Cryptic crossword clue
Timid hangman trembles, needing utmost strength 5,3,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 3 plus 4 letter word MIGHT AND MAIN

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
M
I
G
H
T
A
N
D
M
A
I
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "utmost strength" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case utmost strength = might and main.
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.

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