Cloud spotter spies swirling fog (9)
I believe the answer is:
pessimist
'cloud spotter' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'spies swirling fog' is the wordplay.
'swirling' indicates an anagram (letters get swirled around).
'fog' becomes 'mist' (mist is a kind of fog).
'spies' anagrammed gives 'pessi'.
'pessi'+'mist'='PESSIMIST'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pessimist that I've seen before include "Half-empty-glass person" , "One sees the glass as always being half-empty" , "The glass is always half-empty for this type" , "Glass-half-empty person" , "one anticipating the worst" .)