Crossword Genius

Each little back-street provides tucker (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eats

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'tucker' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how they can define each other.

'each little back-street provides' is the wordplay.
'each' becomes 'ea' (abbreviation).
'little' means to remove the last letter (the word is not quite complete).
'back' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'street' becomes 'st' (abbreviation).
'provides' becomes 'a' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'st'+'a'='sta'
'sta' reversed gives 'ats'.
'ea' with its last letter taken off is 'e'.
'e'+'ats'='EATS'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for eats that I've seen before include "Swallows food" , "meal" , "Takes meals" , "Consumes or dines" , "Tuck" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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