Played up top card when holding hearts and diamonds (5)
I believe the answer is:
ached
'played up' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with perception as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'top card when holding hearts and diamonds' is the wordplay.
'top card' becomes 'ace' (I've seen this in another clue).
'when holding' indicates putting letters inside.
'hearts' becomes 'h' (abbreviation used in card games e.g. bridge).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'diamonds' becomes 'd' (abbreviation in bridge say).
'ace' enclosing 'h' is 'ache'.
'ache'+'d'='ACHED'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ached that I've seen before include "Had a continuous pain" , "Throbbed" , "Did long" , "Hurt" , "Yearned" .)