Crossword Genius

Occasionally pinched brass or tin item for sucker (3,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ice lolly

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'tin item for sucker' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'occasionally pinched brass' is the wordplay.
'occasionally' means one should take alternating letters.
'brass' becomes 'lolly' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
The alternate letters of 'pinched' are 'ice'.
'ice'+'lolly'='ICE-LOLLY'

'or' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ice lolly that I've seen before include "Frozen confection" , "cold sweet" , "'Frozen sweet on a stick (3,5)'" , "What young sucker preferred" , "summer treat" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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