Succeeds in cutting a sliver on the quiet (8)
I believe the answer is:
prevails
'succeeds' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their -s form, I can't understand how one could define the other.
'cutting a sliver on the quiet' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'a' is found in the answer.
an anagram of 'sliver' is 'revils' which is located in the remaining letters.
'quiet' could be 'p' (music symbol for 'piano', ie soft or quiet) and 'p' is found in the answer.
No letters remain.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for prevails that I've seen is " Gains mastery, is victorious".)