The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 16 letter word BREAD-AND-BUTTER
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
R
E
A
D
-
A
N
D
-
B
U
T
T
E
R
More clues leading to the result BREAD-AND-BUTTER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Basic" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case basic = bread-and-butter.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 BREAD-AND-BUTTER mean?
BREAD-AND-BUTTER adjective- Relating to basic sustenance or the requirements for everyday living.
- A general saying used to ward off bad luck
- A saying specifically used to ward off bad luck when separating hands to walk either side of a tree