit-forming stimulant; in larger doses it is toxic and is often used in insecticides.
- Tobacco, cigarettes