Crossword Genius

Aussie animal gets smart at rest (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

roosting

'at rest' is the definition.
(eg roosting birds are at rest)

'aussie animal gets smart' is the wordplay.
'aussie animal' becomes 'roo' (short for kangaroo).
'gets' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'smart' becomes 'sting' (both can mean to burn or hurt).
'roo'+'sting'='ROOSTING'

(Other definitions for roosting that I've seen before include "Sitting like a bird" , "in place of sleep?" , "Trying to sleep" , "Of birds, settling for sleep" , "Perching, as fowl do" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.