The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CRITERIA
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
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A
More clues leading to the result CRITERIA
- Standards for judging writer sacrificing wife taken in by spies
- Summoner keeps time, reflecting top-class standards
- Quote’s about right to express contrary principles
- One’s into oddly erratic standards
- Spies holding writer disregarding Western standards
- One involved with erratic standards
- standards
- Erratic working to circumvent current standards
- Conservative standing on ceremony before appearance raised standards
- Island restricted by absurdly erratic standards
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "standards" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case standards = criteria.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 CRITERIA mean?
CRITERIA noun- A single criterion.
- A standard or test by which individual things or people may be compared and judged.