Crossword Genius

Competitors from London area that is holding blokes back (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

enemies

'competitors' is the definition.
(enemy is a kind of competitor)

'london area that is holding blokes back' is the wordplay.
'london area' becomes 'se' (abbreviation for South East).
'that is' becomes 'ie' ('i.e.' can be a synonym of 'that is').
'holding' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'blokes' becomes 'men' (I've seen this in other clues).
'back' is a reversal indicator.
'se'+'ie'='seie'
'seie' enclosing 'men' is 'seimene'.
'seimene' reversed gives 'ENEMIES'.

'from' is the link.

(Other definitions for enemies that I've seen before include "Foes, opponents" , "Foes, hostile groups" , "Foes, adversaries" , "Those we fight" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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