Contrary boy, capturing little creatures in pointed number? (7)
I believe the answer is:
decimal
'pointed number?' is the definition.
'decimal' can be an answer for 'number?' (decimal is a kind of number). I'm not certain of the 'pointed' bit.
'contrary boy capturing little creatures' is the wordplay.
'contrary' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'boy' becomes 'lad' (informal term for boy).
'capturing' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'little creatures' becomes 'mice' (mouse is a kind of creature. I am not sure about the 'little' bit.).
'lad' enclosing 'mice' is 'lamiced'.
'lamiced' back-to-front is 'DECIMAL'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for decimal that I've seen before include "In base ten" , "fraction" , "Sort of coinage" , "Claimed, wrongly, to have this currency" , "of Number Ten" .)