Crossword Genius

A little boy takes them in, one judges (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

deems

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

'one judges' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'a little boy takes them' is the wordplay.
'a little boy' becomes 'des' (short for Desmond. I am not sure about the 'little' bit.).
'takes' indicates putting letters inside.
'them' becomes 'em' (abbreviation).
'des' enclosing 'em' is 'DEEMS'.

'in' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

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.