Cryptic crossword clue
To keep mum quiet, work or cease trading? 4,2,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 2 plus 4 letter word SHUT UP SHOP

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
H
U
T
U
P
S
H
O
P

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "cease trading" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cease trading = shut up shop.
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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