Spooner owned rodent circus? (8)
I believe the answer is:
madhouse
This clue could be a double definition.
'spooner' is the first definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'owned rodent circus?' is the second definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for madhouse that I've seen before include "asylum" , "state of chaos" , "State of uproar and total confusion" , "badly run establishment?" , "9d 21d [BEDLAM]" .)