Crossword Genius

Smart pass is needed to enter banks from today (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tidy

'smart' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'pass is needed to enter banks from today' is the wordplay.
'pass' becomes 'ID' (identification).
'is needed to enter' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'banks from' means to remove the middle letters (the edge letters or 'banks' of the word).
'today' with its middle removed is 'ty'.
'id' put into 'ty' is 'TIDY'.

(Other definitions for tidy that I've seen before include "Systematic; substantial" , "Neat and orderly" , "In good order" , "Large" , "Spick-and-span" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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