What does the cryptic crossword clue "Clever surgery that’s barely legal (5,8)" mean?

The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). SHARP (synonym="“clever”") + PRACTICE (synonym="doctors’ “surgery”") = SHARPPRACTICE The answer is SHARPPRACTICE.

Clever surgery that’s barely legal (5,8)

Guardian Cryptic #29508 | 17 Across | 2024-10-08 flower

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