Crossword Genius

Plunders shelves where solution half-hidden (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ransacks

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

'plunders' is the definition.
('ransack' can be a synonym of 'plunder')

'shelves where solution half-hidden' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'solution' could be 'ans' (abbreviation for answer) and 'ans' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'racks' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ransacks that I've seen before include "Takes as spoils" , "Rifles" , "Pillages or searches roughly" , "Plunders, loots" , "Plunders and pillages" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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