The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word REDNECKS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
R
E
D
N
E
C
K
S
More clues leading to the result REDNECKS
- Former concerns holding back extreme reactionaries
- Visibly embarrassed, passionately kisses country cousins?
- Poor Americans showing evidence of getting hot behind the collar?
- Fashion designer in beamer upset simple folk in America
- Drinks some wine before seeing impoverished Americans
- Liverpool nurses snog some Southerners
- Russian gets amorous, said to be crackers
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "country cousins" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case country cousins = rednecks.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 REDNECKS mean?
REDNECKS noun- A poor, rural, usually white and male, person from the Southern United States or parts of the Midwest and northeast, especially one who is unsophisticated and backward; sometimes with additional connotations of being bigoted.
- Any of the miners who wore red bandanas for identification during the West Virginia mine war of 1921.
- A member of a certain Baltimore street gang, active in 1859.
- (19th and 20th centuries) A Roman Catholic.