The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word IMMORTALS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
I
M
M
O
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T
A
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "gods" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gods = immortals.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 IMMORTALS mean?
IMMORTALS noun- One who is not susceptible to death.
- A member of an elite regiment of the Persian army.
- A member of the Académie française.
- An administrator of a multi-user dungeon; a wizard.