Illegally record detective meeting informant beside base (6)
I believe the answer is:
pirate
'illegally record' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'detective meeting informant beside base' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'detective' could be 'pi' (private investigator) and 'pi' is found in the answer.
'informant' could be 'rat' (rat is a kind of informant) and 'rat' is located in the answer.
'base' could be 'e' (mathematical symbol) and 'e' is found in the answer.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pirate that I've seen before include "Sea raider" , "fake" , "Buccaneer, sea robber" , "Cornishman maybe" , "Illegal" .)