According to Spenser, write expansively of just half the generous gifts (8)
'gifts' is the definition.
(I know this)
'according to spenser write expansively of just half the generous' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is located in the answer.
an anagram of 'spenser' is 'presens' which is present in the remaining letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for presents that I've seen before include "tips" , "Introduces" , "Hands over formally" , "special things at Christmas?" , "Offerings" .)
But I've got no explanation for this one! Could you help me understand?