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"handicap" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often disadvantage (12 letters).
Definitions
Disadvantage or condition that makes something harder.
Word origin
From hand-in-cap, in reference to holding the game stakes in a cap.
Used in a sentence
“Age is often a handicap.”
“The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.”
“A handicap in chess often involves removal of the queen's rook.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Extra difficulty”8 letters
02“Disadvantage”8 letters
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