Did nothing seeing instinct left editor (5)
I believe the answer is:
idled
'did nothing' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'instinct left editor' is the wordplay.
'instinct' becomes 'id' (id is a kind of instinct).
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'editor' becomes 'ed' (abbreviation).
'id'+'l'+'ed'='IDLED'
'seeing' is the link.
(Other definitions for idled that I've seen before include "sat back" , "Turned over" , "(Of an engine) ran slowly out of gear" , "Spent time doing nothing" , "not worked" .)