Cryptic crossword clue
Huge beasts once beating toads in battle 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Huge beasts once" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case huge beasts once = mastodons.
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 MASTODONS mean?

MASTODONS noun
  1. Extinct elephant-like mammal of the genus Mammut that flourished worldwide from Miocene through Pleistocene times; differs from elephants and mammoths in the form of the molar teeth.

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