The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SANDBANK
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
S
A
N
D
B
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K
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "somewhere by the river" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case somewhere by the river = sandbank.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 SANDBANK mean?
SANDBANK noun- A ridge of sand along a shore that is partially or totally submerged and thus a hazard to shipping.