The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word STEWING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
T
E
W
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Buddy explains!
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 STEWING mean?
STEWING verb- To cook (food) by slowly boiling or simmering.
- To brew (tea) for too long, so that the flavour becomes too strong.
- To suffer under uncomfortably hot conditions.
- To be in a state of elevated anxiety or anger.
- The act by which something is stewed.