Cryptic crossword clue
Machine Gun Kelly essentially escaping punishment 6

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word GATING

G
A
T
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G

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "punishment" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case punishment = gating.
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 GATING mean?

GATING verb
  1. To keep something inside by means of a closed gate.
  2. To punish, especially a child or teenager, by not allowing them to go out.
  3. To open a closed ion channel.
  4. To furnish with a gate.
  5. To turn (an image intensifier) on and off selectively as needed, or to avoid damage. See autogating.
GATING noun
  1. An arrangement of gates.

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