The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word WERSH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
W
E
R
S
H
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Tasteless" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tasteless = wersh.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 WERSH mean?
WERSH adjective- Insipid; tasteless; delicate; having a pale and sickly look.