Prisoner charges grand less than original charge for weapons (9)
I believe the answer is:
gunpowder
'original charge for weapons' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'prisoner charges grand less' is the wordplay.
'prisoner' becomes 'pow' (prisoner of war).
'charges' means one lot of letters goes inside another (charge can mean to charge into something).
'grand' becomes 'g' (G is short for grand as in a thousand).
'less' becomes 'under' (I've seen this in other clues).
'g'+'under'='gunder'
'pow' inserted into 'gunder' is 'GUNPOWDER'.
'than' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for gunpowder that I've seen before include "likely to go up?" , "this plot failed" , "It's used in gunnery and fireworks" , "Ingredient of fireworks" , "Explosive mixture - plot of 1605" .)