Crossword Genius

Puritan a Nazi unit captures and shoots (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sprigs

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

'shoots' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Small shoots ' mean 'sprigs' so perhaps 'shoots' could also mean 'sprigs')

'puritan a nazi unit captures' is the wordplay.
'puritan' becomes 'prig' (both can mean a prudish person).
'a nazi unit' becomes 'ss' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'captures' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'prig' going inside 'ss' is 'SPRIGS'.

'and' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sprigs that I've seen before include "Small stems or shoots" , "Spray of leaves or flowers" , "Sprays of leaves or flowers" , "Small stems bearing leaves or flowers" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sunday Times and The Times.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app