Cryptic crossword clue
Saw a professional sacrificing rook against the grandmaster 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word APOTHEGM

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
A
P
O
T
H
E
G
M

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Saw" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case saw = apothegm.
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 APOTHEGM mean?

APOTHEGM noun
  1. A short, witty, instructive saying; an aphorism or maxim.

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