The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word RANKS
R
A
N
K
S
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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 RANKS mean?
RANKS noun- A row of people or things organized in a grid pattern, often soldiers [the corresponding term for the perpendicular columns in such a pattern is "file"].
- In a pipe organ, a set of pipes of a certain quality for which each pipe corresponds to one key or pedal.
- One's position in a list sorted by a shared property such as physical location, population, or quality
- The level of one's position in a class-based society
- A hierarchical level in an organization such as the military
- A level in a scientific taxonomy system
- Maximal number of linearly independent columns (or rows) of a matrix.
- The dimensionality of an array or tensor.
- The maximum quantity of D-linearly independent elements of a module (over an integral domain D).
- The size of any basis of a given matroid.
- One of the eight horizontal lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a number). The analog vertical lines are the files.
- (typically in the plural) A category of people, such as those who share an occupation.
- To place abreast, or in a line.
- To have a ranking.
- To assign a suitable place in a class or order; to classify.
- To take rank of; to outrank.