Puts about 500 sheets against current (8)
I believe the answer is:
upstream
'current' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'puts about 500 sheets against' is the wordplay.
'about' indicates an anagram.
'500 sheets' becomes 'ream' (I've seen this in another clue).
'against' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'puts' with letters rearranged gives 'upst'.
'upst'+'ream'='UPSTREAM'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for upstream that I've seen before include "Eats rump (anag)" , "Away from the sea" , "Against a river's natural flow" , "contraflow" , "at an earlier stage in process" .)