Challenging search has local resident heading off (9)

I believe the answer is:

combative

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'challenging' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'search has local resident heading off' is the wordplay.
'search' becomes 'comb' (combing is a kind of searching).
'has' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'local resident' becomes 'native'.
'heading off' means to remove the first letter.
'native' with its initial letter taken away is 'ative'.
'comb'+'ative'='COMBATIVE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for combative that I've seen before include "Pugnacious" , "Eager to fight, aggressive" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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