Less worried, taking year to probe American epic hero (7)
I believe the answer is:
ulysses
'epic hero' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'less worried taking year to probe american' is the wordplay.
'worried' indicates an anagram (worry can mean to interfere with or disturb).
'taking' indicates putting letters inside.
'year' becomes 'y'.
'to probe' indicates putting letters inside (probe can mean to poke into).
'american' becomes 'us' (United States).
'less' is an anagram of 'lsse'.
'lsse' going around 'y' is 'lysse'.
'lysse' inserted into 'us' is 'ULYSSES'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ulysses that I've seen before include "Wily chap" , "traveller on long journey" , "Ancient Greek hero, and novel by James Joyce" , "Roman name for Odysseus - famous novel" , "work" .)