Crossword Genius

Figures out nothing, being an officer (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

col

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'an officer' is the definition.
(short for colonel)

'figures out nothing' is the wordplay.
'figures' becomes 'cl' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'out' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'nothing' becomes 'o' (looks like zero - 0).
'cl' going around 'o' is 'COL'.

'being' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for col that I've seen before include "Officer" , "Depression in range of mountains" , "Low area between peaks" , "Depression among ecologists" , "Mountain defile" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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