Crossword Genius

Babies need sleep as well as food! (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nappies

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'babies' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot understand how one could define the other.

'sleep as well as food' is the wordplay.
'sleep' becomes 'nap' (a nap is a short sleep).
'as well as' says to put letters next to each other.
'food' becomes 'pies' (pies are a type of food).
'nap'+'pies'='NAPPIES'

'need' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nappies that I've seen before include "Baby's pads" , "They're diapers in America" , "What Americans call diapers" , "Cloths for babies" , "Covers" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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