The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 3 letter word ALSO RAN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
A
L
S
O
R
A
N
More clues leading to the result ALSO RAN
- There’s no place for the likes of him
- One not among the first three managed by amateur orchestra
- Too controlled to be a nonentity
- Artist in salon, unfortunately one unplaced in competition
- One failing to gain a place in American orchestra carried on
- Orchestra’s appearance among islands is a loser
- One undistinguished set of players entering a country, not Italy
- One set off but got no place
- Gore subsequently stood for President? Don’t bet on it
- ...and scurried as a non-entity
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "one unplaced in competition" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one unplaced in competition = also ran.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 ALSO RAN mean?
ALSO RAN noun- A person or animal who competed in a race but did not win.
- A loser; a person or thing soon to be forgotten.