What does the cryptic crossword clue "Clean before getting messy (7)" mean?

The definition is "messy". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). SCRUB (synonym=""clean"") + BY (synonym=""before", as in "days gone by"") = SCRUBBY; definition: "messy" The answer is SCRUBBY.

Clean before getting messy (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29246 | 9 Across | 2023-12-06 flower

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