Reportedly rang and confessed (4)
I believe the answer is:
told
'confessed' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'reportedly rang' is the wordplay.
'reportedly' shows a homophone (sound like).
'rang' becomes 'tolled' (tolling is a kind of ringing).
'tolled' is a homophone of 'TOLD'.
'and' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for told that I've seen before include "instructed" , "Assured" , "Related (a story)" , "Authorised - broadcast" , "Said" .)