Cryptic crossword clue
The French covered in buzzing flies must be dead 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word LIFELESS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
L
I
F
E
L
E
S
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "dead" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dead = lifeless.
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 LIFELESS mean?

LIFELESS adjective
  1. Inanimate; having no life
  2. Dead; having lost life
  3. Uninhabited, or incapable of supporting life
  4. Dull or lacking vitality

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