Cryptic crossword clue
Red Guard primarily holds sway, having ousted leader 5

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
G
U
L
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Red" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case red = gules.
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 GULES mean?

GULES noun
  1. The throat; the gullet.
GULES noun
  1. Red, e.g. on a coat of arms, typically represented in engraving by vertical parallel lines.
GULES adjective
  1. In blazon, of the colour red.

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