Crossword Genius

Ape eats second and third banana on top of the forest (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

canopy

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'top of the forest' is the definition.
(upper branches of a forest)

'ape eats second and third banana' is the wordplay.
'ape' becomes 'copy' (synonyms).
'eats' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'second and' becomes 'a' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'third banana' becomes 'n' (3rd letter of 'banana').
'a'+'n'='an'
'copy' placed around 'an' is 'CANOPY'.

'on' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for canopy that I've seen before include "Cover above four-poster" , "Overhead covering, on bed or throne say" , "in the topmost branches" , "Uppermost branches of forest trees" , "Ornamental covering" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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