This may keep a loafer in shape, or these supply energy (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
shoe tree
'this may keep a loafer in shape' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.
'or these supply energy' is the wordplay.
'supply' is an anagram indicator (in a supple way).
'energy' becomes 'e' (physics symbol as in E=mc2).
'or'+'these'='orthese'
'orthese' is an anagram of 'shoetre'.
'shoetre'+'e'='SHOE-TREE'
Can you help me to learn more?
I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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