What does the cryptic crossword clue "Total number who've paid in gold to get cake (6)" mean?

The definition is "cake". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). GATE (synonym="number of spectators at a sports event=”Total number who’ve paid [in]”; plus AU (chemical symbol for gold") + AU (synonym="chemical symbol for gold") = GATEAU; definition: "cake" The answer is GATEAU.

Total number who've paid in gold to get cake (6)

Guardian Cryptic #29181 | 10 Across | 2023-09-21 flower

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