The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ELABORATE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
E
L
A
B
O
R
A
T
E
More clues leading to the result ELABORATE
- Far from simple to explain
- Worry about American workers on strike, finally getting involved
- Develop complex
- Being complicated add details
- Pack up before lecture becomes complicated
- Fancy a beer a lot, having gone off the rails
- Complex to explain
- The Spanish are heartlessly appropriating legendary Kazakh: it’s complicated
- Bats are able to develop
- Fussy at piercing earlobe, unfortunately
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "complicated" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case complicated = elaborate.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 ELABORATE mean?
ELABORATE verb- To develop in detail or complexity
- (sometimes followed by on or upon, and then the object of the preposition) to expand/enlarge in detail
- Complex, detailed, or sophisticated.
- Intricate, fancy, flashy, or showy.