Crossword Genius

Riddle for cleaner with a debt halved (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

charade

'riddle' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'cleaner with a debt halved' is the wordplay.
'cleaner' becomes 'char' (charwoman is a type of cleaner**).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'halved' suggests halving the letters.
'debt' halved is 'de'.
'char'+'a'+'de'='CHARADE'

'for' is the link.

(Other definitions for charade that I've seen before include "An absurd pretence, could be a game" , "Farce - mime" , "Acted riddle - pretence" , "sham" , "Film with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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