Given a clown as bedtime comforter? (5)
I believe the answer is:
cocoa
'bedtime comforter?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't see how they can define each other.
'given a clown' is the wordplay.
'given' says to put letters next to each other.
'clown' becomes 'coco' (Nicolai Poliakoff aka Coco the Clown).
'a' put after 'coco' is 'COCOA'.
'as' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cocoa that I've seen before include "brown powder" , "Reddish brown" , "product of beans!" , "Chocolaty drink" , "Main constituent of chocolate" .)