The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word CRONY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
R
O
N
Y
More clues leading to the result CRONY
- No cry out for friend
- China rabbit’s about right
- Ally of NATO for example ignoring borders
- Friend caught sarcasm I missed
- Holding on, howl is intimate
- Shed tears about working for a mate
- Friend may be appearing during call
- Companion harvested corn and last of hay
- Councillor in contact with unknown associate
- PAL: part of acronym
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "mate" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case mate = crony.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 CRONY mean?
CRONY noun- (originally Cambridge University) Close friend.
- Trusted companion or partner in a criminal organization.
- An old woman; a crone.