Crossword Genius

Prevents the opening of a shop for toys (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

stops

'prevents' is the definition.
(stopping is a kind of preventing)

'opening of a shop for toys' is the wordplay.
'opening of' indicates taking the first letters.
'for' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'toys' becomes 'tops' (top is a kind of toy).
The initial letter of 'shop' is 's'.
's'+'tops'='STOPS'

'the' is the link.

(Other definitions for stops that I've seen before include "Checks" , "Halts" , "Discontinues" , "Ceases" , "Prevents" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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