About to provide answer (5)

I believe the answer is:

'answer' is the definition.
('reply' can be a synonym of 'answer')

'about to provide' is the wordplay.
'about' becomes 're' (regarding**).
'to' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'provide' becomes 'ply' ('ply' can be a synonym of 'provide').
're'+'ply'='REPLY'

(Other definitions for reply that I've seen before include "Counter" , "acknowledgement" , "Come back" , "Returned statement" , "counterattack?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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