Crossword Genius

Kind forbidden to punish (4,3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sort out

'punish' is the definition.
(sorting out is a kind of punishing)

'kind forbidden' is the wordplay.
'kind' becomes 'sort' ('sort' can be a synonym of 'kind'**).
'forbidden' becomes 'out' ('out' can be a synonym of 'forbidden').
'sort'+'out'='SORT OUT'

'to' is the link.

(Other definitions for sort out that I've seen before include "handle" , "Select from others or informally punish" , "Resolve - to put in order" , "clear up" , "Resolve (a problem)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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