Cryptic crossword clue
Caused fear, if one’s broken in? That’s just scratched the surface 9

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

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

The straight part
We know that "scratched the surface" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case scratched the surface = scarified.
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 SCARIFIED mean?

SCARIFIED adjective
  1. Damaged, barren, denuded, scarred, wasted
SCARIFIED verb
  1. To remove thatch (build-up of organic matter on the soil) from a lawn, to dethatch.
  2. To make scratches or cuts on.
  3. To harrow the feelings.
  4. To scar.
  5. Denude, or lay waste to.

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