Fancy cable holding bar in place of compass (8)
I believe the answer is:
binnacle
'place of compass' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'fancy cable holding bar' is the wordplay.
'fancy' is an anagram indicator.
'holding' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'bar' becomes 'inn' (both can mean a drinking establishment).
'cable' is an anagram of 'bacle'.
'bacle' going around 'inn' is 'BINNACLE'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for binnacle that I've seen before include "It houses a ship's compass" , "Casing for ship's compass" , "Housing for ship's compass" , "Container for ship's compass" , "Compass location" .)