Crossword Genius

The state a mine may be in (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

maine

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'the state' is the definition.
(US state)

'a mine may be in' is the wordplay.
'a mine' can be anagrammed to 'MAINE'.
But, I am not sure how the anagram is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for maine that I've seen before include "New England state" , "NE US state" , "North-east American state" , "US state, capital Augusta (5)" , "N. US Atlantic state" .)

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.