Cryptic crossword clue
Small bladeused by Spooner when out after dark? maybe 25

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word NIGHTLIFE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
N
I
G
H
T
L
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F
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "out after /dark" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case out after /dark = nightlife.
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 NIGHTLIFE mean?

NIGHTLIFE noun
  1. Nocturnal activities, especially visiting nightclubs.

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