Crossword Genius

Home help with a superior manner keeping quiet (2,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

au pair

'home help' is the definition.
(someone helping with housework or childcare)

'a superior manner keeping quiet' is the wordplay.
'superior' becomes 'u' (U can mean upper-class, as in U and non-U speech).
'manner' becomes 'air' (air can mean someone's manner or character).
'keeping' is an insertion indicator.
'quiet' becomes 'p' (music symbol for 'piano', ie soft or quiet).
'u'+'air'='uair'
'uair' going around 'p' is 'upair'.
'a'+'upair'='AU PAIR'

'with' is the link.

(Other definitions for au pair that I've seen before include "does she work for board?" , "Young foreigner helping with children and housework" , "child-minder" , "Young foreigner living with a family in return for housework" , "Foreign home helper" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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