The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word SMOKE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
S
M
O
K
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Cure/cause of a cough" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cure/cause of a cough = smoke.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 SMOKE mean?
SMOKE noun- The visible vapor/vapour, gases, and fine particles given off by burning or smoldering material.
- A cigarette.
- Anything to smoke (e.g. cigarettes, marijuana, etc.)
- (never plural) An instance of smoking a cigarette, cigar, etc.; the duration of this act.
- A fleeting illusion; something insubstantial, evanescent, unreal, transitory, or without result.
- Something used to obscure or conceal; an obscuring condition; see also smoke and mirrors.
- A light grey colour/color tinted with blue.
- A particulate of solid or liquid particles dispersed into the air on the battlefield to degrade enemy ground or for aerial observation. Smoke has many uses--screening smoke, signaling smoke, smoke curtain, smoke haze, and smoke deception. Thus it is an artificial aerosol.
- A fastball.
- Of the colour known as smoke.
- Made of or with smoke.
- To inhale and exhale the smoke from a burning cigarette, cigar, pipe, etc.
- To inhale and exhale tobacco smoke.
- To give off smoke.
- To preserve or prepare (food) for consumption by treating with smoke.
- To dry or medicate by smoke.
- To fill or scent with smoke; hence, to fill with incense; to perfume.
- To make unclear or blurry.
- (chiefly as present participle) To perform (e.g. music) energetically or skillfully.
- To beat someone at something.
- To kill, especially with a gun.
- To thrash; to beat.
- To smell out; to hunt out; to find out; to detect.
- To ridicule to the face; to mock.
- To burn; to be kindled; to rage.
- To raise a dust or smoke by rapid motion.
- To suffer severely; to be punished.
- To punish (a person) for a minor offense by excessive physical exercise.
- To cover (a key blank) with soot or carbon to aid in seeing the marks made by impressioning.