Scottish VIPs retreat with odd bits of dust (6)
I believe the answer is:
lairds
'scottish vips' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'retreat with odd bits of dust' is the wordplay.
'retreat' becomes 'lair' (both can mean a private hideout).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'odd bits of' means one should take alternating letters.
The alternate letters of 'dust' are 'ds'.
'lair'+'ds'='LAIRDS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lairds that I've seen before include "Members of northern gentry" , "Important northerners" , "Scots landowners" , "Scottish landowners (6)" , "Men of property" .)