Crossword Genius

Ice originally put in china bucket (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

pail

'bucket' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'ice originally put in china' is the wordplay.
'originally' indicates taking the first letters.
'put in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'china' becomes 'pal' (china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate).
The initial letter of 'ice' is 'i'.
'i' inserted inside 'pal' is 'PAIL'.

(Other definitions for pail that I've seen before include "A bucket as for water" , "Cylindrical vessel" , "A bucket - the kind Jack and Jill used" , "Vessel for carrying liquids" , "Water carrier" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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