The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 14 letter word OSTEOARTHRITIS
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
O
S
T
E
O
A
R
T
H
R
I
T
I
S
More clues leading to the result OSTEOARTHRITIS
- Ropey sore throat? It is what makes articulation difficult
- Sore throat throbbing? It is a problem of articulation
- Big toe injured by Arthur, not Posh; it’s causing bone disease
- Pain in the bones caused by current in mad rheostat riots
- Throat is sore - it could be medical problem
- Health problem — is it sore throat possibly?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "what makes articulation difficult" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case what makes articulation difficult = osteoarthritis.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 OSTEOARTHRITIS mean?
OSTEOARTHRITIS noun- A form of arthritis, affecting mainly older people, caused by chronic degeneration of the cartilage and synovial membrane of the joints, leading to pain and stiffness.