Check on old company behind confectionery (9)
I believe the answer is:
chocolate
'confectionery' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both things that one consumes for nourishment as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'check on old company behind' is the wordplay.
'check' becomes 'ch' (abbreviation).
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other) (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'old' becomes 'o' (abbreviation).
'company' becomes 'co' (abbreviation).
'behind' becomes 'late' (as in behind schedule).
'ch'+'o'+'co'+'late'='CHOCOLATE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chocolate that I've seen before include "Cacao product" , "Drink (if hot)" , "Addictive (normally) brown substance" , "The tasty treat turns out to be a cool cheat" , "Sweet made with cacao beans" .)