Crossword Genius

Poke softly with a stick (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

prod

'poke' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'softly with a stick' is the wordplay.
'softly' becomes 'p'.
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a stick' becomes 'rod' (I've seen this before).
'p'+'rod'='PROD'

(Other definitions for prod that I've seen before include "Poke or spur" , "Poke with stiff finger to urge" , "Induce action (with stick etc?)" , "Drop (anag.)" , "Urge or stimulate" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.