Crossword Genius

Keeps expert sides in the showers (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

retains

'keeps' is the definition.
(retaining is a kind of keeping)

'expert sides in the showers' is the wordplay.
'sides' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters) (only the letters on the sides are used).
'in the' is an insertion indicator.
'showers' becomes 'rains' (I've seen this before).
'expert' with its centre removed is 'et'.
'et' going inside 'rains' is 'RETAINS'.

(Another definition for retains that I've seen is " Holds back, keeps".)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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