Cryptic crossword clue
A white rattlesnake is suddenly alert 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word AWAKENS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
W
A
K
E
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S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "is suddenly alert" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case is suddenly alert = awakens.
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 AWAKENS mean?

AWAKENS verb
  1. To cause to become awake.
  2. To stop sleeping; awake.
  3. To bring into action (something previously dormant); to stimulate.
  4. To call to a sense of sin.

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