The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word CHESS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
H
E
S
S
More clues leading to the result CHESS
- Game with boxes, present finally emerging
- Game chap with son in Court of Session
- Game / show
- Game show
- Game: Nazis against Communist
- After check, finally one wins this game
- Hurts to lose a second battle of wits
- Matches on Saturday will show this game
- Board manoeuvres – the likes of Fergie deprived of dues
- Part of which, essentially, that’s like Othello in certain ways
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Battle on board" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case battle on board = chess.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 CHESS mean?
CHESS noun- A board game for two players with each beginning with sixteen chess pieces moving according to fixed rules across a chessboard with the objective to checkmate the opposing king.
- Any of several species of grass in the genus Bromus, generally considered weeds.
- (chiefly in the plural) One of the platforms, consisting of two or more planks dowelled together, for the flooring of a temporary military bridge.