Crossword Genius

Box on right shows sign of damage (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

crater

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

'sign of damage' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how one could define the other.

'box on right' is the wordplay.
'box' becomes 'crate' (crate is a kind of box).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'right' becomes 'r' (common abbreviation).
'crate'+'r'='CRATER'

'shows' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for crater that I've seen before include "Pit resulting from impact or explosion" , "Hole (on the moon?)" , "Bowl-shaped cavity as on volcano peak" , "Bomb-hole" , "Bowl-shaped hole in the ground" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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