Crossword Genius

Guard at church coming between wife and husband? (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

watchman

'guard' is the definition.
(I know that watchman is a type of guard)

'at church coming between wife and husband?' is the wordplay.
'church' becomes 'ch' (common abbreviation).
'coming between' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'wife' becomes 'w'.
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'husband?' becomes 'man' (a married man).
'at'+'ch'='atch'
'w'+'man'='wman'
'atch' placed into 'wman' is 'WATCHMAN'.

(Other definitions for watchman that I've seen before include "fellow on duty?" , "'Go Set a --', Harper Lee novel" , "Sentinel" , "Night guard" , "Security guard" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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