In fiction, Sam has a cushy place in the southeast (5)
I believe the answer is:
spade
'in fiction sam' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a cushy place in the southeast' is the wordplay.
'a cushy place' becomes 'pad' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'in the' is an insertion indicator.
'southeast' becomes 'SE' (synonyms).
'pad' going within 'se' is 'SPADE'.
'has' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for spade that I've seen before include "Tool; playing card" , "a gardener's needs?" , "Garden tool and card suit" , "one of thirteen?" , "Garden implement" .)