Crossword Genius

Speaks about a youth ultimately untrained - in these? (5,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

salad days

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'these?' is the definition.
The definition suggests an adverb but the answer is not.

'speaks about a youth ultimately untrained' is the wordplay.
'speaks' becomes 'says' (I've seen this in another clue).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'a youth' becomes 'lad' (lad means a young man).
'ultimately untrained' becomes 'da' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'lad'+'da'='ladda'
'says' going around 'ladda' is 'SALAD DAYS'.

'in' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for salad days that I've seen before include "Carefree youth" , "times when she was young" , "Time for a vegetarian diet" , "Period of youthful inexperience" , "Best time of youth" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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