Crossword Genius

Mother with child builder (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

mason

'builder' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'mother with child' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (Ma is another word for mother or mum).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'child' becomes 'son' (son is a kind of child).
'ma'+'son'='MASON'

(Other definitions for mason that I've seen before include "Secret society member" , "Stone-carver" , "Construction industry employee" , "Craftsperson who works with stone or brick" , "Dresser" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.