Cryptic crossword clue
Below par flavour observed in less popular period 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
O
F
F
S
E
A
S
O
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "less popular period" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case less popular period = offseason.
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 OFFSEASON mean?

OFFSEASON noun
  1. That part of the year when business is most slack and there are fewest clients or visitors
  2. Period of time when regular competitions are not being held, or when an athlete is not participating in competitions.

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