The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SHAPES
S
H
A
P
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "various forms" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case various forms = shapes.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 SHAPES mean?
SHAPES noun- The status or condition of something
- Condition of personal health, especially muscular health.
- The appearance of something in terms of its arrangement in space, especially its outline; often a basic geometric two-dimensional figure.
- Form; formation.
- (iron manufacture) A rolled or hammered piece, such as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc., having a cross section different from merchant bar.
- (iron manufacture) A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted.
- A mould for making jelly, blancmange etc., or a piece of such food formed moulded into a particular shape.
- In the Hack programming language, a group of data fields each of which has a name and a data type.
- To create or make.
- To give something a shape and definition.
- To form or manipulate something into a certain shape.
- (of a country, person, etc) To give influence to.
- To suit; to be adjusted or conformable.
- To imagine; to conceive.