Cryptic crossword clue
People who pretend to be influential? 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PLAYERS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
L
A
Y
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R
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "People who pretend/to be influential" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case people who pretend/to be influential = players.
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 PLAYERS mean?

PLAYERS noun
  1. One that plays
  2. One who is playful; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler.
  3. A significant participant.
  4. A person who plays the field rather than having a long-term sexual relationship.

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