How do I solve 12 down in Times Cryptic 29556?

Question

Accepted Answer

12 down reads "Spooner’s bred ’ackneys etc for the military" (5,6 letters); the answer is ARMED FORCES. It's a cryptic definition: the whole clue is a playful or punny description of the answer. No wordplay decomposition to do — read laterally and identify what's being described. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

Spooner’s bred ’ackneys etc for the military (5,6)

12D — Spooner’s bred ’ackneys etc for the military (5,6) — ARMED FORCES