Standard cross they say makes one really nervous (8)
I believe the answer is:
paranoid
'nervous' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'standard cross they say makes one really' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'standard' could be 'par' (standard of play in golf) and 'par' is found within the answer.
'one' could be 'an' (an apple is one apple) and 'an' is found in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for paranoid that I've seen before include "one given to suspicion" , "Suffering from delusions of persecution" , "Distrustful" , "Excessively suspicious" , "Afflicted with delusions of persecution" .)