Crossword Genius

State where dad starts and mum finishes (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

panama

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'state' is the definition.
(Panama is an example)

'dad starts and mum finishes' is the wordplay.
'dad starts' becomes 'pan' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'mum' becomes 'mama' (synonyms).
'finishes' means to remove the first letter (I've seen 'finish' mean this).
'mama' with its first letter removed is 'ama'.
'pan'+'ama'='PANAMA'

'where' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for panama that I've seen before include "Style of hat" , "What may be seen overhead" , "American canal or kind of hat" , "Wide-brimmed hat" , "Great canal in middle America" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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