Cryptic crossword clue
Operation tails one having left estate 15

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 15 letter word TRANSPLANTATION

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
T
R
A
N
S
P
L
A
N
T
A
T
I
O
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Operation" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case operation = transplantation.
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 TRANSPLANTATION mean?

TRANSPLANTATION noun
  1. The resettlement of a group of people.
  2. A surgical operation in which an organ is moved from a donor to a recipient; an organ transplant.
  3. The uprooting of a tree and planting it in a new location.

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