Old writer's tool tossed near Helen Cripps (6,9)
I believe the answer is:
pencil sharpener
'old writer's tool' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'tossed near helen cripps' is the wordplay.
'tossed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'near'+'helen'+'cripps'='nearhelencripps'
'nearhelencripps' is an anagram of 'PENCIL-SHARPENER'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pencil sharpener that I've seen before include "Desk item" , "shaving device" , "something struggling writer might resort to" , "that makes lead go further" , "It's used to make a point" .)