Explorer cycled and searched (5)
I believe the answer is:
raked
'searched' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for raked that I've seen before include "Collected cuttings" , "slope" , "Cleared away" , "(Of a stage) sloped" , "levelled garden?" .)