Crossword Genius

Balanced and level in endless farce (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

compared

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

'balanced' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with fundamental existence as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'level in endless farce' is the wordplay.
'level' becomes 'par' (I have seen 'Accepted level ' mean 'par' so perhaps 'level' could also mean 'par').
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'endless' means to remove the last letter.
'farce' becomes 'comedy' (I've seen this before).
'comedy' with its last letter removed is 'comed'.
'par' put into 'comed' is 'COMPARED'.

'and' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for compared that I've seen before include "set side by side" , "Looked at similarities and differences" , "Drop mace (anag.)" , "Likened or contrasted" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app