Cryptic crossword clue
Symbols of authority priest understands 6,7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 7 letter word FATHER FIGURES

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
F
A
T
H
E
R
F
I
G
U
R
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Symbols of authority" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case symbols of authority = father figures.
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.

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