Cryptic crossword clue
Wise man checking rate of progress is very modern 5-3

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SPACE-AGE

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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "very modern" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very modern = space-age.
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 SPACE-AGE mean?

SPACE-AGE noun
  1. The period from the about the time of the launch of Sputnik in 1957 to the present day, during which man ventured into space.
  2. Redolent of the space age; appearing futuristic or modern.

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