Cryptic crossword clue
They avoid controversy? Yes and no, possibly 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ANODYNES

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
N
O
D
Y
N
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "They avoid controversy" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they avoid controversy = anodynes.
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 ANODYNES mean?

ANODYNES noun
  1. Any medicine or other agent that relieves pain
  2. A source of relaxation or comfort

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