Cryptic crossword clue
Preparing to substitute for player, not learning enough 13

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 13 letter word UNDERSTUDYING

I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
U
N
D
E
R
S
T
U
D
Y
I
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G

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Preparing to substitute for player" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case preparing to substitute for player = understudying.
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 UNDERSTUDYING mean?

UNDERSTUDYING verb
  1. To study or know a role to such an extent as to be able to replace the normal performer when required.
  2. To act as an understudy (to someone).
  3. To act in a similar manner to some known person.

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