Conflict in another case slow-witted hosts scaled down (5,5,3)
I believe the answer is:
first world war
'scaled down' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'conflict in another case slow-witted hosts' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'conflict' could be 'worldwar' (I have seen 'Global conflict' mean 'world war' so perhaps 'conflict' could also mean 'world war') and 'worldwar' is present in the answer.
'another' could be 'r' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'r' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'fist' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for first world war that I've seen before include "20th-century conflict" , "hostilities" .)