Cryptic crossword clue
Terrible English editor getting told off got worse 12

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
E
T
E
R
I
O
R
A
T
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "got worse" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case got worse = deteriorated.
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 DETERIORATED mean?

DETERIORATED verb
  1. To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
  2. To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.

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