Cryptic crossword clue
Son in ground operated in hopeless state 11

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word DESPERATION

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

The straight part
We know that "hopeless state" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hopeless state = desperation.
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 DESPERATION mean?

DESPERATION noun
  1. The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope.
  2. A state of despair, or utter hopelessness; abandonment of hope
  3. Reckless fury.

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