The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word INTERVALS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
N
T
E
R
V
A
L
S
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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 INTERVALS mean?
INTERVALS noun- A distance in space.
- A period of time.
- The difference (a ratio or logarithmic measure) in pitch between two notes, often referring to those two pitches themselves (otherwise known as a dyad).
- A connected section of the real line which may be empty or have a length of zero.
- An intermission.
- Half time, a scheduled intermission between the periods of play
- Either of the two breaks, at lunch and tea, between the three sessions of a day's play