The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word CRINGLE
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "grommet of rope" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case grommet of rope = cringle.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 CRINGLE mean?
CRINGLE noun- A short piece of rope, arranged as a grommet around a metal ring, used to attach tackle to a sail etc.
- A withe for fastening a gate.
- To fasten or attach with a cringle.