Crossword Genius

Tries lies out to remove germs (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sterilise

'to remove germs' is the definition.

'tries lies out' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates an anagram (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'tries'+'lies'='trieslies'
'trieslies' is an anagram of 'STERILISE'.

(Other definitions for sterilise that I've seen before include "Make free from bacteria" , "Free from germs" , "Make free from micro-organisms, like surgeon's knife" , "Disinfect" , "Listerise (anag)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.