Crossword Genius

Pubs without stress - places for regulars (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

barracks

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'places for regulars' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'pubs without stress' is the wordplay.
'pubs' becomes 'bars' (a bar is a pub).
'without' means one lot of letters goes inside another ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'stress' becomes 'rack' (racking is a kind of stressing).
'bars' placed around 'rack' is 'BARRACKS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for barracks that I've seen before include "private housing" , "Heckles" , "Army buildings" , "Military encampment" , "Military quarters" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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