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On the road, Jack needs a raincoat (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tarmac

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'on the road' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.

'jack needs a raincoat' is the wordplay.
'jack' becomes 'tar' (both are informal terms for sailor).
'needs' says to put letters next to each other.
'a raincoat' becomes 'mac' (macintosh is a type of raincoat).
'tar'+'mac'='TARMAC'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for tarmac that I've seen before include "Road-surfacing material" , "Road-surfacing substance" , "Surfaced area as for planes to take off and land" , "black one" , "short runway, perhaps" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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