What that murderous lot in The Palace did about soldier not finishing drink (8)
I believe the answer is:
regicide
'finishing drink' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'what that murderous lot in the palace did about soldier not' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'lot' could be 'd' and 'd' is located in the answer.
'about' could be 're' (regarding) and 're' is found in the answer.
'soldier' could be 'gi' (government issue or general issue) and 'gi' is found in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for regicide that I've seen before include "doing away with top man" , "Major criminal" , "Charles I's fate" , "Killing monarch" , "Killer of a king" .)