Crossword Genius

Contracts made while taking in a card game (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abridges

'contracts' is the definition.
('abridge' can be a synonym of 'contract')

'while taking in a card game' is the wordplay.
'while' becomes 'as' (eg 'while I walked' means 'as I walked').
'taking in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a card game' becomes 'bridge' (bridge is a kind of card game).
'as' placed around 'bridge' is 'ABRIDGES'.

'made' is the link.

(Other definitions for abridges that I've seen before include "Makes short work of" , "Shortens" .)

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