Cryptic crossword clue
Leader of competition in plan due to fail, fourth or worse? 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word UNPLACED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
U
N
P
L
A
C
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "fourth or worse" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case fourth or worse = unplaced.
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 UNPLACED mean?

UNPLACED adjective
  1. Not assigned a place.
  2. Not among the first three horses to finish a race.

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