Crossword Genius

Surveying instrument, article newly tooled bearing inventor's origin (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

theodolite

'surveying instrument' is the definition.
(theodolite is a kind of surveying instrument)

'article newly tooled bearing inventor's origin' is the wordplay.
'article' becomes 'the' (the definite article in English).
'newly' indicates an anagram.
'bearing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'origin' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letter of 'inventors' is 'i'.
'tooled' put after 'i' is 'itooled'.
'itooled' with letters rearranged gives 'odolite'.
'the'+'odolite'='THEODOLITE'

(Other definitions for theodolite that I've seen before include "What a surveyor might use" , "Surveying instrument" , "transit, in America" , "Surveyor's instrument" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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