Oops, my bad. I'll do a new post for hints next time.

Answer is not "staff". I'll give another hint here since I'm now wondering if I've committed another crypting no-no.

First = relocates a letter to the beginning of the answer

Hmmm....don't know what you mean;
can you give an example using another clue?

So a similar example would be if the clue were "Elderly mom started first growth" and the answer was "mold".

Elderly = old
Mom started = m
"First" locates the m at the head of the answer
growth = direct

No good?

I like it.

Ahhhhh.....Broom (laB) room = space

Like it too!!!!

It's a clean sweep for you, Denis.
(And blissfully noodle-free for me)

===[**WCF**]===

Merci Jimbo.

Sounds like gambler is ahead (6) 2 e's

Direct on right; 1 indicator....on left:) cvccvc

Better, but if so why "sounds like" - surely it's a straight double definition?

...which means I'm probably wrong!

better sounds like bettor=gambler.....ahem!!

You'll look bettor after hitching this on ===[**WCF**]===

Thesaurus.com:
Synonyms for bettor
noun person who bets
gambler
player
plunger
wagerer
gamester
high roller

Mercy buckets!

Another interesting transatlantic spelling difference:

Better means more excellent than other items in a particular category, of a higher quality, more effective, more advantageous, to a greater degree. Better may also mean having improved health, recovered from an illness. Better may be used as an adjective, adverb, noun or verb, related words are betters, bettered, bettering. Better is a comparative of good, the superlative is best. Better comes from the Old English word betera.

A bettor is one who bets, especially as a habit. Bettor is an American word, it seems to be gaining ground internationally. Better is also an accepted term for one who bets, in British English.

See also https://www.dailywritingtips.com/betters-and-bettors/

Put up arms, and their attachments (8,6) - a couple of es

Direct on right, arms having two meanings in this clue.

What, still no takers?

The clue is based on a military command, slightly reimagined to be a pair of body parts, one e in each word as penultimate letter

ccvvccvc ccvcvc

Clever - shoulder blades

Correct Rog, the Telegraph Saturday cryptic remains at least an occasional source of inspiration!
You can shoulder this (while perhaps imagining yourself a young blade...) ===[**WCF**]===

Ta muchly - my imagination can only be stretched so far

Musician joins important directors first (11) - one E

Hint time a smidgeon early:

Direct on the left
Three more vowels, all different
Wordplay 3+5+3
One indicator (not "first")
Includes wordplay that seems to be used more in the UK

I am dutifully waiting for the allotted 24 hours to elapse if no-one else wakes up...

I'm all agog!

Thanks to first = ist

British Dictionary definitions for keyboardist
keyboardist
noun
1.a person who plays a keyboard instrument, esp an electronic musical instrument

key=important, board = directors

...Lex, oto s

Can you explain the "ist" part? Is that the UK thing, vs. saying 1st?

Good one, Denis! ===[**WCF**]===

(Exit Lex stage left, muttering...)

Exactly, Jimbo. We use several like that, for example one of our freeways is the M1, often used to represent "mi"

Mercy Rog!

Money starts with a dollar (3) e's < 4 !

wad (starts to With A Dollar)

===[$*WCF**]===