Cryptic crossword clue
Sharp turns needed to secure locks 8

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Sharp turns/needed to secure locks" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sharp turns/needed to secure locks = hairpins.
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 HAIRPINS mean?

HAIRPINS noun
  1. A pin or fastener for the hair.
  2. A kind of ribozyme; hairpin ribozyme.
  3. A very tight bend in a road.
  4. An elongated v-shaped sign placed underneath a staff to indicate a crescendo

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