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Regularly spy on part of church transmitter (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

synapse

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'church transmitter' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how they can define each other.

'regularly spy on part' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'part' becomes 'apse' (I have seen 'Part of church ' mean 'apse' so perhaps 'part' could also mean 'apse').
'spy'+'on'='spyon'
The alternating letters of 'spyon' are 'syn'.
'syn'+'apse'='SYNAPSE'

'of' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for synapse that I've seen before include "signalling junction" , "Gap between nerve cells across which signals pass" , "Connection between nerve cells" , "Where two nerve cells meet" , "Part of the nervous system" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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