Cryptic crossword clue
Covering up, given royal discomposure 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word OVERLAYING

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Covering up" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case covering up = overlaying.
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 OVERLAYING mean?

OVERLAYING verb
  1. To lay, spread, or apply something over or across; cover.
  2. To overwhelm; to press excessively upon.
  3. To lie over (someone, especially a child) in order to smother it; to suffocate.
  4. To put an overlay on.
OVERLAYING noun
  1. Overlaid ornamentation

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