Badly beaten

ROUTED

["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue \"Badly beaten\":\n\n*\"Like a team that suffered a crushing defeat, leaving no doubt about the outcome.\"*\n\nThis hint suggests a decisive, overwhelming loss without directly giving away the answer. It guides the solver toward the idea of a complete or humiliating defeat, which aligns with the meaning of \"routed.\""]

The clue **"Badly beaten"** leads to the answer **"ROUTED"** through a combination of direct meaning and wordplay. - **Direct Meaning:** "Routed" means decisively defeated or thoroughly beaten, which aligns with the clue's definition. - **Wordplay:** The word "routed" can also be interpreted as "badly beaten" in a military or competitive context, where a "rout" refers to a disorderly retreat after a crushing defeat. Thus, the answer fits both the literal and figurative interpretations of the clue.