Board member taps staff after mess ousting leader (8)
I believe the answer is:
chessman
'board member' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'taps staff after mess ousting leader' is the wordplay.
'taps' becomes 'ch' (I've seen this in other clues).
'staff' becomes 'man' (as in staffing or manning a particular place).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'ousting leader' means to remove the first letter (to oust is to remove).
'mess' with its first letter taken away is 'ess'.
'man' put after 'ess' is 'essman'.
'ch'+'essman'='CHESSMAN'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chessman that I've seen before include "Eg, bishop or rook" , "Eg, bishop, knight" , "Playing piece" , "that's played on board" , "queen, perhaps" .)