What does the cryptic crossword clue "German district capital is not quite New York (5)" mean?

The definition is "German district capital". The wordplay uses charade, deletion. GOTHAM (synonym of "New York") [curtailing: "not quite"]; definition: "German district capital" The answer is GOTHA.

German district capital is not quite New York (5)

Guardian Cryptic #29013 | 3 Down | 2023-03-09 flower

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