Exercise by sailor on top deck - might it hoist him? (6)
I believe the answer is:
petard
'it hoist him?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how one could define the other.
'exercise by sailor on top deck' is the wordplay.
'exercise' becomes 'pe' (Physical Education).
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'sailor' becomes 'tar' (tar can mean a sailor).
'on top' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'deck' is 'd'.
'pe'+'tar'+'d'='PETARD'
'might' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for petard that I've seen before include "Possession that one may be hoist with" , "Explosive device, one could have been hoist by their own, of old" , "Explosive device (with which one may be hoist)" , "Bomb - depart (anag)" , "Case of explosive" .)