Cryptic crossword clue
Timely joke against a cult being silly 8

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
U
N
C
T
U
A
L

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Timely" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case timely = punctual.
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 PUNCTUAL mean?

PUNCTUAL adjective
  1. Prompt; on time.
  2. Existing as a point or series of points
  3. Expressing momentary action that has no duration
  4. (Euro-English) Periodic; occasional.
  5. Observing trivial points; punctilious.

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