Maiden horse surrounded by spooky group of creatures (9)
I believe the answer is:
menagerie
'group of creatures' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both groups as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'maiden horse surrounded by spooky' is the wordplay.
'maiden' becomes 'm' (cricket abbreviation).
'horse' becomes 'nag' (term for an old horse).
'surrounded by' indicates putting letters inside.
'spooky' becomes 'eerie' (synonyms).
'nag' going inside 'eerie' is 'enagerie'.
'm'+'enagerie'='MENAGERIE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for menagerie that I've seen before include "A lot of wild animals" , "Collection of live animals for study or display" , "place to keep animals" , "where the occupants behave like animals" , "[TENNESSEE WILLIAMS] work in part" .)