Crossword Genius

Image not left by author's protection (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

copyright

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

'author's protection' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'image not left by' is the wordplay.
'image' becomes 'copy' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'not left' becomes 'right' ('right' is the opposite to 'left').
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'copy'+'right'='COPYRIGHT'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for copyright that I've seen before include "Legal control of literary or artistic work" , "property of the author?" , "Protection for writer" , "Protected" , "Document granting exclusive right to publish" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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