Crossword Genius

Tons from Sacramento employed by director (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

camera

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'director' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how they can define each other.

'tons from sacramento employed' is the wordplay.
'from' indicates named letters should be taken away.
'employed' indicates an anagram (the same letters employed in a new way).
'sacramento' with 'tons' taken out is 'acrame'.
'acrame' is an anagram of 'CAMERA'.

'by' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for camera that I've seen before include "In which people privately discuss" , "Photographer's apparatus" , "Photographic instrument" , "Optical recorder" , "Bringing equipment for producing pictures" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times.
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