Cryptic crossword clue
Possibly fall in late? Go for punishment 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word FLAGELLATION

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
F
L
A
G
E
L
L
A
T
I
O
N

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 = flagellation.
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 FLAGELLATION mean?

FLAGELLATION noun
  1. A beating consisting of lashes, notably as corporal punishment or mortification, such as a whipping or scourging.
FLAGELLATION noun
  1. (botany) The formation by plants of flagella, or their arrangement.

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