Cryptic crossword clue
Cop making third fine bust 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
D
E
F
E
C
T
I
V
E

Buddy explains!

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

DEFECTIVE noun
  1. A person or thing considered to be defective.
DEFECTIVE adjective
  1. Having one or more defects.
  2. (grammar, of a lexeme, especially a verb) Lacking some forms; e.g., having only one tense or being usable only in the third person.
  3. (Arabic grammar, of a verb) Having a root whose final consonant is weak (ي, و, or ء).

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