Cryptic crossword clue
Wind down temper when the game is safe 5,6

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word CLOSE SEASON

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
L
O
S
E
Â
 
S
E
A
S
O
N

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "when the game is safe" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case when the game is safe = close season.
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.

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