Crossword Genius

Practical nature of curios to a novice (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

virtual

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

'practical' is the definition.
(I know that practical can be written as virtual)

'curios to a novice' is the wordplay.
'curios' becomes 'virtu' (I've seen this in another clue).
'novice' becomes 'L' (as in a learner driver with L-plates on their car).
'virtu'+'a'+'l'='VIRTUAL'

'nature of' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for virtual that I've seen before include "On-line reality" , "One sort of reality" , "One type of reality" , "In effect, but not in fact" , "Being almost the same" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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