Cryptic crossword clue
Minor reprimand as result of make-up misapplication? 4,2,3,5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 2 plus 3 plus 5 letter word SLAP ON THE WRIST

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Minor reprimand" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case minor reprimand = slap on the wrist.
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.

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