Crossword Genius

Partly cover pests with fifty little pieces of pasta (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

vermicelli

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'pasta' is the definition.
(vermicelli is a kind of pasta)

'partly cover pests with fifty little pieces' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'cover' could be 'ice' (icing is a kind of covering) and 'ice' is located in the answer.
'fifty' could be 'li' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'li' is located in the answer.
'little' could be 'l' (abbreviation for little) and 'l' is located in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'of' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for vermicelli that I've seen before include "Italian food" , "pasta dish" , "shreds of chocolate" , "Chocolate or pasta" , "Stringy pasta" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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