Crossword Genius

Salute guard at sea carrying older lady - that's sweet! (10,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

granulated sugar

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'sweet' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'salute guard at sea carrying older lady' is the wordplay.
'at sea' is an anagram indicator.
'carrying' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, the bottom letters carry others).
'older lady' becomes 'gran' (I have seen 'old lady' mean 'gran' so perhaps 'lady' could also mean 'gran'. I am not sure about the 'older' bit.).
'salute'+'guard'='saluteguard'
'saluteguard' anagrammed gives 'ulatedsugar'.
'ulatedsugar' put after 'gran' is 'GRANULATED SUGAR'.

'that's' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for granulated sugar that I've seen before include "White sweetener" , "sweetener needed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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