Crossword Genius

Sailors love to skylark, it's clear (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

absolve

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

'sailors love to skylark' is the wordplay.
'sailors' becomes 'abs' (AB is short for able seaman).
'to skylark' indicates an anagram (to skylark can mean to mess around).
'love' with letters rearranged gives 'olve'.
'abs'+'olve'='ABSOLVE'

'it's' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for absolve that I've seen before include "Let off the hook" , "Discharge" , "Fully pardon" , "Grant pardon for" , "Give pardon" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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