The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SCARECROW
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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More clues leading to the result SCARECROW
- Mind corn regularly vanishing during scatter? Here’s the answer
- Concern in South Carolina over line that's frightening?
- Animal crossing ploughed up acre in credit with fixture in field …
- Nurse carrying cocaine welcomed by female model
- Mark with sorrow, keeping Catholic back from crop protector
- Singular boast about keeping pest controller
- He doesn’t have to be smart to fool the birds
- Frightening figure emerging from vehicle in moment before commotion
- Surrey’s opener has wish to boast, intimidating fieldsman
- Surrey opener’s boast about anxiety for one out in the field
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "pest controller" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case pest controller = scarecrow.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 SCARECROW mean?
SCARECROW noun- An effigy, typically made of straw and dressed in old clothes, fixed to a pole in a field to deter birds from eating seeds or crops planted there.
- A tall, thin, awkward person.
- Anything that appears terrifying but presents no danger.
- A person clad in rags and tatters.
- A bird, the black tern.
- To splay rigidly outward, like the arms of a scarecrow.