Cryptic crossword clue
Tread designed to accommodate drill narrowing at one end 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word TAPERED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
A
P
E
R
E
D


Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "narrowing at one end" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case narrowing at one end = tapered.
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 TAPERED mean?

TAPERED verb
  1. To make thinner or narrower at one end.
  2. To diminish gradually.
TAPERED adjective
  1. Narrowing gradually towards a point.
  2. Lit with a taper.

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