Did anyone solve 6d directly from the clue? Or did you (like me) just guess the answer from the crossers and then try to relate it back to the clue (without success in my case)?
In other words: is this clever clue in the good or the bad sense of "clever"?
No, not directly! Got it from from the crossers and then figured it out. Yes, it is a clever clue that can make us feel dumb! Most clues were somewhat difficult in this puzzle, like the hints for gorilla or giant.
Yes, there were several other clues where I could make no sense of the wordplay, even after I'd guessed the answer in the style of a quick crossword. Gorilla and giant were among the references that passed me by.