Crossword Genius

Head off worry and anger - give up work (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

retire

'give up work' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'head off worry and anger' is the wordplay.
'head off' means to remove the first letter.
'worry' becomes 'fret' (to fret about something is to worry).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'anger' becomes 'ire' (ire is intense rage).
'fret' with its initial letter taken away is 'ret'.
'ret'+'ire'='RETIRE'

(Other definitions for retire that I've seen before include "Stop climbing the ladder" , "Quit work, take pension" , "go upstairs?" , "Step down" , "Give up the job and go to bed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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