The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SHE-DEVIL
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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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 SHE-DEVIL mean?
SHE-DEVIL noun- A female devil (as opposed to a he-devil, male devil).
- A woman whose bad temper, cruelty or wicked ways are so extreme as to evoke an image of the devil.