The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word NECROLOGY
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "death announcement" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case death announcement = necrology.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 NECROLOGY mean?
NECROLOGY noun- (church history) A church register containing the names of those connected with the church who have died.
- A listing of people who have died during a specific period of time.
- A notice of death.
- The study of death or the dead.