Cryptic crossword clue
Rap on the knuckles for nation absorbed by brewing beer 6

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word REBUKE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
R
E
B
U
K
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Rap on the knuckles" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case rap on the knuckles = rebuke.
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 REBUKE mean?

REBUKE noun
  1. A harsh criticism.
REBUKE verb
  1. To criticise harshly; to reprove.

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