The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CHIT-CHAT
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
H
I
T
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C
H
A
T
Buddy explains!
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 CHIT-CHAT mean?
CHIT-CHAT noun- Light conversation; casual talk, usually about trivial matters.
- Gossip.
- To engage in small talk, to discuss unimportant matters.