Party survey returned - is it helping? (6)
I believe the answer is:
dollop
'helping?' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'party survey returned' is the wordplay.
'party' becomes 'do' (do is a kind of party).
'survey' becomes 'poll' (polling is a kind of surveying).
'returned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'poll' backwards is 'llop'.
'do'+'llop'='DOLLOP'
'is it' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dollop that I've seen before include "Small shapeless mass" , "Small measure, of mash say" , "Large piece" , "Lump - of custard, perhaps" , "Shapeless mass or lump" .)