Crossword Genius

A bishop past accepting current monastic office (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abbacy

'monastic office' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'a bishop past accepting current' is the wordplay.
'bishop' becomes 'B' (chess abbreviation).
'past' becomes 'by' (as in years gone by).
'accepting' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are accepted).
'current' becomes 'ac' (alternating current).
'by' enclosing 'ac' is 'bacy'.
'a'+'b'+'bacy'='ABBACY'

(Other definitions for abbacy that I've seen before include "Office of senior monk" , "Office of the head of a religious house" , "Office of an abbot" , "Jurisdiction of a Father Superior" , "ecclesiastical office" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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