Cryptic crossword clue
Cunning NATO ploy to hamper opening of lock with many keys 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
P
O
L
Y
T
O
N
A
L

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "with many keys" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case with many keys = polytonal.
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 POLYTONAL mean?

POLYTONAL adjective
  1. That uses two or more tonalities simultaneously.

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