Society finds alternative fund for underground business sourcing white crystalline substance (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
salt mine
'society' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
'alternative fund for underground business sourcing white crystalline substance' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'business' could be 'm' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'm' is found in the answer.
'substance' could be 'saltine' (saltine is a kind of substance) and 'saltine' is found within the leftover letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'finds' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for salt mine that I've seen before include "Excavation" , "Source of flavouring" , "Deep pit containing a white substance" , "Ailments (anag)" .)