The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word YALE
Y
A
L
E
More clues leading to the result YALE
- Finally buy beer in university
- College inventor making contribution to security
- University study’s ending with beer!
- Uni running team, heading off to the west
- Where degrees are taken by wallies, every so often
- Education’s No 1 place to the West?
- Inventor making contribution to security in university
- Knocked up English poem in University
- Ye Olde Festive Brew, kept under Yard’s lock and key
- University‘s mythical animal
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "lock and key (" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case lock and key ( = yale.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 YALE mean?
YALE noun- A mythical beast in European mythology and heraldry, usually portrayed as an antelope- or goat-like four-legged creature with large horns that it can swivel in any direction.