What does the cryptic crossword clue "Nipper gets caught – something illegally broken? (4)" mean?

The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). C (synonym="caught") + LAW (synonym="something illegally broken") = CLAW The answer is CLAW.

Nipper gets caught – something illegally broken? (4)

Guardian Cryptic #29586 | 1 Down | 2025-01-08 flower