The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 13 letter word LEATHERJACKET
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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More clues leading to the result LEATHERJACKET
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Swimmer" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case swimmer = leatherjacket.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 LEATHERJACKET mean?
LEATHERJACKET noun- The larva of some crane flies
- Any of several brightly coloured tropical fishes, of the family Balistidae, including the filefish and the triggerfish; leatherfish
- Any of several Atlantic fishes, of the genus Oligoplites, that have a leathery skin; leatherjack