The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word WILTS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
W
I
L
T
S
More clues leading to the result WILTS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "County/flags" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case county/flags = wilts.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 WILTS mean?
WILTS noun- The act of wilting or the state of being wilted.
- Any of various plant diseases characterized by wilting.
- To droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower).
- To fatigue; to lose strength.
- To cause to droop or become limp and flaccid (as a flower).
- To cause to fatigue; to exhaust.