Excellent prize fund mine when given raise (6)
I believe the answer is:
tiptop
'excellent' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'prize fund mine when given raise' is the wordplay.
'prize fund' becomes 'pot' (as in a jackpot).
'mine when' becomes 'pit' (down the pit. I am not sure about the 'when' bit.).
'given' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'raise' is a reversal indicator.
'pot'+'pit'='potpit'
'potpit' in reverse letter order is 'TIPTOP'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tiptop that I've seen before include "The pinnacle of perfection" , "Capital" , "First-rate" , "The very highest point" , "Excellent, super" .)