Cryptic crossword clue
They could be under boss at head of institution 12

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
U
B
O
R
D
I
N
A
T
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "They could be under boss at head of institution" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they could be under boss at head of institution = subordinates.
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 SUBORDINATES mean?

SUBORDINATES noun
  1. One who is subordinate.
SUBORDINATES verb
  1. To make subservient.
  2. To treat as of less value or importance.
  3. To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.

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