Cryptic crossword clue
Shopkeepers‘ basic cost not recovered 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word TOBACCONISTS

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
T
O
B
A
C
C
O
N
I
S
T
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Shopkeepers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case shopkeepers = tobacconists.
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 TOBACCONISTS mean?

TOBACCONISTS noun
  1. A person who sells tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, snuff and sundry items.
  2. A tobacconist's shop.
  3. A person who is addicted to smoking tobacco.

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