Crossword Genius

Resorts to initiating misery on bender with jerks (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

spasms

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

'resorts to initiating misery on bender' is the wordplay.
'resorts' becomes 'spas' (spa is a kind of resort).
'to initiating' says to take the initial letters (I've seen 'initiated' mean this).
'on bender' becomes 's' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The first letter of 'misery' is 'm'.
'spas'+'m'+'s'='SPASMS'

'with' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for spasms that I've seen before include "Sudden convulsions" , "Strong involuntary muscular contractions" , "Uncontrollable muscle contractions" , "Sudden muscular contractions" , "spells" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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