Crossword Genius

Scholarly boss with evidence of debts (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

studious

'scholarly' is the definition.
('studious' can be similar in meaning to 'scholarly')

'boss with evidence of debts' is the wordplay.
'boss' becomes 'stud' ('stud' can be a synonym of 'boss').
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'evidence of debts' becomes 'ious' (I've seen this in other clues).
'stud'+'ious'='STUDIOUS'

(Other definitions for studious that I've seen before include "Diligent, assiduous" , "with great care" , "Bookish, scholarly" , "possessing industry" , "Academic, diligent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.