Blanches: a T S Eliot novel after completion of verse? (9)
I believe the answer is:
etiolates
'blanches' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to bodily activities as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a t s eliot novel after completion of verse?' is the wordplay.
'novel' indicates an anagram (letters in a new or novel order).
'after' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'completion of' suggests the final letters.
The final letter of 'verse' is 'e'.
'a'+'t'+'s'+'eliot'='atseliot'
'atseliot' with letters rearranged gives 'tiolates'.
'tiolates' after 'e' is 'ETIOLATES'.
Can you help me to learn more?