Crossword Genius

Object to a pound holding new creature (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

animal

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'creature' is the definition.
('animal' can be a synonym of 'creature')

'object to a pound holding new' is the wordplay.
'object' becomes 'ni' (Ni is an example).
'to' means one lot of letters go next to another (I've seen this in other clues).
'pound holding new' becomes 'mal' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'ni' after 'a' is 'ani'.
'ani'+'mal'='ANIMAL'

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(Other definitions for animal that I've seen before include "Mammal" , "Uncivilised person" , "Brute - one of the Muppets" , "lamb, perhaps" , "Beastly" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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