Ruling typically refers to a decision or judgement made by a person or group in a position of authority. In the context of "One may be 5-4," it suggests that the ruling may be decided by a vote of 5-4, where one side has five votes in favor and the other side has four votes.
Note: The provided meaning of the answer is for the latest New York Times crossword puzzle clue: One may be 5-4. Explanations are generated by AI and may be inaccurate.