Crossword Genius

Keen to research place that breeds debts (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

studious

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'keen to research place that' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'breeds debts' is the wordplay.
'breeds' becomes 'stud' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'debts' becomes 'ious'.
'stud'+'ious'='STUDIOUS'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for studious that I've seen before include "working hard" , "Deliberate and painstaking as in reading" , "Diligent, assiduous" , "Academic, diligent" , "Bookish, sedulous" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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