What does the cryptic crossword clue "Liberal philosopher's bed (5)" mean?

The definition is "bed". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). L (synonym of "Liberal") + AYER (synonym of "philosopher's"); definition: "bed" The answer is LAYER.

Liberal philosopher's bed (5)

Guardian Cryptic #27674 | 25 Down | 2018-11-23 flower

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Daily Mail Cryptic #16521 (2021-02-26)