Quite resilient comic author (5)

I believe the answer is:

hardy

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'author' is the definition.
(Thomas Hardy)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for hardy that I've seen before include "He wrote" , "Strong; robust" , "Strong and resilient" , "See 16" , "able to last through the winter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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