The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word OPERATICS
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
C
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Ridiculous cries apt to follow nothing at all?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ridiculous cries apt to follow nothing at all? = operatics.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 OPERATICS mean?
OPERATICS noun- Exaggerated or overly emotional behaviour; histrionics