The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SNOWSHOE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
S
N
O
W
S
H
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E
More clues leading to the result SNOWSHOE
- Rogue whose son makes footwear
- Scatters seeds containing nitrogen with garden implement – it spreads the load on soft ground
- Present aboard ship, tool as Arctic trekker’s requirement
- Could this help you out, if you get the drift?
- Sole assistance for those travelling in the Arctic
- Shows one ragged bit of winter gear
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "it spreads the load on soft ground" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case it spreads the load on soft ground = snowshoe.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 SNOWSHOE mean?
SNOWSHOE noun- A flat item of footwear worn to facilitate walking in deep snow.
- To travel using snowshoes.