Cryptic crossword clue
Very distressed tradespeople, it would seem 3,2

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word CUT-UP

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
U
T
-
U
P

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Very distressed" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very distressed = cut-up.
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 CUT-UP mean?

CUT-UP noun
  1. Someone who cuts up; someone who acts boisterously or clownishly, for example, by playing practical jokes.

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