Cryptic crossword clue
Sailor paid upfront for protective cover 4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word TARP

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
T
A
R
P

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The straight part
We know that "protective cover" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case protective cover = tarp.
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 TARP mean?

TARP noun
  1. A tarpaulin.
TARP verb
  1. To cover something with a tarpaulin.

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