Cryptic crossword clue
Broken foremast with its end near the stern 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word AFTERMOST

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "near the stern" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case near the stern = aftermost.
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 AFTERMOST mean?

AFTERMOST adjective
  1. Nearest the stern of a vessel; hindmost.

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