Deli's in trouble after variable returns (6)
I believe the answer is:
yields
'returns' is the definition.
('yield' can be a synonym of 'return')
'deli's in trouble after variable' is the wordplay.
'in trouble' is an anagram indicator.
'after' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'variable' becomes 'y' (I've seen this in other clues).
'delis' is an anagram of 'ields'.
'ields' put after 'y' is 'YIELDS'.
(Other definitions for yields that I've seen before include "Succumbs" , "Capitulates" , "Investment returns" , "outputs" , "Submits" .)