Cryptic crossword clue
Ray Charles maybe volunteers 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word MANTA

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
M
A
N
T
A

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Ray" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ray = manta.
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 MANTA mean?

MANTA noun
  1. A kind of fabric or blanket used in Latin America and southwestern United States.
MANTA noun
  1. Any of several very large pelagic rays of the genus Manta, with winglike pectoral fins, a long tail, and two fins resembling horns that project from the head.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations