The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word BRIM
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
R
I
M
More clues leading to the result BRIM
- Lip balm’s first applied to lip
- Sort of peak Bono & The Edge: ignoring Yoko
- Edge attached to side of boater?
- Lip, bloody lip!
- Top margin on book
- Edge from side of bat followed by another
- … and initial selections to be remastered include Maddy’s ‘All Around My Hat‘
- Spilling point?
- Edge on front of bowler — that’s it!
- Watery edge that would have stone for butterfly
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Top" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case top = brim.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 BRIM mean?
BRIM noun- The sea; ocean; water; flood.
- An edge or border (originally specifically of the sea or a body of water).
- The topmost rim or lip of a container.
- A projecting rim, especially of a hat.
- To be full to overflowing.
- To fill to the brim, upper edge, or top.
- Of pigs: to be in heat, to rut.
- Fierce; sharp; cold.