Crossword Genius

Scruffy lie-abeds let themselves down (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abseiled

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

'scruffy lie-abeds let themselves down' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'scruffy lie-abeds' is the wordplay.
'scruffy' indicates anagramming the letters.
'lie'+'abeds'='lieabeds'
'lieabeds' with letters rearranged gives 'ABSEILED'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for abseiled that I've seen before include "descended using rope" , "Daringly dropped" , "Lowered oneself with a rope from a mountain" , "Descended rock face" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sunday Times and The Times.
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.