Cryptic crossword clue
One guides cattle, a substantial number with tail docked 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "One guides" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one guides = steersman.
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 STEERSMAN mean?

STEERSMAN noun
  1. One who steers a ship or other vessel; the helmsman.

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