Topless experience in bar is heavily criticised (7)
I believe the answer is:
roasted
'heavily criticised' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are past participle verbs, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
'topless experience in bar' is the wordplay.
'topless' means to remove the first letter.
'experience' becomes 'taste' (taste can mean to experience or try out).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'bar' becomes 'rod' (both can mean a pole or stick).
'taste' with its first letter taken away is 'aste'.
'aste' inserted within 'rod' is 'ROASTED'.
'is' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for roasted that I've seen before include "Cooked (like chestnuts)" , "Cooked (turkey?)" , "Cooked by dry heat in an oven" , "Cooked (like a joint)" , "How meat might be cooked" .)