What does the cryptic crossword clue "Amateur character endlessly in first gear? (7)" mean?

The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). LAY (synonym="amateur") + ETTE (synonym="ETTE") = LAYETTE The answer is LAYETTE.

Amateur character endlessly in first gear? (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29630 | 13 Across | 2025-02-28 flower