Cryptic crossword clue
Local complaints send mice scattering 8

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

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

The straight part
We know that "Local complaints" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case local complaints = endemics.
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 ENDEMICS mean?

ENDEMICS noun
  1. An individual or species that is endemic to a region.
  2. A disease affecting a number of people simultaneously, so as to show a distinct connection with certain localities.

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