Cryptic crossword clue
Unable to manage, he spells badly 8

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
H
E
L
P
L
E
S
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Unable to manage" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case unable to manage = helpless.
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 HELPLESS mean?

HELPLESS adjective
  1. Unable to defend oneself.
  2. Lacking help; powerless.
  3. Unable to act without help; needing help; feeble.
  4. Uncontrollable.
  5. From which there is no possibility of being saved.

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