What does the cryptic crossword clue "Assume tradesman finishing early is not productive (9)" mean?

The definition is "not productive". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). INFER (synonym="assume") + TILE (synonym="TILE") = INFERTILE; definition: "not productive" The answer is INFERTILE.

Assume tradesman finishing early is not productive (9)

Times Cryptic #28706 | 14 Down | 2023-09-12 flower

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