Left the setter twinkling rings, getting amount paid (10)
I believe the answer is:
instalment
'amount paid' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'left the setter twinkling rings' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'the setter' becomes 'me' (the setter of the clue).
'twinkling' becomes 'instant' (synonyms).
'rings' means one lot of letters goes inside another (some letters are ringed or contained by others).
'l'+'me'='lme'
'lme' placed inside 'instant' is 'INSTALMENT'.
'getting' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for instalment that I've seen before include "episode" , "part of serial" , "One of a series of partial payments" , "Payment of part of debt" , "Chapter" .)