Government’s in better nick, providing digital coverage? (10)
I believe the answer is:
fingernail
'digital coverage?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how they can define each other.
'government's in better nick providing' is the wordplay.
'government' becomes 'g' (abbreviation for government).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'better' becomes 'finer' (I've seen this in another clue).
'nick providing' becomes 'nail' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'g' going within 'finer' is 'finger'.
'finger'+'nail'='FINGERNAIL'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for fingernail that I've seen before include "Part of hand" , "extreme protection results" , "One in ten" .)