Crossword Genius

The animal has a lair inside? Nonsense! (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rodent

'the animal' is the definition.
(rodent is a kind of animal)

'a lair inside? nonsense' is the wordplay.
'a lair' becomes 'den' ('den' can be a synonym of 'lair').
'inside?' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'nonsense' becomes 'rot' (rot can mean nonsense or rubbish).
'den' going into 'rot' is 'RODENT'.

'has' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for rodent that I've seen before include "Mouse or squirrel, say" , "Toothy mammal" , "Gnawing creature" , "Rat perhaps" , "Small gnawing mammal" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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