Crossword Genius

Search for drink before playing game (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rummage

'search' is the definition.
(rummage is a kind of search)

'drink before playing game' is the wordplay.
'drink' becomes 'rum' (rum is a kind of drink**).
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'playing' is an anagram indicator.
'game' with letters rearranged gives 'mage'.
'rum'+'mage'='RUMMAGE'

'for' is the link.

(Other definitions for rummage that I've seen before include "Gear mum up to search and poke about" , "odds and ends" , "rifle" , "Search roughly - jumble" , "Search unsystematically" .)

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