Crossword Genius

Annoying people and soldiers when protecting church (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

menaces

'annoying people' is the definition.
(a menace is an annoying or threatening person)

'soldiers when protecting church' is the wordplay.
'soldiers' becomes 'men' (men can mean a group of soldiers).
'when' becomes 'as' (eg 'when I walked' means 'as I walked').
'protecting' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are held or protected).
'church' becomes 'CE' (Church of England).
'as' going around 'ce' is 'aces'.
'men'+'aces'='MENACES'

'and' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for menaces that I've seen before include "Threats" , "Threatens" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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