The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word RONIN
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More clues leading to the result RONIN
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The cryptic/wordplay part
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What does RONIN mean?
RONIN noun- A masterless samurai (who often becomes a mercenary to make ends meet).
- (in Japan) A student who has failed the entrance examination for the high school or university of their choice: if the student does not wish to take the exam the following year or is unable to, the student becomes a ronin, assuming full responsibility for their own training and survival.