Crossword Genius

The reels are tangled up and he frees them (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

releaser

'he frees them' is the definition.

'the reels are tangled up' is the wordplay.
'tangled up' indicates an anagram.
'reels'+'are'='reelsare'
'reelsare' anagrammed gives 'RELEASER'.

'and' is the link.

(Another definition for releaser that I've seen is " something that is liberating?".)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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