Cryptic crossword clue
Unfairly punish small boys: one’s contrite, finally 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word VICTIMISE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Unfairly punish" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case unfairly punish = victimise.
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 VICTIMISE mean?

VICTIMISE verb
  1. To make someone a victim or sacrifice.
  2. To punish someone unjustly.
  3. To swindle or defraud someone.

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