Cryptic crossword clue
What could be a Ruritania, hot, despotic? 13

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 13 letter word AUTHORITARIAN

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

The straight part
We know that "despotic" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case despotic = authoritarian.
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 AUTHORITARIAN mean?

AUTHORITARIAN noun
  1. One who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.
  2. One who follows and is excessively obedient to authority.
AUTHORITARIAN adjective
  1. Of, or relating to, or exhibiting strict obedience to an authority; favoring authoritarianism over civic and individual liberties.
  2. Demanding obedience to authority; marked by authoritarianism; dictatorial, tyrannical.
  3. Tending to impose one's demands upon others as if one were an authority.

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