Less exposed section of main nerve (5)
I believe the answer is:
inner
'less exposed' is the definition.
The answer and definition are different parts of speech. However, past participle verbs and adjectives occasionally mean the same thing.
'section of main nerve' is the wordplay.
'section of' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'INNER' is hidden in the letters of 'main nerve'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for inner that I've seen before include "Private, not expressed" , "Internal - mental" , "More secret, private" , "Esoteric" , "Located inside" .)