A prime example of pressure on aristocrat (5)
I believe the answer is:
pearl
'a prime example' is the definition.
'pearl' can be an answer for 'example' (I have seen 'finest example' mean 'pearl' so perhaps 'example' could also mean 'pearl'). I'm not sure about the 'a prime' bit.
'pressure on aristocrat' is the wordplay.
'pressure' becomes 'p' (abbreviation).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'aristocrat' becomes 'Earl' (earl is a kind of aristocrat).
'p'+'earl'='PEARL'
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pearl that I've seen before include "Highly-valued thing" , "Gem from the sea" , "Girl < , pretty" , "Paragon" , "Precious gem" .)