Cryptic crossword clue
  After playing set, no-hoper is close to defeat 2,3,5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 2 plus 3 plus 5 letter word ON THE ROPES

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
O
N
T
H
E
R
O
P
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "close to defeat" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case close to defeat = on the ropes.
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.

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