Cryptic crossword clue
I arrest one sozzled Yankee; it’s a lack of control 9

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

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

The straight part
We know that "a lack of control" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a lack of control = inability.
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 INABILITY mean?

INABILITY noun
  1. Lack of the ability to do something; incapability.
  2. Lack of the option to do something; powerlessness.

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