21 down
Work
with
son
–
work
outside
–
something
needing
attention
in
allotment?
(7)
Work with son – work outside – something needing attention in allotment? (7)
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The definition is at the end of the clue.
How the clue works
Look at something needing attention in allotment? — that's your definition, the surface layer of garden earth. Work gives you OP, and son gives you S, so work (OP) with son (S) makes OPS. Then you take work outside — that's TOIL wrapped around the outside — and slot OPS inside it to get T-OPS-OIL.