Crossword Genius

Writing instruments with soft points (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

pens

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'writing instruments' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'with soft points' is the wordplay.
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'soft' becomes 'p' (musical abbreviation for 'piano', soft).
'points' becomes 'ens' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'p'+'ens' is 'PENS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for pens that I've seen before include "Livestock enclosures" , "writers" , "Aphorism, thought" , "Female swans" , "Imprisons" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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