Minute distance this bear had moved across river (5-7)
I believe the answer is:
hairs-breadth
'minute distance' is the definition.
'hairs breadth' can be an answer for 'distance' (I have seen 'short distance' mean 'hairs breadth' so perhaps 'distance' could also mean 'hairs breadth'). I'm unsure of the 'minute' bit.
'this bear had moved across river' is the wordplay.
'moved' indicates an anagram.
'across' is an insertion indicator.
'river' becomes 'r' (abbreviation).
'this'+'bear'+'had'='thisbearhad'
'thisbearhad' with letters rearranged gives 'haisbreadth'.
'haisbreadth' placed around 'r' is 'HAIRS-BREADTH'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for hairs-breadth that I've seen is " A minute distance".)