Cryptic crossword clue
How intelligent I am to keep way above upper echelons, initially – powerful aura! 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word MYSTIQUE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "powerful aura!" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case powerful aura! = mystique.
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 MYSTIQUE mean?

MYSTIQUE noun
  1. An aura of heightened interest, meaning or mystery surrounding a person or thing.

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