Wicked criminal lady pinching sparkler diamonds (9)
![Ross](/clue/static/ross-mug.min.png)
I believe the answer is:
dastardly
'wicked' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'criminal lady pinching sparkler diamonds' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates anagramming the letters.
'pinching' is an insertion indicator (taking inside).
'sparkler' becomes 'star' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'diamonds' becomes 'd' (abbreviation in bridge say).
'lady' with letters rearranged gives 'daly'.
'star'+'d'='stard'
'daly' enclosing 'stard' is 'DASTARDLY'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dastardly that I've seen before include "Despicable" , "Cruel" , "Iniquitous" , "contemptible" , "Cowardly" .)