A titled woman hides bottom 24 (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
adam bede
'24' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a titled woman hides bottom' is the wordplay.
'titled woman' becomes 'dame'.
'hides' indicates putting letters inside.
'bottom' becomes 'bed' ('bed' can be a synonym of 'bottom').
'dame' placed around 'bed' is 'dambede'.
'a'+'dambede'='ADAM BEDE'
(Other definitions for adam bede that I've seen before include "Book by George Eliot" , "Novel by George Eliot" , "Carpenter" .)