The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word HYPOCRITE
H
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Phony" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case phony = hypocrite.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 HYPOCRITE mean?
HYPOCRITE noun- Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.