The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word UNTANGLED
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
U
N
T
A
N
G
L
E
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "No longer tied up" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case no longer tied up = untangled.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 UNTANGLED mean?
UNTANGLED verb- To remove tangles or knots from.
- (by extension) To remove confusion or mystery from.
- Not tangled.