Cryptic crossword clue
Is America restricted by old trickster? There’s cruel treatment 8

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

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

The straight part
We know that "cruel treatment" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cruel treatment = misusage.
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 MISUSAGE mean?

MISUSAGE noun
  1. Improper usage (especially of words).
  2. Abuse; improper handling or treatment.

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