The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CAUSALITY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
A
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S
A
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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 CAUSALITY mean?
CAUSALITY noun- The agency of a cause; the action or power of a cause, in producing its effect.
- The relationship between something that happens or exists and the thing that causes it; the cause and consequence relationship.