Puzzling originator in Cologne is Tesla - or is it Einstein? (9)
I believe the answer is:
scientist
'einstein?' is the definition.
(einstein is a kind of scientist)
'puzzling originator in cologne is tesla' is the wordplay.
'puzzling originator' becomes 'i' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'cologne' becomes 'scent' (cologne is a type of scent).
'tesla' becomes 'T' (scientific unit).
'i' put inside 'scent' is 'scient'.
'scient'+'is'+'t'='SCIENTIST'
'or is it' 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 scientist that I've seen before include "Inset tics for this learned one" , "It's nicest for one engaged in specialist studies" , "one in the laboratory" , "`Tis nicest kind of specialist" , "One studying nature or physics, say" .)