Cryptic crossword clue
Brutes scrabbling for roots

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word TUBERS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
U
B
E
R
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "roots" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case roots = tubers.
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 TUBERS mean?

TUBERS noun
  1. A fleshy, thickened underground stem of a plant, usually containing stored starch, for example a potato or arrowroot.
  2. A thickened rootstock.
  3. A rounded, protuberant structure in a human or animal body.

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