Puzzle Description:

Air a beef or bird (4) -- See comment 1

#1: Joe (infrapinklizzard) on Apr 29, 2018

The description is a clue to the subject using cryptic crossword clue rules.

Every cryptic clue is made up of two parts; a definition, and a literal description of the answer using wordplay. They can be in either order (though not intertwined) and there is no separation between them.

Here is a page describing some of the techniques:
http://gamesmagazine-online.com/cryptic-crosswords/
or an easier-to-read PDF:
http://gamesmagazine-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CrypticsGuide.pdf

rail

To me it looks like a chess piece being moved toward me, from upper right to lower left. ??

Second Susan. Now of course I see it!

You got it, Susan, it's a rail (a railroad rail in the picture).

For those just starting with cryptics, here's the breakdown of the clue:

This is a double definition.

Air a beef : (rail as in to complain)
(or) bird : (rail is a kind of bird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_(bird) )

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