Cryptic crossword clue
Private enters petitions for new recruits 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BEGINNERS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
E
G
I
N
N
E
R
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "new recruits" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case new recruits = beginners.
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 BEGINNERS mean?

BEGINNERS noun
  1. Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started.
  2. Someone who sets something in motion.

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