Criminal has a go holding a smoker's accessory (7)
I believe the answer is:
ashtray
'a smoker's accessory' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'criminal has a go holding' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates anagramming the letters.
'go' becomes 'try' (both can mean an attempt).
'holding' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a' inserted inside 'try' is 'tray'.
'has' is an anagram of 'ash'.
'ash'+'tray'='ASHTRAY'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ashtray that I've seen before include "Dish for smokers" , "Where to rest cigarette" , "debris receptacle" , "Place for cigarette ends" , "Smoker's aid" .)