The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word QUILL
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "musical pipe" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case musical pipe = quill.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 QUILL mean?
QUILL noun- The lower shaft of a feather, specifically the region lacking barbs.
- A pen made from a feather.
- Any pen.
- A sharply pointed, barbed, and easily detached needle-like structure that grows on the skin of a porcupine or hedgehog as a defense against predators.
- A thin piece of bark, especially of cinnamon or cinchona, curled up into a tube.
- The pen of a squid.
- The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments.
- The tube of a musical instrument.
- Something having the form of a quill, such as the fold or plain of a ruff, or a spindle, or spool, upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a shuttle.
- To pierce or be pierced with quills.
- To write.
- To form fabric into small, rounded folds.
- To decorate with quillwork.
- To subject (a woman who is giving birth) to the practice of quilling (blowing pepper into her nose to induce or hasten labor).