Guards opening exits and access points (7)
I believe the answer is:
entries
'guards' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'opening exits and access points' is the wordplay.
'opening' says to take the initial letters.
'and' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation for 'and').
'access points' becomes 'tries' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
The initial letter of 'exits' is 'e'.
'e'+'n'+'tries'='ENTRIES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for entries that I've seen before include "Initiations" , "Items listed" , "Items inserted in a written record" , "Submissions to competition" , "Doors, gates" .)