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Surprise at Nora and Regina taking yard position that doesn't pay (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

honorary

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'position that doesn't pay' is the definition.
The definition and answer are not the same part of speech.

'surprise at nora and regina taking yard' is the wordplay.
'surprise at' becomes 'ho' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'regina' becomes 'r' (common abbreviation e.g. ER=Elizabeth Regina).
'taking' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'yard' becomes 'y'.
'ho'+'nora'+'r'+'y'='HONORARY'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for honorary that I've seen before include "producing no income" , "Nominal" , "Unpaid position or unearned degree" , "(Of an office holder) unpaid" , "(Of title or office) not requiring one to perform services" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times and the Irish Times (Crosaire).
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