Crossword Genius

In being penniless, one has nothing (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nil

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

'one has nothing' is the definition.
'nil' can be an answer for 'nothing' (eg nil is zero in football). I am unsure of the 'one has' bit.

'in being penniless' is the wordplay.
'in' indicates a hidden word.
'NIL' is hidden in the letters of 'being penniless'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nil that I've seen before include "Nothing, naught" , "duck" , "Nothing, zilch" , "Latin zero" , "Non-existent" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.