The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word AUTHORITIES
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "top government figures" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case top government figures = authorities.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 AUTHORITIES mean?
AUTHORITIES noun- The bodies that have political or administrative power and control in a particular sphere
- The bodies that enforce law and order or provide a public service
- The power to enforce rules or give orders.
- (used in singular or plural form) Persons in command; specifically, government.
- A person accepted as a source of reliable information on a subject.
- Government-owned agency which runs a revenue-generating activity.