Cryptic crossword clue
Chief leader writer, fiery beast 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
E
N
D
R
A
G
O
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Chief leader" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case chief leader = pendragon.
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 PENDRAGON mean?

PENDRAGON noun
  1. Also capitalized as Pendragon: a title assumed by the ancient British chiefs when called to lead other chiefs: chief war leader, chieftain, dictator, despot or king.

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