Crossword Genius

Key passage for the audience (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

isle

'key' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'passage for the audience' is the wordplay.
'passage' becomes 'aisle' (aisle is a kind of passage).
'for the audience' shows a homophone (sound like).
'aisle' sounds like 'ISLE'.

(Other definitions for isle that I've seen before include "Detached place" , "Small mass of land in the sea" , "Eg, eyot or inch" , "Could be Man" , "'This scepter'd - - (Shakespeare)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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