The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PAY-OFF
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
A
Y
-
O
F
F
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "outcome" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case outcome = pay-off.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 PAY-OFF mean?
PAY-OFF noun- A payment.
- A reward.
- A bribe.
- A resolution or justification of an event that has already occurred, especially in fiction.