Tapers northerner used to show the way (7)
I believe the answer is:
narrows
'tapers' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for narrows that I've seen before include "Confined channel" , "Thin straits connecting two bodies of water" , "Gets less wide" , "Loses width" , "Contracts" .)