Cryptic crossword clue
Experienced soldiers hit back after losing leader 11

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word ENCOUNTERED

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
E
N
C
O
U
N
T
E
R
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Experienced" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case experienced = encountered.
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 ENCOUNTERED mean?

ENCOUNTERED verb
  1. To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
  2. To confront (someone or something) face to face.
  3. To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.

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