The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word TORTS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
T
O
R
T
S
Buddy explains!
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 TORTS mean?
TORTS noun- An injury or wrong.
- A wrongful act, whether intentional or negligent, which causes an injury and can be remedied in civil court, usually through the awarding of damages.
- (only in the plural torts) Tort law (the area of law dealing with such wrongful acts).
- A tortoise.
- A tortoiseshell (animal with coloured markings on fur).