What eggs must be when you need something battered? (6)
I believe the answer is:
beaten
'battered?' is the definition.
(battering is a kind of beating)
'what eggs must be when you need something' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'be' is found in the answer.
'when' could be 'e' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'e' is found within the answer.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beaten that I've seen before include "Vanquished" , "Conquered" , "Describes a path much trodden" , "Defeated like whisked egg" , "Formed or made thin by hammering" .)