The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word MICROWAVE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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More clues leading to the result MICROWAVE
- Oven I am returning — beware, bank is involved
- Small stream from which duck might emerge?
- Very tiny acknowledgment for help in the kitchen
- Cook‘s unusually warm voice
- Busy road to boast street cook
- Small gesture can warm things up
- Device for cooking bird in two ways
- WArm voice becoming animated – it heats quickly
- Falsely avow crime to take the heat off? Quite the reverse
- Setter’s bird reportedly given Roller — that’s a bit of 1ac 9!
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "help in the kitchen" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case help in the kitchen = microwave.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 MICROWAVE mean?
MICROWAVE noun- An electromagnetic wave with wavelength between that of infrared light and radio waves.
- To cook (something) in a microwave oven.
- An oven that uses microwave energy to heat food or other items placed within it.