Crossword Genius

Customer saving skin, right? (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lien

'right?' is the definition.
(legal right)

'customer saving skin' is the wordplay.
'customer' becomes 'client' (synonyms).
'saving skin' means to look at the middle letters (the 'skin' of the word is left out or 'saved').
The middle of 'client' is 'LIEN'.

(Other definitions for lien that I've seen before include "Legal claim on the property of another" , "Legal right over the Nile" , "Right to keep property" , "Security for a debt" , "The right to take property if an obligation is not met" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.