Crossword Genius

Flexible credit reduced after mounting auction (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

elastic

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'flexible' is the definition.
(I know that flexible can be written as elastic)

'credit reduced after mounting auction' is the wordplay.
'credit reduced' becomes 'tic' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'mounting' is a reversal indicator (in a down clue, letters mount or go up).
'auction' becomes 'sale' (type of sale).
'sale' back-to-front is 'elas'.
'tic' put after 'elas' is 'ELASTIC'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for elastic that I've seen before include "Fluid" , "capable of adapting to change?" , "It's lace (anag.)" , "Flexible, adaptable" , "Ductile" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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