The ropes as known by novelists, for example (5)
I believe the answer is:
prose
'example' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'the ropes as known by novelists' is the wordplay.
'ropes' anagrams to 'PROSE'.
However, I'm unsure how this is indicated.
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for prose that I've seen before include "Normal written language" , "Text" , "Ordinary spoken or written language" , "Ordinary writing" , "Writings not in verse" .)