Cryptic crossword clue
What, digging into pot, my very tight clothes do, bit by bit 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word INCHMEAL

I
N
C
H
M
E
A
L

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "bit by bit" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bit by bit = inchmeal.
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 INCHMEAL mean?

INCHMEAL adverb
  1. Gradually, little by little (an inch at a time)

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