This town is but a quarter of another (5)
I believe the answer is:
china
'this town' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both locations as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'but a quarter of another' is the wordplay.
'but' becomes 'chi' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'quarter' becomes 'n'.
'of another' indicates an anagram (I've seen 'another' mean this).
'a'+'n'='an'
'an' is an anagram of 'na'.
'chi'+'na'='CHINA'
'is' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for china that I've seen before include "Asian country" , "porcelain vessels?" , "country out east" , "Mate (slang); crockery" , "Ceramic; mate" .)