The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word DEFACEMENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
D
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A
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More clues leading to the result DEFACEMENT
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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 DEFACEMENT mean?
DEFACEMENT noun- An act of defacing; an instance of visibly marring or disfiguring something.
- An act of voiding or devaluing; nullification of the face value.
- (vexillology) A symbol added to a flag or coat of arms to change it or make it different from another.