Cryptic crossword clue
Indicate some Europeans as upholders of standards 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "upholders of standards" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case upholders of standards = flagpoles.
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 FLAGPOLES mean?

FLAGPOLES noun
  1. A tall pole up which one or more flags may be raised and flown.
FLAGPOLES verb
  1. Exit a country momentarily and reenter. Usually this is done to satisfy immigration requirements.

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