Cryptic crossword clue
Reduce stress on subordinate to compete 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Reduce stress on" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case reduce stress on = underplay.
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 UNDERPLAY mean?

UNDERPLAY noun
  1. The act of underplaying.
UNDERPLAY verb
  1. To play in a subordinate, or in an inferior manner; to underact a part.
  2. To make something seem less important than it really is.
  3. To play a low card when holding a high one, in the hope of a future advantage.

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