Law enforcer with little education muddled through (5)
I believe the answer is:
coped
'muddled through' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'law enforcer with little education' is the wordplay.
'law enforcer' becomes 'cop' (I've seen this in another clue).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'little education' becomes 'ed' (abbreviation - e.g. sex ed. I am not sure about the 'little' bit.).
'cop'+'ed'='COPED'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for coped that I've seen before include "Handled" , "as a priest in ceremony?" , "Rose to the occasion" , "Managed successfully" , "Managed well enough" .)