Upstanding detective protecting easily-led female gets stitched up (5)
I believe the answer is:
sewed
'stitched up' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'upstanding detective protecting easily-led female' is the wordplay.
'upstanding' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'detective' becomes 'DS' (detective sergeant).
'protecting' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are held or protected).
'easily led female' becomes 'ewe' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'ds' placed around 'ewe' is 'dewes'.
'dewes' back-to-front is 'SEWED'.
'gets' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sewed that I've seen before include "Darned" , "Used needle and thread" , "Fastened with thread" , "Stitched" , "Joined" .)