Crossword Genius

Picked up self-satisfied mood (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

vein

'mood' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'picked up self-satisfied' is the wordplay.
'picked up' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'self-satisfied' becomes 'vain'.
'vain' sounds like 'VEIN'.

(Other definitions for vein that I've seen before include "Vessel carrying blood towards the heart" , "Irregular streak of colour" , "Leaf rib; ore layer in rock" , "Seam of mineral" , "Rock fissure or minerals therein" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.