Cryptic crossword clue
Seabirds needing rare wash set out 11

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word SHEARWATERS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
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S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Seabirds" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case seabirds = shearwaters.
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 SHEARWATERS mean?

SHEARWATERS noun
  1. Any of the long-winged pelagic seabirds of the family Procellariidae in genera Puffinus, Ardenna, and Calonectris, that breed on islands and coastal cliffs.
  2. (by extension) Any of the entire family Procellariidae, including certain of the petrels.

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