Cryptic crossword clue
Intense longing a former athlete held in pulsating chest 9

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

C
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Intense longing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case intense longing = cacoethes.
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 CACOETHES mean?

CACOETHES noun
  1. Compulsion; mania.
  2. A bad quality or disposition in a disease; a malignant tumour or ulcer.

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