Crossword Genius

Quartz from Vatican church missing graduate? (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

silica

'quartz' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'vatican church missing graduate?' is the wordplay.
'vatican church' becomes 'basilica' (St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican).
'missing' is a deletion indicator.
'graduate?' becomes 'BA' (someone with a Bachelor of Arts degree).
'basilica' with 'ba' removed is 'SILICA'.

'from' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for silica that I've seen before include "Hard colourless compound from rocks" , "Main constituent of sandstone" , "Glassy substance in quartz and sand" , "Main constituent of sand" , "Common base of rock" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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