Jazz fans holding a thorough search for dark passages (9)
I believe the answer is:
catacombs
'dark passages' is the definition.
'catacombs' can be an answer for 'passages' (catacomb is a kind of passage). I am not sure about the 'dark' bit.
'jazz fans holding a thorough search' is the wordplay.
'jazz fans' becomes 'cats' (I've seen this in another clue).
'holding' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'thorough search' becomes 'comb' (combing is a kind of searching. I am not sure about the 'thorough' bit.).
'a'+'comb'='acomb'
'cats' going around 'acomb' is 'CATACOMBS'.
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for catacombs that I've seen before include "Underground tombs" , "Underground cemeteries constructed by the ancient Romans" , "Vaults" , "Underground burial places" , "burial place" .)