What does the cryptic crossword clue "Very old house nearby, squalid (3,7)" mean?

The definition is "Very old house". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). HANDY (synonym="‘nearby’") + NASTY (synonym="‘squalid’") = HANDYNASTY; definition: "Very old house" The answer is HANDYNASTY.

Very old house nearby, squalid (3,7)

Guardian Cryptic #29348 | 15 Down | 2024-04-04 flower

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