Cryptic crossword clue
Changing date to hold draw was trying 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
A
T
T
E
M
P
T
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "was trying" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case was trying = attempted.
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 ATTEMPTED mean?

ATTEMPTED verb
  1. To try.
  2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
  3. To try to win, subdue, or overcome.
  4. To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.
ATTEMPTED adjective
  1. Tried, with the connotation of failure.

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