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11ac
In team playing left half, powerful winger (6)

Solution: CASTLE

Mentioning this to deplore the perpetuation of the chess rook being called a castle, unfortunately validated by Chambers and Collins (among others probably). It's the definition in the above clue, based on its starting position on a corner square of the chess board. I doubt many players think of it as a winger, though it is indeed the second most powerful piece after the queen.

Comments on the Times Snitch blog echo my thoughts. Often the 'last one in'. You could, however, admire the setter's deception where 'winger' usually implies a bird.

Chambers does helpfully explain that to call a rook a castle is “informal and childish”. No such qualification in Collins.

Chambers also gives the etymon for the chess meaning of rook as the Persian word “rukh”, defined separately as…

“An enormous bird described in Arabian legend, strong enough to carry off an elephant (also rok, ruc or rukh /rook/)”

PaulH
I take your point, but why then do you "castle" by moving the king towards the rook, then putting the rook on the other side of it?

I was thinking the same Chris. I read that back in the 14th/15th centuries the “castling” move was called a “king’s leap” which seems an altogether better term.

On a chess forum, it shows Rook comes from the Persian term Rukh meaning chariot as this was the piece in predecessor games of chess in India. These Indian chariets had large walled structures on them, more like a fortification.

btw PaulH
A clue in today's Guardian you might like
Scandinavian, Sicilian, Vienna, English, and Nimzo openigs (4)

Hi Chrise @6

I've solved it. I wonder if you get my reference if I say it reminds me, appropriately, of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'?

Chrise @3 and Jono @4

Castling is indeed a proper chess term, but the fact remains that the piece which resembles a castle is always called a rook, just as the one resembling a horse is always called a knight, except in jest. The English notation is R for rook (it's never been C) and N (formerly Kt) for knight.