Crossword Genius

Toady shaving head and beard (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

awn

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'beard' is the definition.
(both can mean a growth on plants)

'toady shaving head and' is the wordplay.
'shaving' indicates the central letters (the outside letters are shaved off).
'head' becomes 'w' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'and' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation for 'and').
The centre of 'toady' is 'a'.
'a'+'w'+'n'='AWN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for awn that I've seen before include "Bristle on grass spikelet" , "Bristly head of barley sheath, quite wan" , "Bristle-like appendage on grass" , "Bristle in flowering part of some grasses" , "Bristles" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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