Potential spies keeping earholes open (8)
I believe the answer is:
sleepers
'potential spies' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sleepers that I've seen before include "Dozers on the train" , "Peerless (anag.)" , "On which railway lines rest" , "Cross-beams on rail tracks" , "1996 movie" .)