Cryptic crossword clue
Slap delivered when lettuce quantities not right 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Slap" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case slap = cosmetics.
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 COSMETICS mean?

COSMETICS noun
  1. Preparations applied externally to change or enhance the beauty of skin, hair, nails, lips, and eyes.
COSMETICS noun
  1. The study of such products.

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