The gradients, when wrong, put right (12)
I believe the answer is:
straightened
'wrong put right' is the definition.
The answer and definition are not the same part of speech. However, past participle verbs and adjectives sometimes mean the same thing.
'the gradients' is the wordplay.
'the gradients' anagrams to 'STRAIGHTENED'.
However, I am not sure how the anagram is indicated.
'when' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for straightened that I've seen is " Put in order".)