The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word TRUNCHEON
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
T
R
U
N
C
H
E
O
N
More clues leading to the result TRUNCHEON
- Taste endless meal, but no starter, in club
- Club act has change of heart: he’s involved in scam
- Criminal once hurt with butt of iron club
- On the run, wilfully holding club or cudgel
- Club‘s empty restaurant served up meal without starter
- New companion admitted to proper working club
- Chunter on about staff
- Law enforcement staff?
- Staff organise church in tense period
- Fashion boxing career with beginnings in Charlton Heston’s exclusive club
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Staff" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case staff = truncheon.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 TRUNCHEON mean?
TRUNCHEON noun- A fragment or piece broken off from something, especially a broken-off piece of a spear or lance.
- The shaft of a spear.
- A short staff, a club; a cudgel.
- A baton, or military staff of command, now especially the stick carried by a police officer.
- A stout stem, as of a tree, with the branches lopped off, to produce rapid growth.
- A penis.
- To strike with a truncheon.