The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word LAT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
L
A
T
More clues leading to the result LAT
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "muscle contraction" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case muscle contraction = lat.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 LAT mean?
LAT noun- A staff, particularly one of an Indian kind.
- A monumental pillar, particularly the Buddhist columns erected in East India.
- (usually in the plural) A latrine: a rudimentary or military facility for urination and defecation.
- The gold-backed monetary unit of Latvia from August 1922 until April 1941, when it was replaced by the Soviet ruble; it was typically pegged at about 25 to the British pound.
- The floating fiat monetary unit of Latvia from 1992 until January 2014, when it was replaced by the euro.
- A coin or bill of either currency.
- (usually in the plural) A latissimus dorsi muscle.
- Latitude