Lock soldier up inside for hunting female (7)
I believe the answer is:
tigress
'hunting female' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both animals as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'lock soldier up inside' is the wordplay.
'lock' becomes 'tress' (both can mean a piece of hair).
'soldier' becomes 'GI' (GI can mean a US soldier).
'up' says the letters should be written backwards (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'inside' indicates putting letters inside.
'gi' backwards is 'ig'.
'tress' enclosing 'ig' is 'TIGRESS'.
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tigress that I've seen before include "Female big cat" , "hunting animal" , "Female wildcat" , "Large she-cat" , "Striped feline female" .)