Crossword Genius

Devout Penny promises to pay (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

pious

'devout' is the definition.
('pious' can be a synonym of 'devout')

'penny promises to pay' is the wordplay.
'penny' becomes 'p'.
'promises to pay' becomes 'ious' (more than one iou).
'p'+'ious'='PIOUS'

(Other definitions for pious that I've seen before include "Godly" , "Dutiful" , "Saintly" , "Devout" , "Good" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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.