The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word DISPUTATIONS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
I
S
P
U
T
A
T
I
O
N
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Arguments" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case arguments = disputations.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 DISPUTATIONS mean?
DISPUTATIONS noun- The act of disputing; a dispute or argument
- A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed.