Cryptic crossword clue
Demands too much with public cuts 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Demands too much" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case demands too much = overtaxes.
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 OVERTAXES mean?

OVERTAXES verb
  1. To tax to an excessive degree
  2. To overburden

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