Cryptic crossword clue
When Prince upset singer, making false accusations 9

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

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

The straight part
We know that "making false accusations" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case making false accusations = aspersing.
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 ASPERSING mean?

ASPERSING verb
  1. To sprinkle or scatter (liquid or dust).
  2. To falsely or maliciously charge another; to slander.

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