Cryptic crossword clue
Appointed groups of supporters upholding promise 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word COMMITTEES

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Appointed groups" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case appointed groups = committees.
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 COMMITTEES mean?

COMMITTEES noun
  1. A body of one or more persons convened for the accomplishment of some specific purpose, typically with formal protocols.
  2. A guardian; someone in charge of another person deemed to be unable to look after himself or herself.

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