Cryptic crossword clue
One has unexpected closeness, no win ultimately, having two sides equal 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "having two sides equal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case having two sides equal = isosceles.
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 ISOSCELES mean?

ISOSCELES adjective
  1. Having (at least) two sides of equal length, used especially of a triangle or trapezoid.

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