Cryptic crossword clue
Goal and penalty for Spurs 6,3,5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 3 plus 5 letter word CARROT AND STICK

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
C
A
R
R
O
T
A
N
D
S
T
I
C
K

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Spurs" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case spurs = carrot and stick.
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 CARROT AND STICK mean?

CARROT AND STICK noun
  1. Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.
CARROT AND STICK noun
  1. A promised reward to encourage good behaviour that is never actually delivered.

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