The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word EXTORTS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
E
X
T
O
R
T
S
More clues leading to the result EXTORTS
- Forces out former leftists after revolution
- Compels to cough up old wrongs
- Revolutionary Marxist caught by wild sex blackmails
- Blackmails with former wrongs
- Blackmails using rearranged letters, or texts
- Threatens to get money
- Forcibly gets former partner to right wrongs finally
- Exacts former wrongs
- Forces reportedly trained in excess
- Obtains money from old wrongdoings
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Threatens" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case threatens = extorts.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 EXTORTS mean?
EXTORTS verb- To take or seize off an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity
- To obtain by means of the offense of extortion.
- To twist outwards.