What does the cryptic crossword clue "Silk Road city — a spot in desert? (9)" mean?

The definition is "Silk Road city". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). A (abbreviation of "- a") + MARK (synonym of "spot") + SAND (synonym of "desert?"); definition: "Silk Road city" The answer is SAMARKAND.

Silk Road city — a spot in desert? (9)

Times Cryptic #28629 | 10 Across | 2023-06-14 flower

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