Cryptic crossword clue
Scratching head, subversive gradually changing 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word EVOLUTIONARY

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
E
V
O
L
U
T
I
O
N
A
R
Y

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "gradually changing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gradually changing = evolutionary.
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 EVOLUTIONARY mean?

EVOLUTIONARY adjective
  1. Of or relating to the biological theory of evolution.
  2. Having formal similarities to the biological theory of evolution.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations