Basic replies regularly note being in lead? (9)
I believe the answer is:
elemental
'basic' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'replies regularly note being in lead?' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'note being' becomes 'n' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'lead?' becomes 'metal' (lead is a metal).
The alternating letters of 'replies' are 'ele'.
'n' put within 'metal' is 'mental'.
'ele'+'mental'='ELEMENTAL'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for elemental that I've seen before include "Nature spirit" , "Of basic importance" , "Fundamental; supernatural entity" , "of fire, say" , "Related to the powers of nature" .)