Crossword Genius

Taken to beer without opening tin cans? (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

stolen

'taken' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'to beer without opening tin cans' is the wordplay.
'beer' becomes 'ale' (type of beer).
'without opening' means to remove the first letter.
'tin' becomes 'Sn' (Sn is the chemical symbol for tin).
'cans' is an insertion indicator (to can could mean to contain).
'ale' with its initial letter taken away is 'le'.
'to'+'le'='tole'
'tole' put inside 'sn' is 'STOLEN'.

(Other definitions for stolen that I've seen before include "Hot item" , "Purloined or embezzled" , "Purloined in Solent" , "subject to plagiarism" , "Taken without the owner's consent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian and The Times.
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