Cryptic crossword clue
Very modern jail wants cunning type put away 4,2,2,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 2 plus 2 plus 4 letter word BANG UP TO DATE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
A
N
G
U
P
T
O
D
A
T
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Very modern" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very modern = bang up to date.
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.

Crossword Answer definitions

Latest crossword clues with full explanations