Crossword Genius

Manipulate desire for audience (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

knead

'manipulate' is the definition.
(kneading is a kind of manipulating)

'desire for audience' is the wordplay.
'desire' becomes 'need' (needing is a kind of desiring).
'for audience' shows a homophone (sound like).
'need' sounds like 'KNEAD'.

(Other definitions for knead that I've seen before include "Work dough or massage flesh" , "Work with finger movements" , "Work (dough) into mass" , "Work flour into dough manually" , "Somehow work in" .)

I've seen this clue in The Hindu.
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