Cryptic crossword clue
Tory papers covering Sun leader 3

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word IDS

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
I
D
S

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The straight part
We know that "Tory" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tory = ids.
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 IDS mean?

IDS noun
  1. The unconscious impulsive component of the personality in the Freudian psychoanalytic model.
IDS noun
  1. Identifier.
IDS noun
  1. A freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, found across northern Europe and Asia, especially Leuciscus idus.

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