Crossword Genius

Hammer useful when there's a gale raging around the civic centre (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

gavel

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'hammer' is the definition.
(I know that gavel is a type of beetle)

'gale raging around the civic centre' is the wordplay.
'raging' indicates an anagram.
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'centre' indicates the central letters.
The middle letter of 'civic' is 'v'.
'gale' anagrammed gives 'gael'.
'gael' going around 'v' is 'GAVEL'.

'useful when there's a' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for gavel that I've seen before include "Small hammer" , "An auctioneer's wooden hammer" , "equipment for auctioneer" , "Small mallet" , "Judicial hammer" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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